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CENTENNIAL HISTORY ~- 



Troy, Piqua and Miami 
County, Ohio 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



EDITED AND COMPILED BY 

THOMAS C. HARBAUGH 

CASSTOWN, OHIO 

Lilerary Journalist. Secretary o( the Maryland Association of Ohio. 



"History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples. 



PUBLISHED BV 

RICHMOND-ARNOLD PUBLISHING CO. 

c H I c .A ( ; o 






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PREFACE 



HE aim of the publishers of this volume and of the author of 
the history has been to secure for the historical portion thereof 
full and accurate data respecting the history of the county from 
the time of its early settlement, and to condense it into a clear 
and interesting narrative. All topics and occurrences have been 
included that were essential to this object. 
The reviews of resolute and strenuous lives which make up the biographical 
part of this volume, and whose authorship is for the most part independent of 
that of the history, are admirably calculated to foster local ties, to inculcate 
patriotism, and to emphasize the rewards of industry dominated by intelligent 
purpose. They constitute a most appropriate medium for perpetuating personal 
annals, and will be of incalculable value to the descendants of those com- 
memorated. These sketches, replete with stirring incidents and intense ex- 
periences, are flavored with a strong human interest that will naturally prove 
to a large portion of the readers of the book its most attractive feature. In the 
aggregate of personal memoirs thus collated will be found a vivid epitome of 
the growth of Miami County, which will fitly supplement the historical state- 
ment, for its development is identified with that of the men and women to whom 
it is attributable. 

The publishers have endeavored to pass over no feature of the work slight- 
ingly, but to fittingly supplement the editor's labors by exercising care over the 
minutest details of publication, and thus give to the volume the three-fold value 
of a readable narrative, a useful work of reference, and a tasteful ornament to 
the library. We believe the result has justified the care thus exercised. 

Special prominence has been given to the portraits of representative citi- 
zens which appear throughout the volume, and we believe that they will prove 
not its least interesting feature. We have sought in this department to illus- 
trate the different spheres of industrial and professional achievement as con- 
spicuously as possible. To all those who have kindly interested themselves in 
the preparation of this work, and who have voluntarily contributed most useful 
information, or rendered other assistance, we hereby tender our grateful 

acknowledgments. 

THE PUBLISHERS. 
Chicago, July, 1909. 



NOTE 



All the biographical sketches published in this volume were sub- 
mitted to their respective subjects or to the subscribers, frdm whom 
the facts were primarily obtained, for their approval or correction 
before going to press ; and a reasonable time was allowed in each case 
for the return of the typewritten copies. Most of them were returned 
to us within the time allotted, or before the work was printed, after 
being corrected or revised: and these may be regarded therefore as 
reasonably accurate. 

A few, however, were not returned to us; and, as we have no 

means of knowing whether they contain errors or not, we cannot 

vouch for their accuracy. In justice to our readers, and to render 

this work more valuable for reference purposes, we have indicated 

these uncorrected sketches by a small asterisk (*), placed immediately 

after the name of the subject. They will all be found on the last pages 

of the book. 

THE PUBLISHERS. 



Contents 



CHAPTER I. PAGE 

Introductory and Descriptive 21 

Introductory — First Lords of the Soil, the Mound Builders — Speculations and Traditions as to the Mound 
Builders — The Indians not the Aborigines — Coming of the White Man — Resistance of the Indians — Area 
of Miami County — Its Division into Twelve Townships^-Topography, Elevation, Drainage — Fertility of 
the Soil — Disappearance of the Forests — Conditions Favorable to Agriculture — Tributaries of the Miami — 
Geological Foundations — Prehistoric Remains— Indian Occupancy — Early Abundance of Game. 

CHAPTER II. 

First White Man in the County, 29 

The Call of the West — The Pioneer Settler — De Bienville's Expedition of 1749 — Attack on Pickawillany — 
Expedition of Christopher Gist — Location of Pickawillany — Washington's Journey — Expeditions of George 
Rogers Clarke — Experiences of Abram Thomas — Battle on the Johnston Farm — Beauty of the Country at 
the Time of Clarke's Expedition — Coming of John Knoop, 1797 — Pioneer Settlers. 

CHAPTER in. 

Formation of the Country ; The Home in Wilderness 43 

Pontiac's Conspiracy — Bouquet's Expedition — Block Houses Built at Cincinnati — New York and Virginia 
Relinquish Charter Claims — Fort Harmar Erected — The Settlement at Marietta — Quick Settlement of the 
Ohio Valley — Ordinance of 1787 — Slavery Forbidden — St. Clair Made Governor — Formation of Hamilton 
and Montgomery Counties — Formation of Miami County — .Abrogation of the Indian Title — Wayne's Vic- 
tory of the Fallen Timbers and Treaty of Greenville — The Miami Indians — The Symmes Purchase — 
School Districts Reserved — Sale of Public Lands on Time Payments — The First Court — Homes of the 
Pioneer Settlers — Pioneer Habits and Customs — Domestic Industries — Early Circulating Medium — Militia 
Musters — County Officials. 

CHAPTER IV. 

Thrilling Incidents of Pioneer Life 55 

Contrast of Past and Present — Emigrant Trails — Encounters with Wild .Animals — Pioneer Reminiscences 
— England Pays Bounty on Scalps — Indian Murders — Adoptions into the Tribes — The Moffit Boys — Col. 
Johnston. 

CHAPTER V. 

Early Transportation 68 

Corduroy Roads — First Gravel Road — The National Road — Braddock's Road — Early Stage Lines, Stages 
and Stage Drivers — Famous Taverns — Water Transportation — Freighting on the Miami — To New Orleans 
by River in 1819; an L^nfortunate Voyage — Dr. Dorsey's Recollections of Flat Boat Navigation — Canal 
Construction — The Miami and Erie Canal — Benefits of the Canal — the Old Mail Service — Postal Rates in 
1816 — Postoffice Established at Piqua — The Early Postmaster — A Mail Carrier's .Adventure — A Century's 
Progress. 

CHAPTER VI. 

The Townships (Western) 82 

Washington, Concord, Monroe, L'nion, Newton and Newberry Townships; Their Boundaries and History 
— Early Settlers — Heroes of the Revolution and War of 1812 — Development of Natural Resources — First 
Mills, Founding of the Villages; Tippecanoe, Etc. 



12 CONTENTS 

CHAPTER VII. PAoE 

The Townships (Eastern) •.•••■ 98 

Brown, Springcreek, Staunton, Lostcreek, Elizabeth. Betliel. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Trov. the County Seat 114 

Establislimcnt of the County Seat — Rivalry Between Staun.ton and Piqua ; Troy Enters the Contest — First 
Survey by .\ndrew Wallace — Absence of Graft — Description of Troy in 1815 — Log Court House Built — 
Brick Court House Built in 1S16 — Overfield's Tavern — Queer Real Estate Transactions — William Barbee 
— "Squire" Brown and Otlier Early Settlers — The "Broadford War" — I'irst Railroad — Opening "of the 
Canal — The Cholera Scourge in 1850 — First Court of Common Picas — Troy Merchants in 1828 — The 
Jackson-Adams Campaign — Runaway Apprentices — .\ppearancc of tlie County Seat in 1853 — Mayors Since 
1840 — Early Schools and School Teachers — Ch\irches — The Postoffice — City Government — Corner Stone of 
tlie Court House Laid, 1885 — Masonic Teaiiple Erected. 

CHAPTER IX. 

Piqua, the Border City 131 

Origin of the City — Its Historic Associations — An Indian Legend — Piqua Formerly Called Washington — 
Coming of Job Gard — Reminiscences of Josepli HiUiard — Piqua a Place of Rendezvous in the War of 1812 — 
Land Office Established in 1819 — Piqua Becomes a Town in 1S43 — First Election L'nder the Charter — 
Early Mayors — Amusing Ordinances — Population in 1826 — The Act of Incorporation — The Ewing Tavern 
— Early Merchants and Leading Citizens — Piqua Benefited by the Canal — Coming of the Railroad — The 
Hydraulic Canal — Business Statistics — The Town Hall — Tlie John Vail .-Xcademy — Early Schools — Educa- 
tional Progress — Religions Institutions — Relics, of tHie Mound Builders — Military Spirit of 1861-65 — 
Soldiers' Aid Societies — War Memorials — Postmasters — Fire Department — City Government. 

CHAPTER X. 

Miami in the Wars 14S 

The War of- 1812^-EmploytTient of the Indians by England — Battle of Tippecanoe — Tecumseh — Services of 
Col. John Johnston — Results of Perry's Victory on Lake Erie — ■Miami Heroes of the War — The War of the 
Rebellion — Prompt Enlistments — The Gravity of the Struggle Realized — Miami Soldiers on Many Battle- 
fields — Eleventh Ohio Volimteers — Forty-Fourtih Infantry and Eighth Cavalry — The Seventy-first Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry — Ninety-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry — One Hundred and Tenth O. V. I. — The One 
Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment — Spanish-American War Volunteers — Roster of Veterans. 

CHAPTER XL 

The Bench and Bar: Famous Trials. Etc 169 

First Court Session, 1807 — First Grand Jury Impanelled — First Case Docketed — Early Lawyers — Manner 
of Holding Court in the Late Forties — Some Famous Cases — The Present Bench and Bar — Court Officers 
in ]!)08 — .Amusing Incidents. 

CHAPTER XII. 

ElllCATIONAL 180 

The Log Schoolhousc Early Teachers — First Te.xt Books — Methods of Discipline — Advent of the Salaried 
Teacher — Cojning of the Graded Sch.ool — Latter Day Improvements — Schools of Troy and Piqua — Educa- 
tional History of the Townships — Parocliial Schools — Teachers' Examinations — Results .\ccomplished. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

The Press: Literary .Vchievements, Etc 195 

Early News Conditions— F.arly Newspapers Destitute of Local News— Their Contents — Presses in Use— 
The Old Time Compositor— First Newspaper in Miami Count}', The Piqua Gazette — The Intelligencer — The 
Miami Reporter— Troy 'i'inies— The Miami Union— Tlie Troy Sentinel — The Troy Democrat — The Daily 
Record— Tile Buckeye— The Enquirer and Piqua Journal^Miami Countv Democrat — The Helmet— The 
Daily Call— The Piqua Leader-Despatch— The Miami Post— The Reflector— The City Item— The Herald— 
The Stillwater Valley Gazette — Gre«nville Advocate — The Covington Gazette — The Covington Tribune— 
The West Milton Record— The West Mihon Buckeve— Local Literature and .Authors. 



CONTENTS 13 

CHAPTER XIV. PAGE 

Agriculture 202 

Primitive Farm Macliinery of Pioneer Days — Lack of Transportation Facilities — The Early Farmers With- 
out Wagons — Improvements Gradually Introduced — The First Crops Grown in Miami County — Livestock 
Easily Raised — Orchards Planted— The First Agricultural Society— Miami Represented at the State Pomo- 
logical Exhibition in 1851 — The Miami County Agricultural Society — Fair Grounds Purchased — Present 
Condition of the Society and Roster of Officers — The Grange Movement— The Farmers' Institute— The 
Miami County Horticultural Society — Farm Products of Miami County — Stock Breeding. 

CHAPTER XV. 

Public Institutions , 211 

The Children's Home — Benevolence of John H. Knoop — The Schmidlapp Free Public School Library, 
Piqua — The Troy Free School Library — The Young Men's Oiristian Association — The Woman's Christian 
Temperance Union — The Young Woman's Christian Temperance Unions — Colored People's Temperance 
Union — Woman's Christian Association of Troy — The Ball Memorial Hospital at Piqua — The Altrurian 
Club of Troy — The Civic League— Regimental and Other Military Organizations — The Maryland Associ- 
ation. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Banks and Banking 321 

Early Currency; Its Instability — The Old State Bank^s— The First National Bank of Troy Organized — The 
Miami County Bank and Troy National Bank — The Piqua National Bank — The Citizens' National Bank of 
Piqua — The Piqua Savings Bank Company — The Tippecanoe National Bank— The Citizens' National Bank 
of Tippecanoe City— Banks of West Milton. Covington, Pleasant Hill, Bradford. Etc.— Stability of Miami 
County's Financial Institutions. , 

CHAPTER XVII. 

The Medical Profession. P.x.'iT and Pre.sent 226 

The Pioneer Doctor— Crude Methods of a CenturyAgo- Home Remedies— Charm Doctors— Bleeding the 
Main Reliance of the Old-Tmie "Regular" — Devotion of the Pioneer Physicians — Diseases Prevalent in 
Early Days— The Charlatan of Former Days — Some Early Physicians— The Medical Profession of the 
Present Day — The Miami County Medical Society. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Pioneer Preacher 23.5 

Charles Frederick Post, the Missionary — The Presbyterians. Baptists and Catholics Early Represented — 
Controversialisni — Salary of the Backwoods Preacher — Hardships Endured — His Devotion — Stories of the 
Itinerant Preachers — The Results They Accomplished. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Present Religious Denominations of the County 242 

Local History of the Baptists. Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans. Friends or Quakers. Episcopalians- 
German Baptists — Christians, Roman Cafholics, Etc. 

CHAPTER XX. 

County Politics Old and New 2,55 

Smallness of the Voting Popu.lation in Early Days— First Elective Officers— Political Parties — Methods of 
Electioneering — Local Issues — Some Political Editorials— The .^dams-Jackson Campaign — Coming of Gen- 
eral Harrison in 18^7 and 1840— The Campaigns of 185r> and 1860— The Campaign of 1864— Later Presi- 
dential Campaigns — Congressional Battles — Humorous Incidents— Present Day Politics. 

CHAPTER XXL 

Some County History Not Generally Known 264 

The General Harrison Land— The Randolph Slaves— Last Indian in Elizabeth Township— Revolutionary 
Pensioners— The July Fourth Celebration of 1827 at Troy— Prominent Miami County Lady— John Mor- 
gan's Raiders — A Lincoln Letter. 

CHAPTER XXIL 

Manufacturers of the Past and Present 272 

Early Mills and Distilleries— Brick and Tile Making— Present Industries of the County. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

Fraternal Orders, Building and Loan Associations, Population, Etc 278 

Representative Citizens 231 



Tndcx 



Biograpbicai 



PAGE 

Albaiigh, Albert 831 

Albaugh, B. F S22 

Albaugh, C. M 822 

Albaugh, John 831 

Albery. Richard M 662 

Alexander, Henry 515 

Alexander, Melville W 515 

Alexander, VV. H 396 

Allen, Henry W 363 

Allison, S. M 503 

Allison, Rev. William H 459 

Anderson, Charles F 681 

Anderson, J. Frank 590 

Anderson, Robert 590 

Anthony, John 540 

Anthony, William 540 

Apple, George S 711 

Apple, Henry D 669 

Apple, Peter 320 

Apple, Solomon 718 

Apple, Uriah S 718 

Arnold, David 699 

Arnold, John 699 

Arnold. John T 699 

Atlas Underwear Co., The.. 772 
I 

Babb, Capt. Joshua L 377 

Baker. John H.. M.D 354 

Baldwin, William 393 

Barker, Dr. J. B 611 

Earnett, C. H 635 

Barnhart, Elias 308 

Barnhart, Tobias 308 

Bartmess, James T 450 

Bashore, John M 456 

Bashor, S. B 359 

Bausman, Dr. Charles W... 685 

Bechtol, Joseph 853 

Bechtol. Samuel C 853 

'Beerv. Prof. Jesse . . 7''0 

Bell, Elbert M ,[[ 695 

Bennett, Prof. L. J 617 

Bennett, Prof. R. F '. . 616 

Benson, Austin 291 

Benson. Mrs. Fern 290 

Berryhill. Francis M 521 

Berryhill. Samuel F 482 

Billett, Charles A 314 

Billingsley. John E ' 775 

Billingsley, Thomas 776 

Boal, Stanhope .... 535 

Boal, W. K ■.;;■. 536 



P.AGE 

Boehringer, Charles 628 

Bohlender, Peter 359 

Bosserman, W. W 658 

Bousman, Mrs. Abigail W. .. 740 

Bousman, John 740 

Bowman, Joseph 464 

Bowman, Joseph W 464 

Bowyer, Walter E 611 

Boyer, Daniel 631 

Brandon, James W 456 

Brandt, Joseph B 759 

Branson, DeWitt C 469 

Branson, John H 469 

Brant, .\lfred M 751 

Breidebach, Conrad W 511 

Brown, Augustus S 64S 

Brown, Cyrus T 362 

Brown, Daniel 363 

Brown, John 451 

Brown, John W 365 

Brown. John W 648 

Brown, M. K ^451 

Brown, Dr. Richard L 324 

Brown, S. K 669 

Brown, T. C 802 

Brown, William B 669 

Brubaker, Henry J 305 

Brubaker, J. A. & Son 305 

Brubaker, James A 305 

Buchanan, A. C 290 

Buchanan, Col. George 371 

Buchanan, W. W. V 289 

Burkett, Jesse 321 

Burivell, R. N '. 614 

Cady. N. W 436 

Campbell, A. B 379 

Campbell, Angus C 56.1 

Campbell, Hon. Thomas M . . 408 

Cantwell, W. F 824 

Carroll, A. C 764 

Cassel, Jacob 723 

Cassel, John 723 

Cassel, Joseph A 621 

Caven, Georee B 714 

Caven, James M 593 

Caven, John F 714 

Caven. John M 719 

Chaffee, Charles 349 

Clark, Harvey 292 

Clark, John H 292 

Class, C. F 440 



PAGE 

Class, Jacob 440 

Clemm, Daniel P 539 

Clemm, H. E 539 

Clouse, August S 506 

Coddington, A. L 628 

Coddington, James H 628 

Cofield, W. 577 

Coleman, Dr. Hoirace.... 449 
Coleman, Dr. Warren.... 443 

Coles, W. H 568 

Combs, Jefferson S 789 

Compton, G. L., D. D. S.. 808 

Compton, Isaac 808 

Conrad, George W 376 

Conway, Capt. John 447 

Conway, J. Nelson 446 

Conway, L. E 836 

Coombs, George V 477 

Coombs, Harry E 477 

Coon, John H 636 

Coon, William H 636 

Coppock, Allen 707 

Coppock, Allen 762 

Coppock, C. Roy 696 

Coppock, David C 807 

Coppock, Hon. David M.. 735 

Coppock. Elwood 696 

Coppock, F. M 807 

Coppock, Rev. Jacob 395 

Coppock, Joe F 762 

Coppock, Joseph C 707 

Coppock. Samuel 395 

Corwin, I. A 673 

Cottingham, Joshua E.... 433 
Cottingham, Joshua H.... 432 

Cottingham. W. A 522 

Courtcr, Aaron B 470 

Courier, William 470 

Covault, Erastus 566 

Covault, William A 565 

Covington Roller Mills, 

The 337 

Covington Woolen Mills, 

The 772 

Co.x, Edward S 668 

Cox, Dr. W. S 668 

Croft. David 568 

Croft, Sherman D 568 

Cromer, Elnathan 491 

Cromer, William H 491 

Crowley, Rev. James J.... 466 



INDEX 



15 



PAGE 

Curtis, Martin A 584 

Curtis, William 584 

Cushwa, Benjamin 585 

Cushwa, Frank A 585 

Darner, John L 474 

Davis, Benjamin 771 

Davis, David 771 

Davis, Dr. E. B 664 

Davis, Elwood, U 763 

Davis, Frank G 737 

Davis, Henry 354 

Davis, J. W 431 

Davis, Stephen 391 

Davis, Thomas C 391 

Davy, Henry D 401 

Davy, Jacob A 401 

Deaton, Nathan 498 

Deaton, Dr. Van Shears.. 498 

De Bra, William M 644 

Decker, Valentine 741 

Deeter, Aaron H 765 

Deeter, Daniel H 765 

Deeter, Samuel R 748 

Deeter, William F.v 748 

De Frees, John K 407 

Deitzer, Jacob D 549 

Detrick, Benjamin 330 

Detrick, William H 330 

De Weese, A. W 419 

De Weese, Franklin A.... 491 

De Weese Henry G 492 

Dick, Alva E 728 

Dick, Robert 728 

Dickson, Robert M 834 

Dickson, Samuel M 834 

Diehl, Justus 403 

Divens, Levi 777 

Divens, Samuel 777 

Dodd, John 750 

Doll, Conrad 555 

Doll Frederick 314 

Doll, Fred. Sr 555 

Doll, Jacob P , .. 314 

Douglass, H. F 590 

Douglas, R .L 635 

Downs, Capt. William J 354 

^rake, Daniel 547 

Drake, John C 739 

Drake, John J 731 

Drake. Jonathan 731 

Drake, Theodore A 547 

Drake, Thomas L 778 

Dress, George 448 

Drees, Henry 448 

Driver, Moses 726 

Driver, William H 726 

Drury, Eli H 538 

Drury, James 504 

Drury, John C 530 

Drury, John, H 529 

Du Bois, Alexander H.... 687 

Du Bois, Benjamin 1 552 

Du Bois, George L 671 



PAoE 

Du Bois, L. T 798 

Du Bois, Rolland R 798 

Du Bois, William T 671 

Duer, John 657 

Duer, Joshua A 658 

Dunrider, Isaac 381 

Dunrider, John 381 

Durr, Fred 687 

^ Eagle, Dr. P. F 598 

Eby, William 302 

Eby, W. S 302 

Echelbarger, Dr. J. R 642 

Edgar, E. E 311 

Edwards, Ogden 586 

Eidemiller, A. G 848 

Elliott, William G 811 

Ely, W. R 542 

Enyeart Family 304 

Enyeart, John L 304 

Estey, Bert 489 

Estey, James H 437 

Estey, Jotham 489 

Estey, M ichael 437 

Estey, Grin A 489 

Etter, J. F 646 

Evans, Albert G 323 

Evans, Henry 323 

Evans, Dr. John R 324 

Evans, Robert 553 

Evans, Robert M 553 

Eyler, Hon. Robert X 451 

Face, David L 823 

Falknor, David C 790 

Falknor, Levi 790 

Favorite, Daniel 517 

Favorite, George 517 

Favorite Store & Range Co., 

The 536 

Fecker, John H 353 

Felger, Bernard 825 

Felger, Martin 825 

Fenemore, John 446 

Fergus, John S 289 

Fergu5, Samuel R 288 

Fessler, Charles .A 647 

Fetter, Jacob 855 

Fetter, Samuel M 855 

Filbey, George 821 

Filbey, Josiah 821 

J'infrock, Charles M .582 

Fink, Joseph M 782 

Fiish, John 408 

Fish, Rufus 561 

Flesh, Henry 566 

Flesh, L. M 773 

Flory, Eli 682 

Flowers. Forrest 322 

Ford, B. J 775 

Ford, Orlando 775 

Foster, William H 556 

Frame, Dr. A. B 596 

Francis, W. H 513 

Free, Henrv 582 



PAGE 

Freeman, Frank E 405 

Freeman, George 405 

French, A. W 770 

French Oil Mill Machinery Co. 770 

Freshour, Solomon B 528 

Frey, George A 424 

Fry, A. M 805 

Furrow, Alonzo J 412 

Furrow, Jeremiah 412 

Furrow, John K 650 

Furrow, Oscar F 650 

Funderburg, Dr. Jesse 509 

Gahagan, William 632 

Gaines, Dr. Charles E 494 

Gangloff. Felix 850 

Gantz, Martin L 584 

Garver, Abraham R 572 

Gerstmejer, J. A 527 

Gessaman, George J 484 

Gessaman, Lewis C 484 

Geyer, Frederick 570 

Geyer, Hon. John C 570 

Gibson, Ralph H 497 

Gilbert Henry 457 

Gilbert, William H 457 

Gould, S. S 763 

Goodrich. F. C 717 

Graham. Robert F 672 

Gray, Francis 285 

Greer, John M 569 

Greer, Mrs. Mary A 569 

Greer, William 569- 

Grubb, Joshua 698 

Grunert, Herman 547 

Hageman, C. H 725 

Hageman. Christian 725 

Hager, George 456 

Hager, LeRoy 456 

Haines. W. A 379 

Hall, Augustus C, D.D.S... 612 

Hall, Dr. Ernest 612 

Hall. Dr. George Y 612 

Hall, James 612 

Harbaugh, John C 410 

Harbaugh. Losh O 410 

Harbaugh. Thomas C. ...... 419 

Harshbarger. Alba L 293 

Harshbarger, Charles A 783 

Harshbarger, George 794 

Harshbarger, George K 70S 

Harshbarger, Harry J 353 

Harshbarger, Isaac D 294 

Harshbarger, John C 708 

Harshbarger, Lloyd 794 

Harshbarger, Lorain 828 

Harshbarger, William 833 

Hart, Samuel 648 

Hartle, O. L 518 

Hartle, Peter 460 

Hartle, Warren 459 

Hartley, Alonzo 774 

Hartley, Dr. Charles A 3.54 

Hartman, Dr. S. D 594 



16 



IXDEX 



PACE 

Hartstein, John 333 

Hawn. Elias G 336 

Hawn, John 336 

Hawn, John 5"-4 

Hawn, William B 5T4 

Haworth, Clarindon A 789 

Haworth, Harvev 789 

Headlev, John 424 

Heffner, Henrv 390 

Heffner, John M 390 

Hellmer. William H 485 

Helmer, William J 485 

Hcmm. Frank X 788 

Henderson, J. C 787 

Henderson, William E 348 

Henne, Jacob 587 

Hcnne. John E 349 

Henne. Joseph 587 

Hctherington, Dr. C. E 359 

Hetzler, Amos M 423 

Heywood, .Alexander M 297 

Hickory Grove Church 395 

Hildebran, .A.nson 786 

Hildebran, John 786 

Hill. Isaac N 784 

Hill, John W 784 

Hill, Nathan 281 

Hill. Samuel 683 

Hill. Samuel T 521 

Hill. Uzal E 681 

Hilliard, J. Clvde 646 

Hilliard, James G 646 

Himes, R. W 843 

Hobart, C. C 541 

Hoefiich, Samuel 295 

Hoffert. A. J 693 

Hogan. John W 849 

Hogan, Dr. William E 849 

Holfinger, John 750 

Holfinger, John B 750 

Holfinger, Will H 684 

Holloway, Irwin A 329 

Honeyman, Davis M 357 

Honeyman, Michael 357 

Hoopes. George W 654 

Hoover, Charles P 625 

Houser, James B 848 

Houser, John 604 

Houser, ilartin V 604 

Howe, John A 416 

Howe, John V 416 

Huber, A. A 847 

Huebschmann, Rev. Henry Jr. 535 

Hughes, Hon. James C 306 

Hughes, Rev. Thomas L 345 

Hunt, C. M 382 

Iddings, A. J 781 

Iddings, Benjamin 749 

Iddings, benjamin 781 

Iddings, Myron 749 

Iddings, Nathan 313 

Irvin, John W 737 

Irvin, William 737 



PACE 

Jackson, Elva A 455 

Jackson, Ira 855 

Jarvis, Francis 564 

Jay, Dorsey W 597 

Jay. William 597 

Jennings Dr. Gaino"- 824 

Johnson, D. C 671 

Johnson, Eugene 433 

Johnson Joseph 671 

Johnston, Andrew J 734 

Johnston, Frederick W.... 734 

Johnston, H. L 433 

Jones, Albert B 796 

Jones, B. W., D. D. S.... 475 

Jones, John 670 

Jones, Hon. M. H 558 

Jones, Samuel 802 

Jones, Hon. Walter D 746 

Jones, William 663 

Jones, William J 802 

Katherman. Jacob C 632 

Keiser, Nathaniel 771 

Kelch, H. 1 83.". 

Keller, William 760 

Kemp, Benjamin F 617 

Kemp, Hiram 617 

Kendell. Dr. Jacob 562 

Kendell, Dr. H. W 563 

Keplinger. Frank E. D.... 437 

Kepner, Absolom 530 

Kepner, Samuel B 530 

Kerr, Albert 599 

Kerr, E. H 565 

Kerr, J. A 637 

Kerr, James 598 

Kerr, James. Sr 59S 

Kerr, James S 599 

Kerr, Raymond A 565 

Kessler, A. H 785 

Kessler, William B 803 

Kessler, Wirt 803 

Kessler. W. S 827 

Keyt, Gideon 843 

Keyt. James 697 

Keyt. James W ,843 

Kindell. Ezekiel 837 

Kindell, James B 837 

Kinder, Albert 502 

Kinnison, George 700 

Kinnison, George E 700 

Kirk, Harry K 620 

Kiser. Benjamin 717 

Kiser. Charles W 548 

Kiser, Dr. I. C 717 

Kloeb, Joseph A 557 

Knick, Isaac 516 

Knick, William 516 

Knoop, Albert 510 

Knoop, Daniel 510 

Knoop. Daniel C 573 

Knouflf. George 667 

Knouflf, John M 667 

Krayer, Jacob 394 



PAGE 

Kreitzer, Charles E 534 

Kreitzer, I saac H 533 

Kreitzer, John 533 

Kreitzer, Ray 533 

Kunkle, Dr. Robert L 523 

Lambert, H. S.. D. D. S.. 826 

Lamka, John 503 

Landis, Daniel 828 

Landis, David B 630 

Landis, Henry 838 

Landis, John 630 

Landman, Louis &94 

Lape, E. W 308 

Lee, D. L 550^ 

Le Fevre, Cyrus H 605 

Le Fevre, Frank E 605 

Leonard, A. M 635 

Leonard. Morgan 724 

Lewis. .Alfred J 772 

Lewis, C. E 773 

Lewis, W. J 772 

Little, Hon. Albert F 829 

Little. John M 829 

Long, George S 471 

Longendelpher. Casper 296 

Longendelpher. Daniel .... 296 

Longnaker, Ephriam .... 728 

Longnaker, Hon. Frank M. 728 

Lorimer, C W 452 

Lnughman, Henry 723 

Loughman. Thomas M.,.. 722 

Lo.xley, Benjamin F.. Jr... 819 

Lo.xley. B. F., Sr 661 

Lyle, John W 512 

Lytle. W. E 406 

McAlpin, Jcihn F 347 

McAlpin. John H 348 

McCandliss, James 499 

McCandliss. James Jr 409 

McCandliss. James R 409 

McCandliss. John 499 

McClain, John 499 

McClary, James 368 

McColloch, Seth 311 

McConnell. George R 430 

McConnell. L. H 742 

McCoole, J. B 398 

McCoy, Clifford D 615 

l\rcCullough, Charles H 595 

McCullough, D. M 581 

McCuIlough, George .... 578 

McCullough, Dr. G. E 736 

^IcCullough. John .595 

McCullough. William 579 

McCune, Albert W «08 

McCurdy, John A 391 

McCurdy, Samuel 439 

McKee. John T 376 

McKnight. Joseph 709 

McKnight. S. G 709 

McKnight. William J.... 708 
McMacken, Charles S 683 



INDEX 



17 



PAGE 

McMacken, John 683 

Magee Bros. Company, The 4(iri 

Magec, Charles W 46:! 

Magee, Edwin R 41;:! 

Magill, Fred B ■. . . 63.) 

Maier, Charles B 649 

Maier, Eberhart W 686 

Maier, Michael .51)9 

—Makepeace, S. S 394- 

Manning, Clarkson 427 

Manning, David C 427 

Manson, David 635 

Manson, Martin 63.5 

Martin Abijah 523 

Martin, Charles E 463 

Martin, Joseph 53:! 

Martin, William P 523 

Martindalc, Davis 486 

Martindale, John, Jr 486 

Mathews, John 663 

Mathews, William 663 

Maurer, D. B 791 

Maurer, John 796 

Maxwell Spaft'ord W 478 

Maxwell, Thomas 478 

Means, Dr. Joseph W 811 

Meek, David 510 

Meeks, D. C 510 

Mendenhall, Isaac 538 

Mendenhall, Joseph E 528 

Menge, Rev. Goswin B.... 483 

Mentink, Rev. Anthony J.. 315 

Meredith, John L 515 

Meredith, William J 515 

Mikesell, A. F 833 

Mikesell, John 338 

Miles, D. M 642 

Miles, Morris 643 

Miller, Dr. John D 567 

Miller. John H 830 

Miller, Melville, W 446 

s^Miller, W. F 455 

v,^MiIlhouse, Jacob 735 

Millhouse. Madison 735 

Minton, Dr. W. A 705 

Minton. Dr. W. H. H 705 

Mitchell. C. W 538 

Mitchell Milton G :291 

Afohler, E. S 765 

Montgomery. C. W 352 

Moon, James 661 

Moon, William B 661 

Moore, John 418 

Moore, William 418 

Morris, J. W 769 

Morrow, Daniel 526 

Morrow, George B 756 

Morrow, Harry 1 815 

Morrow, R C 7.56 

Morton, Charles 722 

Morton, Samuel 722 

Morton, Simon C 814 

Morton, William C S15 

Mote, Daniel 797 



PAGE 

■Mote, O. C 797 

Mott, James 645 

Moul, Daniel 690 

Moul, Samuel A 690 

Moyer, Perry H 404 

Miwnford, George 403 

Mumford, George Jr 403 

Mmiiford, iWilliam R 410 

Mummert, John 783 

Murphy, George 644 

Murray, Charles 728 

Murray, Owen 745 

Murray, Samuel 727 

Musselman, Jacob 719 

Musselman, John 719 

Myers, John G 754 

Myers, M. D 701 

Myers, Michael 754 

Neal, James K 363 

Neal, Samuel \ 361 

Neth Brothers 439 

Neth, George 429 

Neth, J. B 429 

Nettleship. C. W 513 

Newby, L. C 747 

Newman, Daniel ,.. 766 

Newman, Charles E 766 

Nolan, Cory H 444 

Nolan, John E 388 

Nolan, Michael 445 

Nolan, Michael 288 

Norr, T. H 540 

Norris, J. William 477 

Nunlist John A 435 

Nutt, Albert 473 

Oda, John 775 

O'Donnell, J. Guv 556 

O'Ferrall. Dr. Jolin 351 

O'Ferrall, Dr. R. M 350 

Orbison, David 615 

Orbison, David W 615 

Orr, A. Morrison 466 

O'Roark, J. A 337 

O'Roark, W. L 337 

Palmer, Capt. Samuel D 656 

Parsons, George F 326 

Passage. Peter 816 

Patterson. I. B 460 

Patty. Albert R 705 

Pearson, E. E 641 

Pearson, Frank W 333 

Pearson, George 333 

Pear.son. Horatio 641 

Peckham Coal and Ice Co., 

The 497 

Peckham, Chas 477 

Peckham, David 497 

Peckham, Frank J 497 

Peckham, George W 690 

Pence, George W 741 

Pence, John N 741 

Pence, Thomas J.. V.S 396 



PAGE 

Pennv, David B 814 

Penny, D. \V 814 

Penrod, E. B 506 

Penrod, Levi 506 

Perkins, Charles F 700 

Peters, August 654 

Peterseim, Martin A 647 

Petrv, C. S 773 

Philiippi, Frank H .524 

Phillippi, Jerome .534 

Pierce, Samuel 852 

Pierce, Zenas 853 

Piqua Handle & Manufactur- 
ing Co 634 

Pleasant, George W 755 

Pleasant, William 755 

Poling, G. W 847 

Prince, Will J., M.D :i66 

Prugh, Jesse 444 

Prugh, John L 444 

Purdy, James L 306 

Purdy, Thomas L 474 

Racer, John H 303 

Rake, Amos 697 

Rake, WilliaiTi J 697 

Rannells, Chas F 407 

Reaver, Jacob 378 

Reaver, Ora 378 

Reed, Bert A 854 

Rehmerth, Henry 779 

Rehmerth, William J 780 

Reiber, Jacob 711 

Reiber, John 712 

Rhoades, Arthur C 685 

Rhoades, Oiarles D 677 

Rhoades, George C 656 

Rhoades, John 656 

Richardson, O. W 503 

Ritter, Hon. Harrv J 606 

Ritter, Harry W 607 

Robbins, .^Ivernus 841 

Robbins, Wilham F 841 

Roberts, F. C 331 

Robinson, .-Mexander 689 

Robinson, Charles A 557 

Robinson. John 689 

Robinson, Michael 557 

Rogers. Charles P .537 

Rogers, Theodore L 536 

Rogers. William C 635 

Rollin Familv. The 341 

Rollin. Horace J 341 

Rosenberger, Dr. A. S 551 

Rosenberger, Isaac J 813 

Rosenberger, Israel H 463 

Ross. John Wilson 386 

Roszell, O. T 488 

Routson, Absalom 305 

Routson, David J 697 

Routson, George W 420 

Routson, Tsreal 684 

Routson. Reuben 698 

Rover, Samuel D 631 

Rli'dv, John C 8.54 



18 



IXDEX 



PAGE 

Rudv, Joseph M ■ 602 

Rudv. Levi 854 

Rudy, S. J 505 

Rudv. Solomon A 601 

Rulii. Josiah W 7S8 

Ruhl, Dr. L. A 360 

Rundle. G. H 41T 

Rusk, Edwin X 573 

Rusk, William 573 

Sando, Samuel 643 

Sando, W. W 643 

Savers, E. F 389 

Savers, Ezekiel 614 

Savers, Harry L 613 

Schmidt, Joseph J 380 

Schnell, Charles A 810 

Schram, George 835 

Schram, John 835 

Schuesselin, Charles F 776 

Schuesselin, Fred 776 

Schuhz, Charles C 812 

Schultz. William 813 

Scott, George W 291 

Scott, H. E 521 

Scott, John 291 

Scott, Robert S 434 

See, Jacob 450 

See, William E 449 

Senour, Dr. John G 385 

Shade, J. A 577 

Shaffer, David C 600 

Shaffer, John 601 

Shanks. Daniel 655 

Shanks, William T 655 

Sharp, Calvin 041 

-Sharp. Levi 641 

Sheets. Elizabeth 430 

Sheets, John K 421 

Sheets, Isaac S 421 

Sheets, -Mary 415 

Shellabarger, William E 660 

Sliepard, Ezra 851 

Shepard. George W 851 

Sherman, Henry 589 

Sherman, Louis 589 

Shilling, David 514 

Shilling, Dr. Harry 474 

Shilling. Jesse 500 

Shilling. Louis 514 

Shilling. T. C 801 

Shipman. L. H 417 

Shook, Isaac 526 

Shook. John N 526 

Shroyer. Jacob 373 

Shroyer, John W 374 

Shroyer. Oscar 373 

Siegel. George 783 

Siegel, Joseph E .•.331 

Siegel. William 783 

Simes, Edward D 488 

Svmes, James E 473 

Simes. Lewis E 488 

Simes. Thomas J 473 

Simon, Otto 404 



PACE 

Simmons, B. F 627 

Simmons, Charles 760 

Simmons, George 760 

Simmons, John 493 

Simmons, J. W 493 

Simmons, Peter 627 

Sinks. A. E 561 

Smith. Alexander 678 

Smith, Benjamin F 678 

Smith. Claude C 804 

Smith, Cloyd 713 

Smith, Cortez M 778 

Smith, Daniel W 329 

Smith, Enoch 618 

Smith, H. W 804 

Smith, James 346 

Smith. Hon. J. Harrison.... 753 

Smith. Lawson D 422 

Smith, Dr. S. D 713 

Smith, William 422 

Smith, Wilham H 618 

Smith, W. J 372 

Snell. Daniel 483 

Snell, Rev. John H 483 

Snook, C. G 294 

Snovvberger, David R 667 

Snowtyerger, Oliver H 664 

Snyder, Anderson 693 

Snyder, C. E 523 

Snyder, E. N 756 

Sotherland, Richard H.. Jr... 851 

Sowers. John 301 

Sowers, William H 301 

Spencer, J. M 347 

Sproul, Robert S 471 

Stahl._J. W 809 

Staley. Andrew 325 

Stanfield, Maurice E 374 

Stauffer. James W 812 

Steil. Frederick 367 

Steinlage, Rev. George P 361 

Stewart. J. F 635 

Stewart, Thomas B. 542 

Stichter. Jacob 806 

Stichter. Jacob B •. . 806 

Stilwell. Morris T 856 

.Stockstill, Elias D 476 

Stockstill, John P 476 

Stouder, A. G 422 

Strock. Adam M.. V.S 513 

Suber. George W' 746 

Suber, J. C 710 

Suber, Orel M 835 

Suber, William D 710 

Sullivan, Hon Theodore.... 298 

Swearingen. Franklin S 333 

Swearingen. John L 334 

Swisher. W. V 341 

Switzer, Edward L 316 

Switzer, Jacob 801 

Switzer, J. M 801 

Switzer. Levi 60S 

Svler, Sherman D 411 



PAGE 

Telford, James 595 

Tenney, Dr. Eli 552 

Tenney, Frank W 738 

Tenney, W. Irving 551 

Thoma. Albin 335 

Thomas, Charles H 732 

Thoanas, David E 732 

Thompson, Elmer E 393 

Thompson, H. S 474 

Thompson, Joel T 393 

Thompson, Josephus 676 

Thompson, Samuel 676 

Thompson, Dr. W. R 472 

Throckmorton. George 427 

Tobev, Charles W 381 

Tobey, Nathaniel 381 

Tobias, David W 439 

Tobias, Elias 439 

Tobias. Jonathan 525 

Trostel, Charles E 397 

Ullerv, David 816 

Ullerv, David E 816 

Ullery, Dr. G. C 816 

L'pdike, Gideon G 461 

Updike, Wilbur D 320 

Vandergrift, William A 358 

Van Horn, E 752 

Van Horn. Oscar 351 

Van Horn. William 351 

Vinnedge. Clinton 366 

Vinnedge. George 365 

Vinnedge. Lewis D 365 

Wagner, Jacob G 524 

Walker. H. J 406 

Wialker. Josiah 406 

Warner. Albert 695 

Warner. David 688 

Warner, Jacob 688 

\\'ashing. George 501 

Weaver, Dr. Adam D 586 

Weaver. J. D .684 

Weaver, Wesley D 470 

\\'eddle. Darius W 625 

Weddle. Rev. John B 626 

Wehneraan, John A 745 

^^'ehneman, John H 745 

\\'ellbaum, Aaron 821 

Wellbaum, David 822 

W'enger, E T 819 

Wetzel, John G 310 

Wharton, Oliver 435 

Wheeler. Leonard A 726 

Wheeler. T. B 726 

White. Jeremiah 038 

WHiite, J. C 638 

Whitman. Edward 675 

Whitman, Frank L 675 

Whitmer, Abraham 826 

Whitmer, Henry C 826 

Whitemr, John 501 

Whitemr, William W 501 

Whitmore, David J 659 



INDEX 



19 



PACE 

Whitmore, Harry INI 639 

Widener, Jacob 'i'02 

Widener, R. Hayes 733 

Widener, William D 733 

Wilgus, J. F 602 

Wilgus, John H 603 

Wilgus, Thomas 794 

Wilgus, William, Sr 794 

Wilhelm, Eno 588 

Wilhelm, Percival 588 

Wilkinson, J. B 541 

Wilkinson, Joseph E 317 

Wilson, John 309 

Wilson, Robert F 791 

Wilson, Robert M 309 

Wilson, William G 401 

Wilson, William W 792 

Winters, Warren N 364 



PAGE 

Wirrig, John A 621 

Wise, Moses B 674 

Wolcott, Benjamin L 629 

Wolcott. Lewis F 629 

Wood, Charles A 293 

Wood, Charles L 295 

Wood, H. K 763 

Woodward, Col. John R 606 

Wood, Shovel and Tool 

Co., The 763 

Wood, William W 781 

Worley, Aiken 706 

Worley, John 706 

Yates, S. Frank 649 

Yerty, Jacob 713 

Yerty, Samuel 713 

Young, C. O., V. S 725 



PACE 

Young, David D 761 

Yount, E. W 819 

Yount, S. K 805 

Yount, P. A 805 

Ziegenfelder, James B.... 338 

Ziegenfelder, Thomas 338 

Zimmerlin, G. Jacob 759 

Zimmerman, Charles 773 

Zimmerman, Charles 793 

Zimmerman, Charles 797 

Zimmerman, Fred 797 

Zimmerman, John 773 

Zimmerman, Joseph 793 

Zink, W. A 780 

Zollinger, John 487 

Zollinger, Henry 593 

Zollingrcr, John Wm 521 



inoex OT UTeois 



PAGE 

Ball Memorial Hospital, Piqiia 215 

Brethren Church, Pleasant Hill 103 

Cabin Built in 1798 ; Staunton Township 47 

C. H. & D. Depot, Troy 267 

Christian Church, Covington 87 

Christian Church, Piqua 103 

Christian Church, Pleasant Hill 229 

Christian Church, Troy 245 

City Building, Troy 117 

County Infirmary 215 

Covington Woolen Mills, Covington 155 

Edwards School, Troy 173 

English Lutheran Church, Troy 125 

Episcopal Church, Troy 245 

Favorite Stove and Range Company's Plant. Piqua. 237 
Fireplace in Home of Horace J. Rollin, Staunton 

Township 155 

First Baptist Church, Troy 103 

First National Bank, Troy 125 

Forest Scliool, Troy 173 

Greenville Creek Falls. Near Covington 73 

High School, Bradford 187 

High School, Casstown 187 

High School, Piqua 187 

High School, Troy 173 

High Street, Piqua ; Looking West from North 

Plaza 135 

Hobart Electric Manufacturing Company, Troy. 

Plant of the 125 

Horse Shoe Bend, near Troy 47 

Hotel Troy, Troy .' 257 

Indian Mound on Wolverton Farm 47 

I. O. O. F. Building and Post Office, Troy 215 

Knoop Children's Home 215 

Looking North on High Street, Covington 73 

Ludlow Falls 59 

McKinnon Dash Works, Troy 275 

Main Street, Piqua; Looking North from Ash 135 

Main Street, Tippecanoe City S7 

Main Street, Troy ; Looking West 257 

Market Street Bridge, Troy 267 

Masonic Temple, Troy 125 

May's Opera House, Piqua 135 

M. E. Church and Parsonage, Covington 73 

M. E. Church, Piqua 143 

M. E. Church, Troy 245 

Miami River, Troy 73 

Miami River Below Troy 47 



PAGE 

^liami County Court House ll'i' 

Miami County Jail, Troy 267 

Mother's Spinningwheel 155 

Old Canal Locks, Troy 59 

Old Gault House, Troy 125 

Old Court House 117 

On the Banks of the Canal, Troy 205 

Orr Felt & Blanket Company, Troy, The 275 

Pioneer Pole and Shaft Company, Troy, The 275 

Presbyterian Church, Covington 229 

Presbyterian Church, Piqua 143 

Presbyterian Church, Troy 245 

Public School, Covington 187 

Public Square, Troy 257 

Public Square by Electric Light, Troy 257 

Residence of John Sohrani, Newton Township 1.55 

Residence of L. M. Flesh, Piqua 87 

Residence of Oscar F. Furrow, Lost Creek Town- 
ship 47 

Residence of W. P. Orr, Piqua 87 

Residence of E. N. Snyder 756 

Schmidlapp Free School Library, Piqua 229 

Schoolhouse, West Milton 187 

Site of First Fort and of First Birth in Miami 

County 87 

Site of Fort Piqua; Confluence of the Miami and 

Loramie Rivers 135 

St. Boniface Catholic Church, Piqua 143 

St. James Episcopal Church, Piqua 103 

St. John's Lutheran Church, Troy 229 

St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Troy 103 

St. Paul's Evangelical Protestant Church (German), 

Piqua 143 

Stillwater River, Pleasant Hill .59 

Soldiers' Monument, Forrest Hill Cemetery, Piqua.. 135 

South Plum Street, Troy 87 

South Street School, Piqua 187 

Sugar Loaf, Swift Run Lake 237 

Troy Carriage Sunshade Company, Troy 155 

Troy Club, Troy 117 

Troy Electric Works, Troy 125 

Troy Wagon Works, Troy 275 

The Tumbles ; Swift Run Lake 237 

Water Works Plant, Troy 267 

West Charleston Falls 47 

Y. M. C. A. Building, Piqua 103 

Y. M. C. A. Building, Bradford 155 





A 




l)j$tory of nijami County 



CHAPTER I. 



INTRODUCTORY AND DESCRIPTIVE 



Introductory — First Lords of the Soil, the Mound Builders — Speculations and Tradi- 
tions as to the Mound Builders — The Indians not the Aborigines — Coming of the 
White Man — Resistance of the Indians — Area of Miami County — Its Division into 
Tivelve Townships — Topography, Elevation, Drainage — Fertility of the Soil — 
Disappearance of the Forests — Conditions Favorable to Agriculture — Tributaries 
of the Miami — Geologiccd Foundations — Prehistoric Remains — Indian Occupancy 
— Early Abundance of Game. 



In the preparation of this work the au- 
thor will incline to the narrative rather 
than to the technical style. He will give 
the princiijal facts as the}' appeal to him, 
clothing them in language easily under- 
stood, leaving to the close student the dis- 
puted points and those which border on 
tradition. There is nothing in local his- 
tory so confusing as that which borders 
on the obscure, and history, to be intelli- 
gible, should be stripped of the mistiness 
which sometimes surrounds it. The true 
history of a country is that of its people, 
for they are the makers of historj'. 

After the discoverer comes the pioneer, 



who is the avant courier of trade, com- 
merce, the arts and sciences. The sound 
of his axe is succeeded by the music of 
countless wheels of industry, and from 
small beginnings in the wilderness spring 
the myriad avenues of civilization which, 
diverging like the spokes of a wheel, com- 
plete in time the upbuilding of a commu- 
nity or the glory of a nation. That this 
is the case locally I will endeavor to show 
in the following pages. 

There exists no doubt that the tirst 
"lords of the soil" embraced within the 
present borders of Miami County were a 
race of people known as the Mound Build- 



22 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ers. Of this race, wliicli vanished before 
the coming of the Indian, we have traces 
in the shape of mounds, fortifications, and 
relics of earth and stone. ^Vhence came 
the Mound Builder and whither he went is 
to this day a subject for speculation. J. 
F. McLean, who is an authority on the 
Mound Builders and their works, calls 
them "an ancient and unknown race of 
peoi)le, possesing a well-developed type of 
civilization, who once inhabited the Valley 
of the Ohio." It is but fair to say that 
his opinion of the attainments of this peo- 
ple is disputed l)y other writers. 

"This race," continues Professor Mc- 
Lean, "has left us no written history, but 
the testimony of its existence and advance- 
ment in the arts and sciences is attested 
in the stupendous structures consisting of 
mounds, walled enclosures and domestic 
implements, which have long attracted the 
attention of observers, scientists, and the 
public generally. The ethnologist has been 
intensely interested as to the type of man- 
kind that constructed the remains. Manj' 
are the theories that have been propound- 
ed, but certain testimonies exist which en- 
able us to arrive at plausible conclusions." 

It is no longer believed that the Indian 
erected the squares and parallelograms 
found in different parts of Ohio nor the 
mounds which exist in various parts of 
this country. "The North American In- 
dian," continues the authority above quot- 
ed, "has no habits of progressive industry. 
There is not one scintilla of evidence that 
he built these mounds. His own testimony 
is against it. To say the least, he was in- 
capable of the task. For instance, one In- 
dian tradition avers that the primitive in- 
habitants of Kentucky perished in a war 
of extermination waged against them by 



the red tribes, and the Indian chief To- 
bacco informed George Eogers Clarke of 
a tradition in which it was stated that 
there was a battle at Sandy Island which 
decided the fate of the ancient inhabitants. 
Chief Cornplanter affirmed that Ohio, and 
this local section as well, had once been 
inhabited by a white race who were famil- 
iar with the arts of which they (The In- 
dians) knew nothing. 

There is no doubt that the Indians had 
such traditions. The}' saw the various 
mounds and, being unable to account for 
them, they invented traditions which, to 
their romantic minds, would suit the case. 
The red man was a born story teller. 
Every campflre had its I'omanticist, and 
the wigwams that dotted the vast region 
through which the Miami flows heard more 
than one fanciful story of the vanished 
races. There is no definite history that all 
the stone implements and weapons which 
are found to this day within the bounda- 
ries of ]\riami County came from the hands 
of the Indian. In regard to the makers of 
these relics there is a large amount of 
speculation. Dr. Abbott and others have 
discovered a paleolithic man and another 
whom they link kindredly to the Eskimo. 
Then we have also the Mound Builder and 
the pre-historic Indian, and the latter day 
"Lo." That the Indian manufactured 
stone weapons, implements, etc., there is 
not much doubt. From diggings made 
within the Ohio Valley in 1884 the follow- 
ing conclusions as to how the arrow-head 
was formed may here be given: 

"The primitive man first removed the 
outlying stratum of earth. On reaching 
the flint a large fire was made on it which 
caused the rock to shatter; water i^rob- 
ably being thrown on it to hasten the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



23 



work. Removing such pieces as could be 
detached, the process was repeated, if 
necessary, until the limestone below was 
reached and a hole made large enough to 
work in. The burnt portions being all 
taken off and thrown out of the way, clay 
was plastered along the upper half of the 
flint to protect it from the heat, and a fire 
built in the bottom of the hole against the 
larger and lower part. 

"With the large boulders he broke off 
the ujDper imburned portion and carried it 
to some convenient level spot, where, with 
smaller hammers, the blocks were liroken 
into suitable size for working. It is a sin- 
gular fact that no arrow-heads or other 
si^ecimens were made where these blocks 
were broken up, but the small pieces were 
always carried to another spot — sometimes 
only a few yards away. In making large 
or heavj' articles, as axes, pestles, etc., 
that did not require careful or delicate 
work from the beginning, he used a hard, 
tough, pebble, preferring diorite or some 
form of quartz. "With this he could knock 
off chips and spalls from his inchoate im- 
plement until he had removed as much of 
the useless portion as he could in this 
way; then, witli light l)lows, he pecked 
over the entire surface until he had 
brought it to the correct outline on every 
side. AVith a piece of gritty sandstone 
he ground away the marks of the hammer 
and finally rubbed off all rough places and 
scratches with a softer, finer-grained stone 
than the first, and thus gave the specimen 
a smooth surface with more or less polish. 
All instruments for cutting or splitting 
had the edge made sharp and smooth by 
rubbing as soon as the form admitted — 
often before the hammer marks were ef- 
faced from other portions ; and if a groove 



was needed it was made as soon as pos- 
sible." 

I have been thus particular regarding 
the manufacture of the stone relics of the 
vanished races, as gleaned from the con- 
clusions of archa'ologists, for the informa- 
tion of the school-boy who to-day searches 
the farms of this county for these interest- 
ing relics. He is the coming arclKrologist 
and must take the places of those who go 
before him. The Mound Builder has occu- 
pied and ever will occupy the mind of the 
antiquarian, and his sojourn in the Miami 
A'alley need not 1)6 enlarged upon in a 
work of this nature. He was the true ab- 
origine — a term which applies only to the 
first inhabitants of a country. Many writ- 
ers speak of the Indians as aborigines, 
which term, according to the makers of our 
dictionaries, is incorrect. The Indians, 
following the vanished races, became the 
second occupants of the soil, and henceforth 
when reference is made to them they will 
be called Indians, which is their rightful 
title. 

In tins county relics of early occupation 
have been found everywhere. They are 
numerous in some localities and infrequent 
in others. On the Col. Johnston farm, 
near Piciua, great numbers have been 
found, and in certain jilaces tlu'oughout 
the Stillwater region. These relics are the 
only implement legacies left us by the 
races which once tenanted this section. In 
all probability some of the tumuli to he 
fovmd within our borders would yield re- 
sults if opened, and on several occasions 
this has been done. Some gravel pits have 
lirought to light many skeletons, but the 
skulls when measured have inclined sci- 
entists to the opinion that they were the 
remains of Indians. Not long ago a pit 



24 



HISTORY OF :MIAMI COUNTY 



on the eastern side of the county produced 
a perfect skull faced with a flattened cop- 
per plate, which gave credence to the as- 
sertion that the remains were those of an 
Indian chief of distinction. In some of 
these "finds" no weapons or implements 
were brought to light. The Indian, as a 
rule, buried the weapons of the dead with 
them, unless the hasty abandonment of a 
field of battle prevented. 

In one pit on the Joseph Stafford farm 
in Lost Creek Township more than fifty 
skeletons were uncovered in one spot, 
which inclines one to the belief that the 
early inhabitants fell victims to an epi- 
demic which carried them off in great num- 
bers. It is well known that at various 
times the red races that inhabited Ohio 
were decimated by smallpox, a disease for 
which they had no cure, and consequently 
they died rapidl}^ Few Indians were actu- 
ally killed in battle in Miami County, for, 
so far as is known, no inter-tribal wars 
occurred, and the numbers slain by the 
whites were not great. Summing up every- 
thing, there remains no doubt that this 
county saw in its primitive state the vil- 
lages of the Mound Builder. "While he left 
behind him comparatively few traces of 
his occupancy of our soil, he must have 
lived here, to vanish in the mists of the 
past and become one of the euigTQas of the 
ages. The space that exists between his 
disappearance and the coming of the In- 
dian is indetermiualile. Whether it should 
be counted by decades or ceutui-ies no one 
can tell. If the Mound Builder was the 
sentient being some have called him, it is 
strange that he should leave behind him 
no hieroglyphics by which the learned 
could arrive at the time of his habitation. 
The Indians speculated over him; as has 



been said, they had traditions of him, but 
the forests of this vast and now densely 
populated region are as silent regarding 
him as are the rivers of the Old World of 
the first people who looked upon their 
waters. 

The Indians of Miami County had their 
own history to make, and they made it. 
Too often that history was made to the 
sorrow of the first settlers. They disputed 
the ground with the white man; they re- 
mained here as long as possible. The 
white man saw that the land was fair and 
he wanted a new home west of the Alle- 
ghanies, and the forests of Ohio beckoned 
him irresistibly. The dawn of civilization 
broke with the vanishment of the savage. 
The settler came here to remain, and not 
all the red tribes were strong enough to 
dispossess him. There could be no peace 
between the two races. The settler was 
ready to extend the olive branch, but the 
Indian rejected it. The warrior saw in 
the vanguard of civilization a menace; he 
stood ready to resist everj^ encroachment 
and it is to his credit that he did it with 
all his might. There remains among us 
to-day nothing to mark the Indian occu- 
pation of this county. The fertile fields 
were destined to receive a new race of 
people, and with the disappearance of the 
scarlet tribes the whites began that era 
of prosperity which exists to the present 
day. 

The area of Miami County approximates 
four hundred scpiare miles. It is divided 
into twelve townships, six on each side of 
the river, which, rising in Hardin County, 
flows southward and enters the Ohio near 
Lawrenceburg, Indiana. The surface of 
the county is undulating and the soil pro- 
.ductive. The land in the western part of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



25 



Newberry Township is the most elevated 
iu the county. lu the Stillwater region, 
especially iu Union Township, the eleva- 
tion is again marked, and precipitous 
banks in some places friuge that historic 
stream, but these acclivities lose themselves 
in gentle undulations until they become 
level plains. Newton Township, also on 
the west side, is mostly level, though blutfs 
are found along Stillwater as it courses 
through that particular section. In the 
northern part of the comity, or that por- 
tion embraced by "Washington Township, 
in which is the City of Piqua, the laud is 
again undulating in the eastern and south- 
ex'n portion, but rather flat in the northern 
part. East of the Miami River there is 
but little high ground excej)t in Bethel 
Township, whei'e the land attains consid- 
erable height ; but all these elevations are 
tillable and produce good crops. 

The course of the Miami lies through a 
region particularly adapted to agriculture, 
and this fact no doubt attracted the early 
settler and decided him to locate here. The 
many small streams which enter the Miami 
^head largely in natural springs, and it is 
noticeable that they are generally free 
from contamination, the water beiug clear 
and healthful. These creeks, for the most 
part, flow through farm lands, and nearly 
all have low banks which afford stock easy 
access to the water. Spring Creek, so 
named on account of contiguous springs, 
courses through a fine farmiug region. 
Lost Creek and Honey Creek, also on the 
east side of the county, enter the Miami 
in Bethel Township and not far ai)art. 
Indian Creek, heading iu Lost Creek 
Township, flows iu a southwesterly direc- 
tion into Lost Creek. The various small 
tributaries of the Miami form a perfect 



network of drainage throughout the coim- 
ty. Nearly all of them are subject to sud- 
den rises, which help to enrich the land 
and stimulate fertility. On the whole the 
topography of Miami Couuty is conducive 
to agriculture in all its forms. There is 
little waste land; the forest area is grad- 
ually disappearing, many farms being^ en- 
tirely treeless — a striking contrast to the 
physical geography of the country a few 
years back. 

The fertility of our soil is equal to that 
of any county in the State. The bottom 
lands on both sides of the Miami are high- 
ly productive, and the uplands bring forth 
abundant crops. The lands cleared by the 
first settlers now constitute the best farms 
in the county, which proves that the pio- 
neer was a person of discrimination. He 
came from an older countrj' east of the Al- 
leghanies and sought among the forests 
of the Miami a home which promised to 
rival the one he had left. While the soil 
of tliis county varies in depth and produc- 
tiveness, there has never been anything to 
discourage the farmer, and this accounts 
for the small numbers who have emigrated 
from this regiou. There is to-day no farm 
within our borders that is not convenient 
to market, and the numerous good roads 
that spread in every direction facilitate the 
delivery of our agricultural products. A 
few years ago a piece of land in Staunton 
Township, known locally as the "Shaking 
Prairie," was considered wholly untillable, 
but to-day it produces excellent crops. To- 
bacco of late years has become a staple 
crop in the county, which still further dem- 
onstrates the fertility of the soil. 

Usually the character of the surface de- 
pends upon its geological formation. To 
a large extent the development of natural 



26 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



conditions is dependent on the drainage. 
The farm lands of Miami County are gen- 
erally supplied with good water, which 
is furnished by natural springs and creeks. 
In the early days homes were built at or 
near springs, and running water was a 
desideratum. The larger waterways of the 
county have numerous "arms" or tribu- 
taries, which flow into them from various 
directions. These creeks are the natural 
drainage of the localities through which 
they flow. The Stillwater is the largest 
of the streams that enter the Miami. It 
finds its source in Darke Coimty on our 
northern border and, after traversing 
Union, Newton and Newberiy Townships, 
debouches into the Miami a short distance 
north of Dayton. This important tribu- 
tary of the parent stream takes its name 
from the tranquillity of its current, which 
cannot be called rapid at any place. Still- 
water is the drainage of the western side 
of the county. It is noted for the absence 
of abrupt banks on the west side, while 
on the east for nearly its whole course 
through Union Township the land slips 
level from the bed of the stream, receding 
like the trend of a prairie. Stillwater has 
many tributaries, chiefest among which 
is Ludlow Creek, which is celebrated for 
its "Falls," one of the most romantic 
places within the borders of the county. 
Other creeks of less importance to the 
Stillwater region are Greenville, Trotter 
and Panther. 

The main tributaries of the Miami enter 
it from the east. These are Lost Creek, 
Spring Creek and Honey Creek. Flowing 
into these are a perfect network of lesser 
streams, some of which have local names, 
while others are too small to have an ap- 
pellation. The natural water system of the 



county is most excellent, supplying as it 
does the needs of agriculture and enrich- 
ing the several communities in more ways 
than one. The larger streams alford sites 
for mills, but the introduction of improved 
milling machinery has of late years done 
away with the old system. The Miami 
eventually receives all the drainage. The 
county itself has a slope from north to 
south. In regard to the drift, as mani- 
fested within its borders, I quote from the 
State Geological Survey: 

"The entire surface of Miami County 
is covered with loose material, composed 
of gravel, sanded clay, with a great nimi- 
ber of granite and other rocks of similar 
origin. The commonly received opinion 
is that these materials have been drifted 
hither by the agency of water, either fluid 
or ice, and the facts observed all tend to 
point to the north, mostly beyond the chain 
of the great lakes, as the source from 
whence it has been brought. The Miami, 
which enters the county at the north, cuts 
through a perpendicular thickness of 
about seventy-five feet of drift clay, 
gravel and bowlders, and all the water 
courses which intersect the northern por- 
tion of the county cut through the drift 
to the depth of thirty feet." 

The foregoing gives one an idea of the 
understratum of our soil. In some places 
the drift is composed of sand and gravel, 
with a sprinkling of clay, in others the 
clay is absent. The fine gravel for which 
the county is noted affords material for 
the excellent roads that bisect it every- 
where. The gravel supply seems exhaust- 
less and much of this material has never 
been uncovered. I shall not go into details 
concerning the various strata of rock that 
underlie our surface. It is sufficient to 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



27 



say that we have withiu the conuty three 
distinct geological formatious. These are 
the Niagara, the Clinton Kock and the 
Blue Limestone of the Cincinnati group. 
The Niagara formation is exposed at vari- 
ous places, notably along Greenville Creek, 
at the Piqua aud other quarries. From 
the Niagara most of our quarried stone 
comes. The Clinton Kock is seen in the 
Honey Creek region and is prominent 
along Lost Creek. The builders of the 
Troy hydraulic found between that city 
and Piqua several hundred feet of solid 
Clinton Eock, through which they were 
obliged to cut. The Blue Limestone lies 
below the base of the Clinton. It is thus 
observed at the base of the Charleston 
cliffs, as well as on the Stillwater near 
"West Milton. It would only weary the 
general reader to detail the numerous 
classes of rock which enter into the geolog- 
ical history of the coimty. The descrip- 
tion would prove interesting only to the 
student and he is referred to the various 
surveys which have been made of this 
region. 

Again recurring to pre-historic relies, it 
is well to say they are not abundant in 
this county. True, some have been found 
at various times, but the arch.Tologist has 
not been paid for his researches. We have 
within our borders no particular earth- 
works such as are found at Newark and in 
other parts of the state. Since several 
discoveries of mastodon remains have 
been made in the county, it is natural to 
suppose that the mastodon was co-existent 
with early man. Scientists place the pre- 
historic man in advance of the "Mound 
Builder, yet beyond some pottery and im- 
plements of the latter race we know noth- 
ing of them. It is therefore not unlikely 



that in this county, ages before the first 
moccasin crinkled the leaves, the two 
strange races referred to lived and van- 
ished. 

The coming of the Indian is well known. 
He appeared along the banks of the Miami 
and in the adjacent region. He made this 
locality his hunting ground. He drifted 
hither from the Miami of the Lakes or 
from the fastnesses of Kentucky, south 
of the Ohio. It is said that the Shawnee 
came from the far South, moving gradu- 
ally northward till he established himself 
in the Valley of the Miami. The Indian 
considered the land he inhabited his own. 
He erected his wigwam, planted a little 
maize, and where to-day are farms and 
cities of this county, he hunted the wild 
game or engaged his red rivals in battle. 
It is useless to attempt to locate all the 
red tribes that frequented this locality at 
different times. They will be referred to 
further along in this work. Fortunately 
the pioneer, who was a person of wide ob- 
servation, has left us many accounts of the 
Indian. He had excellent opportunities 
for seeing the red man at home, on the 
warpath and in the chase. It was the rich- 
ness of this region, not only in natural 
beauty, but in game of every description, 
that tilled the Indian with a desire to tight 
for it. He had nothing in common with 
the palefaces, and from the moment the 
first white settler penetrated the forests 
of the ]\Iiami he had a natural and vin- 
dictive enemy in the Indian hunter. 

During the Indian occupancy of Miami 
County and for years thereafter, game 
was abundant. There was sustenance here 
for wild animals of every description. The 
streams were stocked with fish and the 
forests afforded shelter for birds and 



28 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



beasts. The Indian, who was a natural 
hunter, spent much time in the chase. Be- 
fore the advent of the settler he killed 
with the arrow or by laying snares for the 
wild tenants of the woods. Throughout 
the country deer, bears, wolves, wildcats, 
turkeys, pheasants and wild pigeons were 
to be found. There is authority for the 
statement that in 1749 buffalo were seen 
along the Miami. Bears were plentiful. 
They grew fat on berries and wild honey, 
which abounded in the Miami forests. It 
is stated as a matter of record that David 
Loury during his lifetime, killed one thou- 
sand bears on Mad River, which is an in- 
dication of the numbers to be found within 
the confines of this county. In the autumn 
of 1816, nine years after the formation of 
the county, Henry Kerns killed a bear 
whose quarters weighed four hundred 
pounds. As the bear vanished deer seemed 
to increase. The cool water courses and 
the wild and luxuriant pasture lands, im- 
touched by the hand of man, formed their 
favorite habitat. John Kuoop, one of the 
first settlers of the county, saw nine deer 
at one time where the hamlet of Staunton 
now stands. 

In fact, deer were so numerous at one 
time that they could be shot from the doors 
of the cabins, and more than one pioneer 
woman brought down the antlered lord 
of the forest from her window. The wolf 
was for a long time the sneaking, sleep- 
disturbing element of the county. He 
roamed the forests in bands, ever on the 
alert for the sheepfold and the unpro- 
tected lamb. His long howls awoke the 
echoes of the night and he became the set- 
tler's most annoying enemy. At last the 



Legislature offered a bounty of three dol- 
lars for his scalp, and thereafter he was 
pursued untiringly and at last destroyed. 
Of the smaller game, squirrels inhabited 
the county in vast numbers. In a few 
years they became great pests, destroying 
whole fields of corn in a short time. Their 
depredations resulted in the formation of 
organized bands of squirrel hunters and 
special days were set apart for the destruc- 
tion of the litle pests. During one of these 
famous "hunts," which took place a few 
miles south of Troy, one hundred and fifty 
bushels of corn were awarded to Elias Ger- 
ard, who within six days brought in 1,700 
squirrel scalps. A like amount of corn 
was given Charles AVolverton, whose tro- 
phies numbered 1,300. The great squirrel 
migration took place in this county in 
1828 when thousands of the little animals 
traveled from west to east permitting noth- 
ing to swerve them from their course. 
Countless numbers were killed with clubs 
by the pioneer youth during this strange 
hegira. Such was the great game preserve 
of this county at the dawn of its history. 
The large game which survived the skill 
and rapacity of the Indian hunter suc- 
cumbed to the settler. "War was made on 
the wildcat, wolf and panther on account 
of their destructiveness, and the wild tur- 
key was killed for food. The boys of the 
pioneer families were early taught the use 
of the rifle and became skilled with it. They 
could bring down the squirrel from the 
topmost branches of the oak and did not 
fear the panther. It was the descendants 
of these young pioneers who in after years 
became the marksmen of the armies of 
Grant and Sherman. 



CHAPTER II. 



FIRST^WHITE MAN IN THE COUNTY 



The Call of the West — The Pioneer Settler — De Bienville's Expedition of 1749 — At- 
tack on Pickaicilhnuj — Expedition of Christopher Gist — Location of Pickauillany 
— Washington's Journey — Expeditions of George Rogers Clarke — Experiences of 
Abram Thomas — Battle on the Johnston Farm — Beauty of the Country at the 
Time of Clarke's Expedition — Coming of John Knoop, 1797 — Pioneer Settlers. 



It is an interesting fact that the trend of 
discovery, invasion, and immigration from 
the earliest times has been westward. The 
adventurous prows of the Columbian fleet 
pointed toward the Occident; the call of 
the western wild lured the ill-fated De 
Soto to his grave beneath the waters of 
the Mississippi; Coronado marched toward 
the setting sun in search of the "Seven 
Cities of Cibola," and the Chevalier La 
Salle carried the sacred symbol of the 
Nazarene to the forests of the Illinois. The 
virgin woods, reflected in the limpid waters 
of the Miami, echoed only to the howl of 
the predatory wolf and the battle-cry of 
the contending tribes. Long before the 
coming of the white man the skulking In- 
dian, decked in the paraiihernalia of the 
warpath, sought his red rival within the 
present boundaries of this county, or 
hunted wild game through its primeval 
thickets. 

The trading-post, that forerunner of civ- 
ilization, had not yet set up its stockade. 
The only craft that cut the western waters 



were the lithe canoes of the scarlet legions. 
From the ]\Iiami-of-the-Lakes to the shores 
of the Ohio the only pathways of the woods 
were the Indian and buffalo trails. It was 
the age of shadow and savagery. No axe 
awoke the echoes of the forests and every- 
where, unbroken and in its pristine beauty, 
lay the vast hunting grounds of the red 
man. "SAliat must have been the thoughts 
of the Boones and Kentons when for the 
first time they beheld a scene like this! 
One naturally wonders if they dreamed of 
the opening up of the region of the Miami 
by the hand of civilization, of the day, not 
far remote, when the cabin of the settler 
should rise upon the wigwam's site and 
trade and traffic send up their clarion calls 
where ran the woodland trails. 

It seems a far cry back from the busy 
present to the distant past. Yet a century 
is but a milestone on the highway of Prog- 
ress. It is man and man alone who makes 
history. The song of the first pioneer 
women has not been wholly lost in the 
noise of the myriad wheels of trade. The 



29 



30 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



hand that reared the first cabin on the 
banks of the Miami builded better than it 
knew. 

Let us turn the early pages of history 
and trace from the beginning the oi^ening 
up of this county. It is well that reliable 
records of our birthright have come down 
to us. The settler who first penetrated 
the wilderness of the Miami has left for ug 
his footprints so that we can trace him 
unerringly. As a rule he was not a man 
of scholastic lore. He was a person of 
brain and brawn who, deterred by no diffi- 
culties, came from beyond the Alleghauies 
and passed with high hopes the portals of 
the "new Canaan." All hail the memory 
of the little band of pioneers who scaled 
the mountain barrier and saw the wolf flee 
from the light of his campfires! 

I shall not deal with tradition, which 
has been aptly termed "the unwritten or 
oral transmission of information," and it 
is not reliable. As early as 1749 Celeron 
de Bienville was sent out by the Marquis 
de la Gallissouiere, Governor of Canada, 
to take possession for France of the Ohio 
Valley and prevent the English Ohio Com- 
pany from acquiring it, by right of settle- 
ment. Gallissouiere was governor of Can- 
ada when the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle was 
signed. He was a naval officer and, like 
all the early governors of that province, 
had a very exalted opinion of his abilities. 
Despite his physical deformity — he was a 
hunchback — he was animated by a bold 
spirit and strong and penetrating intellect. 
Parkman says that "he felt that, cost what 
it might, France must hold Canada and 
link her to Louisiana by chains of forts 
strong enough to hold back the British col- 
onies and cramp their growth within nor- 
row limits." The treatv had reallv done 



nothing to settle the boundaries between 
France and England. Slowly but surely 
the English had been crossing the Alle- 
ghauies, seducing the Indian from his alle- 
giance to France and ruining the fur trade 
which even then flourished in the Ohio 
Valley. 

Something had to be done to coimteract 
the aggressions of the English in this par- 
ticular locality aud this determiued Gallis- 
souiere to send Celeron de Bienville west- 
ward with the region embraced within the 
borders of Miami County as his objective 
point. De Bienville was a loyal officer of 
France, but a man of haughty, disobedient 
character. As the first Frenchman who 
entered the forest in this locality at the 
head of an anned force he deserves a brief 
mention. In some ways the Governor of 
Canada could not have entrusted the expe- 
dition to a 1)etter man, but De Bienville 
had ideas of his own and was inclined, 
when beyond the power of his superior, to 
exercise them. He was thoroughly famil- 
iar with the Indian character, and his in- 
tense hatred of the English led Gallisso- 
uiere to expect great things of him. Bred 
among the frivolities and corruptions of a 
licentious court, Celeron brought his gay 
habits into the wilderness, and these, with 
his innate stubbornness, threatened to 
clothe the expedition with failure. 

The expedition left Lachine on the 15th 
of June, 1749, aud having ascended the St. 
Lawrence, swept across Lake Ontario aud 
from Niagara skirted the southern shore 
of Lake Erie and at last gained the head- 
waters of the Alleghany. Celeron descend- 
ed that river and the Ohio. Already the 
English trader had penetrated this wilder- 
ness, but the Frenchman claimed it in the 
name of his king. At different places De 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



3] 



Bieuville buried six leaden tal)lets upon 
■wliicli he described bis acts. The tirst of 
these plates which marked his route was 
buried at the foot of a tree immediately 
after crossiug the Allegiiauy. A great 
ceremony preceded the burial, calculated 
to impress the French and Indians with 
the importance of the expedition. Four 
leagues below French Creek, by a rock 
covered with Indian inscriptions, they bur- 
ied another j^late, and at the mouth of the 
Muskingum two more were jilaced. Fifty 
years later a party of boys, bathing in the 
river, discovered one of these plates pro- 
truding from the bank, and, after melting 
half of it into bullets, they gave the last 
half away and it is still in existence. Cel- 
eron or "The plate planter," as he is 
called, buried still another plate at the 
mouth of the Great Kenawha and this 
plate was found by a boy in 1846. Three 
of Celeron's plates have been found. One 
which was never buried was found in pos- 
session of some Indians who brought it to 
Col. Johnson on the Mohawk and the 
scheming Colonel interpreted the inscrip- 
tions in a manner to incense the savages 
against the French. 

The last plate was buried at the mouth of 
the Great Miami, after which the little 
band crossed to Lake Erie and gained Fort 
Niagara October 19th, 17J-9. Celeron 
reached the old Indian town of Pickawill- 
any on the site of the state dam two miles 
north of Piqua. In order to show the as- 
surance and pomposity of the French I 
transcribe the inscription of the tablet 
buried at the mouth of the Great Miami : 

"In the year 1749 — the reign of Louis XV, King of 
France — we, Celeron, eoninianrlant of a iletacliment sent 
by Monsieur the ilarquis of Gallissoniere, Commamler in 
Chief of New France, to establish tranquillity in certain 
Indian villages in these cantons, have hurietl this plate 
at the confluence of the Ohio and of To-Ra-Da-Koin, this 



2£)th July — near the river Ohio, otherwise Beautiful 
river, as u niouunieut of renewal of possession, which we 
have taken of the said river and all its tributaries and 
of all the land on both sides, as far as the source of said 
riveis — inasmuch as the preceding kings of Fnuice have 
enjoyed and maintained it by their arms an.l treaties, 
especially by those of Kyswick, I'treeht and Aixla- 
t'hapelle. ' ' 

Parkmau avers that Celeron was ordered 
to attack the English who had established 
themselves at Pickawillauy, but he was 
loath to obey. At this place the English 
traders had often gathered to the number 
of fifty and Lougueill, Governor of Can- 
ada, characterized them as "the instiga- 
tors of revolt and the source of all our 
woes." De Bienville was charged with 
disobedience and forced to attack. A French 
trader named Langlade, who had married 
a squaw, led a force of 200 Ojibwa war- 
riors from Michillimackinac and advanced 
through the fore.st to attack Old Britain 
of the "Demoiselle," who was the controll- 
ing spirit of the English at Pickawillauy. 
This force of savage furies burst upon the 
English in the month of June, 1752. The 
Indian women fled from the maize fields to 
the protection of the traders. There were 
l)ut eight traders in the fort at the time. 
Old Britain was killed with fourteen of his 
Miamis and the cliief was eaten by his 
cannibalistic enemies. The traders cap- 
tured at Pickawillauy were cruelly treated. 
They were plundered of everything; even 
their clothes were taken from them and 
Langlade carried them in triumph to Du- 
quesne, the new governor, who recom- 
mended him to the Minister for reward, 
saying: "As he is not in the King's serv- 
ice and had married a squaw, I will ask 
for him only a pension of two hundred 
francs, which will flatter his vanity." 

It was not much of a battle, but it was 
the initial clash of the two great nations 
whose supremacy on these shores was aft- 



32 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



erwarcl to be settled on the Heights of 
Abraham. It is rather notable that on the 
borders of Miami County should be fought 
out one of the early disputes between Celt 
and Gaul. 

Prior, however, to the assault on the 
trading post at Pickawillany, the region of 
the Miami was invaded by a little force 
intended to spy out the land in the interest 
of France's great rival, England. In 1750 
an association consisting chiefly of Virgin- 
ians and called the Ohio Company, was 
formed to settle the western wilderness. In 
this association were two brothers of "Wash- 
ington. The governing committee placed at 
the head of the exploring band a hardy 
scout and guide named Christopher Gist, 
one of the most noted backwoodsmen of the 
early days. A grant of 500,000 acres was 
pi'ocured from the king on condition that 
one hundred families should be established 
upon it within seven years, a fort built and 
a garrison maintained. The committee un- 
der whose instructions Gist was to operate 
in the exploring and selection of the land 
stipulated that "it must be good, level 
land. We had rather go quite down the 
Mississii^pi than take mean, broken land." 
Gist turned his face toward what was aft- 
erward to be the county we now inhabit — 
Miami. He was beset with dangers from 
the first. The Scotch-Irish traders told 
him that he would never return in safety, 
and it was not until the old backwoodsman 
declared that he was the bearer of a mes- 
sage from the King that he was permitted 
to proceed. Gist had with him as inter- 
l^reter a companion named Andrew Mon- 
tour, who was a character of those times. 
His mother was the celebrated half-breed, 
Catherine Montour, who had been carried 
off by the Iroqiiois and adopted by them. 



Her son Andrew, who became of much 
service to Gist, is thus described by one 
who knew him: 

"His face is like that of a European, but 
marked with a broad Indian ring of bear's 
grease and paint drawn completely around 
it. He wears a coat of fine cloth of cinna- 
mon color, a black neck-tie with silver 
spangles, a red satin waistcoat, trousers, 
over which hangs his shirt, shoes and 
stockings, a hat and brass ornaments, 
something like the handle of a basket sus- 
pended from his ears." A real forest 
dandy of the olden time ! 

After leaving the Muskingimi Gist jour- 
neyed to a village on "White 'V^'oman's 
Creek, so called from one Mary Harris, 
who lived there. She had been captured 
when young by the Indians, and at the 
time of Gist's visit had an Indian husband 
and a family of young half-breeds. Mov- 
ing west through the vast solitudes of the 
unbroken forest the little band reached a 
Shawnee town at the mouth of the Scioto, 
where they were well received. Soon after 
leaving this village they struck the trail 
leading to Pickawillany. The old guide 
was delighted with the country and in his 
report to the Ohio Company he says that 
"it is rich, level land, well timbered with 
large walnut, ash, sugar and cherry trees ; 
well watered with a great number of 
streams and ri\nilets, full of beautiful 
meadows, with wild rye, blue grass and 
clover, and abounding with game, particu- 
larly deer, elks, wild turkeys and buffaloes, 
thirty or forty of the latter being seen on 
one piece of land." Such, no doubt, was 
the condition of this county at that 
period. 

Gist crossed the Miami on a raft and 
was hailed bv Old Britain, the chief at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



33 



PickawillauY. x\.t liis time the station uum- 
bered 2,000 souls, and the traders were se- 
cure in a fort of pickets, protected with 
logs. Here was held in Gist's honor the 
first wild dauoe ever performed for white 
men iu this region. It was called the 
"feather dance" and what it was like let 
the journal of the old frontiersman say: 
"It was performed by three dancing mas- 
ters, who were painted all over of various 
colors, with long sticks in their hands, 
upon the ends of which were fastened long- 
feathers of swans and other birds, neatly 
woven in the shape of a fowl's wing. In 
this disguise they performed many antic 
tricks, waving their sticks with great skill, 
to imitate the flying of birds, keeping exact 
time with their music. An Indian drum 
furnished music and each warrior, striking 
a painted post with his tomahawk, would 
recount his valorous deeds on the warpath 
and the buffalo trail." 

As there was a "confusion of tongues" 
at Babel so there is a confusion of state- 
ments concerning the exact site of Picka- 
willany. Some writers jDlace it in Shelby 
County and others confuse it with Lora- 
mie's Store, and vice versa. Let us sift 
the different assertions for a moment and 
settle, if we can, the location of this impor- 
tant frontier post. Parkman, who is a 
very authentic historian, in his "Montcalm 
and Wolfe," says that Celeron de Bien- 
ville in 1749 "reached a village of the 
Miamis lately built at the mouth of Lora- 
mie Creek," and again refers to it as "the 
Indian town on the upper waters of the 
Great Miami." Howe, in his account of 
Shelby County, locates Pickawillany 
"about a mile south of the Shelby County 
line," and adds, in the interest of accuracy, 
that its exact location was "on the north- 



west side of the Great Miami, just below 
the mouth of what is now Loramie Creek 
in Johnston's jirairie." This would locate 
it in Washing-ton Township and nine miles 
southwest of Sidney. But in the first edi- 
tion of his "Historical Collections" Howe 
says, "The mouth of Loramie 's Creek is 
in this (Shelby) county, sixteen miles north- 
west of Sidney." Loramie 's Store or post 
could not have occupied the site of Picka- 
willany. The two sites are entirely differ- 
ent. In the "History of Fort Wayne" is 
given a speech of Little Turtle, chief of the 
Miami 8, made at the Treaty of Greenville, 
17!'5, iu which he locates Pickawillany 
within the present boundaries of Miami 
County. Dr. Asa Colemau of Troy, one of 
the earliest and most intelligent of the 
juoneers, in his "Historical Eecollec- 
tions," remarks: "Howe places the trad- 
ing post (Pickawillany) here described in 
Shelby County northwest of Sidney, evi- 
dently confusing it with Loramie 's Store 
and Fort Loramie, a point located sixteen 
miles distant from the Miami Eiver up 
Loramie 's Creek when the trading post of 
the Tewightewee towns and the trading 
establishment here described was a mile 
southwest of the Shelby County line in 
Miami County, below the mouth of Lora- 
mie 's Creek in Johnston's prairie." 

Gen. George Rogers Clark attacked 
Pickawillany in 1782, as will be described 
later, and he locates it at the mouth of 
Loramie 's Creek, nine miles south of Sid- 
ney, while Loramie 's Store was nearly 
fifteen miles northwest between the waters 
of Loramie 's Creek and the head waters of 
the St. Mary's. This is in-oven by the fact 
that Clark, after attacking Pickawillany, 
marched fifteen miles to Loramie 's Store 
and burned all the buildings. 



34 



HISTORY OF .^lIAill COUNTY 



That the Indian Piqua stood on what 
was called the Johnston Prairie is attested 
b}- the fact that the gronnd to-day when 
freshly plowed shows discoloration, "jirob- 
ably from the disturbance of the soil in 
digging the trenches and the well." Many 
old time relics have been found on the site 
of this historic old fort. Summing up 
everj'thing presented by different writers 
the conclusion is reached that the trading- 
post of Pickawillany was situated within 
the borders of this county, which conclu- 
sion places the first settlement here thirty- 
nine years before the coming of the whites 
to Marietta. Of course the settlement at 
Pickawillany was not a permanent one, but 
our county should have all the credit it is 
entitled to. It is rather perplexing to read 
the accounts of writers who should have 
written with more care than they have 
done. Some of the early maps are also 
confusing, l)ut the Evans map made in 
1755 places Pickawillany at the mouth of 
Lo ramie's Creek, and this map is undoubt- 
edly right. One of the most important 
events connected with this old station is the 
fact already mentioned that there occurred 
the first conflict, small though it was, in 
the "Braddock" or French and Indian 
War which established English supremacy 
on this continent and l)voke the sway of the 
French. 

The beauty, fertility and worth of the 
Ohio valley early excited the grasping pro- 
pensities of France and England. Each 
wanted what the other had, and each was 
ready to take by force that which promised 
to enrich her rival. The fifur de lijs could 
not float where the banner of Saint George 
kissed the breezes and vice versa. The two 
ruling courts of Europe, each corrupt, 
balked at uotliing tliat would advance their 



interests and fill their coffers. Long be- 
fore "Washington shed the first blood in 
the French and Indian War through the 
death of Jumonville, the land which lies 
to-day within the borders of Miami County 
was a bone of contention between the con- 
tinental rivals. The story carried back 
by Gist, his flowery description of the coun- 
try he had seen, acted as a spur to the Eng- 
lish. The two kingdoms girded their loins 
for the conflict. 

The first step or among the first was to 
warn the French from the Valley of the 
Ohio. This delicate and important task 
was assigTied to a youth of twenty-one, 
who was destined to be known in time to 
the whole world — George "Washington. 
Clothed with the proper authority by Gov- 
ernor Dinwiddle of Virginia, Washington 
in 1753 turned his face toward the Ohio 
wilderness, accompanied by Gist as guide. 
While the future chieftain of the Amer- 
ican armies did not reach the banks of the 
a\Iiami, there is no doubt that his report 
stimulated immigration and started the 
wave which was soon to top the Alle- 
ghanies in its westward course. The 
French were loath to give up their posses- 
sions along the Ohio. They knew that each 
surrender but strengthened their adver- 
sary. The previous wars on this continent 
had permanently settled nothing. There 
could be no peace while the two nations 
faced each other this side the Atlantic. The 
prize was not only Canada, but that vast 
and, as yet, unpeopled region which 
stretched southward to the Ohio, and west- 
ward to the banks of the Mississippi. This 
tract included the lands watered by the 
Miami. 

The Treaty of Paris, which was the con- 
cluding event of the French and Indian 



AND REPRESENT ATI \'E CITIZENS 



35 



War, saw the Gaul with Init n limited foot- 
hold ou the North Amerioau ooutiueut. The 
feur de lys was hauled down and the ban- 
ner of Saint George took its place. Sul- 
lenly the French withdrew from the re- 
gions they had held and AVilliam Pitt stood 
forth as the great diplomat of his day. 
With the gigantic struggle at an end, the 
tide of immigration, interrupted by the 
war, turned westward. The time wa.s near 
at hand when the foot of the white man 
should crinkle the leaves of the Miami for- 
ests and when the sound of his axe should 
startle the foxes in their coverts. 

Previous to the expedition of George 
Rogers Clark, which penetrated to the 
present domain of Miami County, as I shall 
show, in 1782, the Indians had been unusu- 
ally troublesome. They were constantly 
crossing the Ohio from the Kentucky wil- 
derness, carrying the war among tlie unpro- 
tected white settlements. Previously, or 
in 1780. Clark struck and destroyed the 
Indian towns on Mad River, and the Shaw- 
nees, to which people lielonged the great 
leader Tecumseh, abandoning their burn- 
ing wigwams, souglit the banks of the 
Great Miami, where they built another 
town, naming it Picjua. From this point 
of vantage they swept viciously in every 
direction carrying torch and tomahawk 
even into Kentucky. The intrepid Clark 
once more took the forest trail and in 1782 
led 1,000 Kentuckians northward. He 
commanded a force of resolute men ar- 
rayed in buckskin and homespun, and all 
were iunured to fatigue of every kind and 
at home with the rifle. The leader of this 
foray had gained fame by his capture of 
the British post at Vincennes and was in 
every way calculated to head just such a 
bodv of men. He was the friend of Wash- 



ington who had followed his career with 
interest and had complimented him for his 
bravery. The first Clark expedition had 
forced the Indians northward and they 
were now firmly established in the Miami 
country. 

Eager for vengeance and never forget- 
ting their chastisement in 1780, they again 
took up the hatchet and swept the wilder- 
ness far and wide with the ferocity of 
tigers. In short the destruction of every 
white settler in Ohio and Kentucky seemed 
imminent, and if not given a salutary les- 
son the lauds just opening up to civiliza- 
tion would for a number of years remain 
in the hands of the red man. It was this 
terrible state of affairs which led to Clark's 
second expedition. He crossed the Ohio 
at a point where Cincinnati now stands, 
but where at that time there was nothing 
but a fort and a stockade. The wily Clark 
was well accjuainted with the Indian char- 
acter and threw out scouts to guard against 
surjirise as he progressed through the wil- 
derness. 

People living at the present day cannot 
estimate the trials of a march like that 
made l)y Clark and his little band. They 
were headed for the Indian towTis on the 
Miami. The forest was then unbroken, 
its trails were those made by the red hunt- 
ers and the wild animals. The branches 
of the great trees overlapped, casting the 
whole ground in shadow and the long howl 
of the wolf was the only sound that broke 
the silences. Roads had to l)e cut through 
this lonesome tract of country, roads for 
the pack-horses, the teams and the men 
and all the time the latter had to be on the 
alert against an Indian surprise such as 
had overwhelmed Braddock ou the Monon- 
gahela. At night the camp was well guard- 



36 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ed and the little armj^ slept ou its arms. 
The inmates of the solitary cabins scarcely 
dared retire at night for fear of attack, 
and nightly the darkness was illuminated 
by the llames of burning homes. The sparse 
settlements were ever in the shadow of the 
tomahawk. The warcry of the Indian was 
liable at any moment to fall upon the set- 
tler's ears. There was fear by day and 
dread by night. The babe was taken from 
its mother's arms and dashed against the 
nearest tree. Crops were destroyed and 
the blossomed-f ringed pathways of the for- 
est became scenes of massacre. Where to- 
day stand the cities and hamlets of this 
county and where the industrious farmer 
follows his plow in peace, the Indian struck 
with the ferocity of a fiend and left desola- 
tion in his wake. Language cannot ade- 
quately depict the dangers and horrors of 
this period. 

Not long before Clark's invasion the In- 
dians, during a foray into Kentucky, cap- 
tured a white woman named Mrs. McFall. 
She was compelled to accompany her cap- 
tors into Ohio and the band was headed 
toward the Piqua settlements. A grand 
pow-wow was about to be held and savages 
from every quarter were flocking to the 
place of rendezvous. Warriors hurried 
thither afoot and on horseback and the for- 
est seemed to swarm with them. As the 
red marauders reached the river they were 
astounded to behold the advance guard of 
Clark's little army. Instantly there was 
consternation among the Indians. They 
stood not on the order of their going but 
scattered in every direction, terror-stricken 
at meeting the rifles of the resolute bor- 
derers. Mrs. McFall and the squaws were 
abandoned to their fate and fell into the 
hands of Clark, who carried them with 
him. 



When the Piqua towns were reached 
they were found to be stripped of nearly 
everything portable, but many bits of In- 
dian furniture were left behind by the 
frightened warriors. Upper as well as 
Lower Piqua was found in the same condi- 
tion. Clark halted for the night. AVith 
his usual precaution he threw out his 
guards to prevent surprise, and silence set- 
tled over the forest. Suddenly the woods 
rang with shots, for the wily foe, creeping 
through the underbrush, had opened fire 
on the sentries. In a moment the whole 
army was aroused and firing was kept up 
till the break of day. Notwithstanding the 
disadvantages under which the border men 
labored five Indians were found dead on 
the leaves, the survivors, satisfied with 
their punishment, having decamped. Dur- 
ing the previous evening a detachment sent 
out by Clark had burned Loramie's Store 
a few miles away. The total loss on the 
part of the army was Capt. McCracken 
and a man whose name is unknown. The 
chastisement inflicted had for a time a 
salutary effect on the Indians. They dis- 
covered that the whites were determined 
to put an end to their depredations, cost 
what it might, and the scattered settle- 
ments in this region enjoyed a brief rejiose. 

Among those who accompanied Gen. 
Clark was one of the first settlers of Miami 
County, a courageous man named Abra- 
ham Thomas. He afterward published an 
account of the expedition in the Troy 
Times from which I make the following 
extract : 

"In the year 1782 I again voluntceretl in an expedi- 
tion under General Clark, with the object of destroying 
some Indian villages about Piqua on the Great Miami 
River. On this ooeasion nearly 1,000 men marched out 
of Kentucky by the route of the Licking River. We 
crossed the Ohio at the present site of Cincinnati, where 
our last year's .stockade had been kept up and a few 




GEN. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK 




GEX. ANTHONY WAYNE 




GEN. ARTHUR ST. CLAIR 



GEN. JOSLVH HARMAR 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



39 



people resiileil iu Jog cabins. We proceeded immediately 
onward through the woods without regard to our former 
trail and crossed Mad River not far from the present 
site of Dayton. We kept on the east side of the river 
— the Miami — and crossed it four miles below the Piqua 
towns. Shortly after gaining the bottoms on the west 
side of the river, a party of Indians with their squaws 
on horseback came out of a trace that led to some Indian 
towns near the preseut site of Greenville. On arriving 
at Piqua we found that the Indians had fled from their 
villages, leaving most of their effects behind. During 
the following night I joined a party to break up an 
encampment of Indians said to be lying about what 
was called the French Store (Loramie's). We soon 
caught a Frenchman on horseback, tied him to a horse 
for our guide and arrived at the place iu the night. The 
Indians had taken the alarm and cleareil out. We, how- 
ever, broke up and burned the Frenchmau 's store, which 
for a long time had been a place of outfit for Indian 
marauders, and returned to the main body early in the 
morning. Many of our men were stocked with plunder. 
After burning and otherwise destrov-ing everything about 
upper ami lower Piqua towns we commenced our return 
march. 

' ' In this attack five Indians were killed during the 
night the expedition lay at Piqua. The Indians lurked 
around the camp, firing random shots from the hazel 
thickets without doing us any injury; but two men who 
were iu search of their stray horses were fired upon and 
severely wounded. One of these died shortly afterward 
and was buried at what is now called 'Coe's Ford,' 
where we recrossed the Miami on our return. The other, 
Capt. McCraeken, lived until we reached the site of 
Cincinnati, where he was burieil. On this expedition we 
had with us Capt. William Barbee, afterward Judge 
Barbee, one of my primitive neighbors in Miami County, a 
most worthy and brave man, with whom I have marched 
and watched through many a long day and finally re- 
moved with him to Ohio." 

Since the first bloodslied in the French 
and Indian "War occurred within the limits 
of Miami County, one of the hist battles 
between the rival nations took place within 
the same territory. In 1763 the adherents 
of France and England came together on 
the Col. John Jolmstou farm at Upper 
Piqua. Here the Tewightewee towns in- 
habited by the Miamis were then estab- 
lished. The Indians, with the AVyandots, 
Ottawas and kindred nations, espoused the 
cause of France. They were assisted by 
Canadians and French, the whole forming 
a motley confederacy against the common 
enemy. 1 may premise by saying that the 
French by their lenient treatment of the 
red man had drawn to their interest some 



of the most powerful of the northern 
tribes, whereas, on the other hand, the 
English were not so fortunate. 

They (the English) were aided by the 
Shawnees, Delawares, Munseys, Senecas, 
Cherokees and Catawbas, and these war- 
riors with a sprinkling of traders laid 
siege to the fort. For a whole week, ac- 
cording to the most authentic records ob- 
tainable, the siege went on with all the at- 
tending incidents of border warfare. The 
besieging army suffered severely. The re- 
sisting force was also badly crippled and 
lost such property as was exposed. Black- 
hoof, one of the Shawnee chiefs, with his 
accustomed exaggeration, informed Col. 
Johnston after the siege that he could have 
gathered baskets full of bullets. The allies 
of France, discouraged and shut off from 
further active warfare by the peace which 
had been signed, turned their footsteps 
from this part of the country and, retiring 
to the region of the Maumee, came back no 
more. In their place came the Shawnees, 
the parent race which produced Tecumseh, 
the most formidable of the many leaders 
of the scarlet legions. 

For some years comparative peace 
reigned about Upper Piqua, yet the boats 
which plowed the waters of the Miami were 
not always out of danger at the hands of 
the restless savages. In 1794 Capt. J. N. 
Yischer, the last commandant at Fort 
Piqua, was compelled to almost witness the 
massacre of the officers and crews of two 
freight boats which he was powerless to 
aid. It is believed that the boats were at- 
tacked for the purpose of drawing the gar- 
rison from the fort, but the discreet com- 
mander was not to be drawn into the snare. 

At the time of Clark's expedition the 
country of the Miami was a primitive par- 



40 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



adise. The first beauty of the woods came 
with the spring. At first the landscape 
looked bare and desolate, but before manj' 
days the air was sweet with the blossoms 
of the wild grape, plum, cherry and crab- 
apple and the whole land beautiful with 
the contrasting red and white of the dog- 
wood and rosebud, or of elder and wild 
rose, and the fresh green of the young 
leaves. The country on both sides of the 
Miami was for many miles unbroken for- 
est or a thicket of hazel bushes and wild 
fruit trees. Pioneers could in the summer 
step out of their back doors into a bound- 
less wild park of garden. Delicious per- 
fumes, sweet as attar of roses, delicate, 
pungent, aromatic, and countless flowers, 
pink, white, purple, scarlet, blue, and bend- 
ing with every shade of yellow and green 
delighted the senses. 

Gist, in his description of the forests of 
the Miami, has spoken of the great variety 
of trees that covered the groimd. Many of 
these were of the lordliest kind and bad 
stood for ages before the foot of man 
pressed the soil about their roots. Oak, 
hickory, walnut, beech and butternut stood 
everywhere in the greatest profusion. 
Their nuts afforded food for the settler as 
well as for the wild hogs that roamed the 
woods. Everywhere on both sides of the 
Miami stretched the great woodlands 
which to-day are things of the past. In 
smnmer the air was mild and pleasant. 
The winters were cold but the forests acted 
as "breaks" and kept the icy blasts from 
the inmates of the cabins. A pioneer writer 
in the Troy Times thus refers to the aspect 
of this country a century ago : 

"The country around the Kettlements presented the 
most lovely appearance. The earth was like an ash-heap 
and nothing could exceed the luxuriance of primitive 
vegetation. Indeed, our cattle often died from excess 



of feeding and it was somewhat difficult to rear them on 
that ai'count. The white weed or bee-harvest, as it is 
called, so profusely spread over our bottoms and wood- 
lands, was not then to be seen, the sweet annis, nettles 
and wild rye, and pea vine, everywhere abounded — they 
were almost the entire herbage of our bottoms. The 
two last gave subsistence to our cattle and the first with 
their nutritious roots were eaten by our swine with the 
greatest avidity. In the spring and summer months a 
drove of hogs could be scented at a considerable distance 
from their flavor of the annis root. Buffalo signs were 
frequently met with, but the animals had entirely dis- 
appeared before the first white inhabitant eame into the 
country, but other game was abundant." 

Among the first white settlers to estab- 
lish themselves in Miami County was John 
Knoop. He came from Cumberland 
County, Pennsylvania, in 1797. In the 
spring of that year he came down the Ohio 
to Cincinnati and cropped the first season 
at Zeigler's stone-house farm, four miles 
above the post. During the summer he 
ventured into the Indian country north of 
the Ohio. At one time he made a journey 
with a surveying party and selected land 
not far from the banks of the Miami. At 
that time the forest swarmed with Indians, 
principally of the Shawnee nation, but 
there were others here at the time, roving 
bands of Mingoes, Delawares, Miamis and 
Pottawatomies. These bands were peace- 
fully inclined and made no efforts to dis- 
turb the first settlers. In the spring of 
179S Knoop moved to near the present site 
of Staunton where, with Benjamin Knoop, 
Henry Gerard, Benjamin Hamlet, John 
Tildus and others, he established a station 
for the safety of the pioneer families. 

It was the victory of Clark that gave to 
the first settlers in this county a sense of 
security. Fear of the whites kept the red 
men in abeyance and those who first awoke 
the echoes of the woods with their axes 
were ]iermitted to inhabit the land in peace. 
The inmates of "Dutch Station," as the 
settlement was called, remained within it 
two 3'ears, during which time they were oc- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



41 



cupied iu clearing aud buildiug on their 
respective farms. Here was born iu 1798 
Jacob Knoop, tlie son of John, the first 
civilized native of Miami County. At this 
time there were three young men living at 
the mouth of Stony Creek and cropping 
out on what was known as Freeman's 
prairie. One of these was D. H. Morris, 
for a long time a resident of Bethel Town- 
ship. At the same time there resided at 
Piqua Samuel Hilliard, Job Garrard, 
Shadrach Hudson, Josiah Eollins, Daniel 
Cox and Thomas Rich. All these, with the 
tenants of Dutch Station, comprised the 
inhabitants of Miami County from 1797 to 
1799. From this time all parts of the 
county began to receive numerous immi- 
grants. 

In the fall of 1796 Benjamin Iddings 
came from Tennessee in search of a new 
home and located in the Weymire settle- 
ment within the limits of Montgomery 
County, but after one winter there he re- 
moved with a family of six children to 
Newton Township, where he located on the 
east side of Stillwater. "When Judge 
Sjonmes made the extensive "SjTumes 
Purchase," which embraced many thou- 
sands of acres between the two Miami s, he 
offered inducements to settlers. Immigra- 
tion thus given an impulse, began to push 
northward and some of those who had al- 
ready bought land of S^^nmes entered the 
present limits of ]\Iiami County and estab- 
lished themselves near the mouth of Honey 
Creek as early as 1797. These peo])le, 
among whom were Samuel Morrison and 
David Morris, established the first perma- 
nent settlement in the county. They laid 
out opposite the mouth of the creek a town 
called "Livingston," which name long ago 
disappeared. Rollins and Hudson already 



mentioned located near the mouth of 
Spring Creek, perhaps a few months prior 
to the settlement at Dutch Station. 

The various "stations" so called, erected 
by the first settlers were formed by erecting 
logs in a line and the cabins were all joined 
together, forming one side of a square 
with the remaining three sides enclosed 
by i^alings eight feet high, firmly driven in 
the ground. All the openings inside the 
square were secured by a strong gateway. 
On Gerard's and Gahagan's prairie near 
Troy, which had once been tilled by the 
Indians, the tenants of Dutch Station re- 
mained two years. In 1799 their numbers 
were increased by the arrival of John Ger- 
ard, Uriah Blue, Joseph Coe, Abram Hath- 
away, Nathaniel Gerard and Abner Ger- 
ard. These were the first actual settlers 
of the county. 

From whence did our first pioneers 
come? Nearly all the states that comprised 
the original Union furnished their quota. 
Those from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and 
Virginia were perhaps most nimierous, but 
Georgia aud the Carolinas sent a goodly 
number. Tliere were a few from New Eng- 
land and New York and even little Dela- 
ware contributed to the settlement of the 
coimty. All the pioneers were men of 
nerve and determination. They did not 
shrink from the arduous task of carving 
out new homes iu the unbroken wilderness. 
Some were of hardy Scotch-Irish stock, 
while German l)lood flowed in the veins of 
others. All had traversed leagues of wild 
land to the homes they found in the beau- 
tiful region of the Miami. Nothing daunt- 
ed them. They met dangers seen and un- 
seen in order that they could raise their 
children in a new land and give them a 
heritage enriched by toil and self sacrifice. 



CHAPTER III. 



FORMATION OF THE COUNTRY; THE HOME IN WILDERNESS, ETC. 



Pontiac's Conspiracy — Boquet's Expedition — Block Houses Built at Cincinnati — Neiv 
York and Virginia Relinquish Charter Claims — Fort Harmar Erected — The Settle- 
ment at Marietta — Quick Settlement of the Ohio Valley — Ordinance of 1767 — 
Slavery Forbidden — St. Clair Made Governor — Formation of Hamilton and Mont- 
gomery Counties— Formation of Miami County — Abrogation of the Indian Title — 
Wayne's Victory of the Fallen Timbers and Treaty of Greenville — The Miami 
Indians — The Symmes Purchase — School Districts Reserved — Sale of Public Lands 
on Time Payments — The First Court — Homes of the Pioneer Settlers— Pioneer 
Habits and Customs — Domestic Industries — Early Circulating Medium — Militia 
Musters — County Officials. 



The genesis of Miami Coimty begins 
with the formation of what is known as 
the Northwest Territorj^ I have briefly 
traced the struggle of France and England 
for the soil embraced within the present 
limits of onr domain. The last engage- 
ment of the French and Indian War took 
place in 1763 at Fort Piqua. Although the 
Treaty of Paris settled the claims of the 
continental rivals to this particular region, 
in which England was the gainer, it did 
not put an end to the Indian troubles. In 
the year last mentioned Pontiac, the great 
sachem of the Ottawas, formed one of the 
most stupendous conspiracies ever known. 
He drew into it the various tribes scattered 
throughout Ohio, and the design of this 
scarlet Napoleon was the destruction of 
the British jDosts in the northwest. In this 



he was secretly and, at times, openly aided 
by the French, who still chafed under the 
overthrow which they had experienced at 
the hands of England. Pontiac and Te- 
cnmseh stand forth as the most astute In- 
dians ever connected with the history of 
Ohio. 

Tlie plans of Pontiac came to naught, 
most notably in liis failure to capture De- 
troit, and after the allied tribes had sus- 
tained their final defeat at Fort Pitt (Du 
Quesne), they were forced to make jDeace 
by Bocjuet, who led an expedition into their 
country and liberated a number of white 
captives. Not until then did the opposi- 
tion to British rule end on the part of the 
Indians. Royal proclamations had hitherto 
prevented settlements beyond the Ohio, but 
grants of land south of that river were 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



43 



obtained by companies formed in Virginia 
and elsewhere, and hunters and traders, 
ignoring the boundary lines, pushed into 
the new territory, taking up lauds under 
the very noses of the French. In 1774 the 
"Quebec Act" passed the English i^arlia- 
ment and the Mississippi and Ohio Elvers 
were made the western and southwestern 
boundaries of Canada. During the Amer- 
ican Eevolution a majority of the Indian 
nations espoused the cause of England, but 
the Delawares were kept neutral by the 
Moravians who had established villages of 
Christian Indians on the Muskingum in 
1772. 

Two block houses wei'e built at Cincin- 
nati in 1780, the year of Clark's expedi- 
tion, New York relinquished her charter 
claims to the Northwest Territory and the 
following year Virginia did the same ; but 
at the same time obtained by way of com- 
promise a tract of land between the Scioto 
and Little Miami which received the name 
of the "Virginia Military District." Mas- 
sachusetts and Connecticut yielded their 
claims in 1785 and '86, but gained land 
like Virginia, which was called the "West- 
ern Reserve." Congress, in 1783, caused 
to be sui'veyed the public lands west of the 
Ohio, and Fort Harmar was erected at the 
mouth of the Muskingum and the Ohio. 
Under direction of Gen. Eufus Putnam, a 
brilliant officer of the Eevolution, the 
"Ohio Company of Associates" was 
formed in Boston and this eventually led 
to the settlement at Marietta. 

The settling of the Ohio Valley quickly 
followed the expedition led by Putnam. Im- 
migrants poured through the passes of the 
Alleghanies all headed for that vast and 
beautiful region which stretched westward. 
These bands of hardv souls crossed or 



floated down the Ohio, stopping here and 
there as the different places pleased them, 
and the sound of the pioneer's axe awoke 
the solitudes of the forest. Congress, July 
13th, 1787, passed the celebrated ordinance 
for the government of the Northwest Ter- 
ritory. This act provided for the forma- 
tion of not more than five states out of the 
immense tract, and slavery and involun- 
tary servitude was forbidden therein, oth- 
erwise than in punishment for ci'imes. On 
July 17th, the regular government of the 
Northwest Territory was installed with 
Gen. Arthur St. Clair as governor. On the 
26th AVashington County, Ohio, was estab- 
lished and on September 17th the first 
court was held. 

The inauguration of Governor St. Clair 
still further stimulated settlement. Ee- 
ports sent back by those who had settled 
in Ohio caused a perfect stream of pioneers 
to flow in this direction. They were uu- 
daimted by reports of restless Indians, for 
it was believed that the red man was by 
no means pacified ; but this did not impede 
immigration. The white man considered 
himself capal)le of coping with the Indian 
and the lands of the Ohio were too great a 
prize to be permitted to slip from his 
grasp. Year after year the tide of civiliza- 
tion rolled westward, breaking through the 
mountaiu barriers in a resistless torrent, 
and filling the forests with a new race 
which would not brook threatened dispos- 
session. 

In January, 1790, Hamilton County was 
organized, "beginning on the banks of the 
Ohio Eiver at the confluence of the Little 
Miami, thence up the same to the Standing- 
Stone Fork, or branch of the Big Miami, 
and thence with a line to be drawn due east 
to the Little Miami and down same to the 



44 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



place of begiuuing." In March, 1803, a 
part of Haniiltou Couuty was laid off aud 
called Montgomery. January 16, 1807, in 
an act which took effect March first," 

' ' All that part of ilontgomerv County be ami the 
same is hereby laid off ami created into a separate and 
distinct county which shall be known by the name of 
Miami, to-wit : Beginning at the southwest corner of 
Champaign County aud southeast corner of section 1, 
township 2 aud range 9; thence west with the line 
between ranges 9 and 10 to the Great Miami Eiver, 
crossing the same in such direction as to take the line 
on the bank of the said river, between townships 3 and 4 
in range 6, west of said river. Thence west with the 
said line to the state line, thence north with the same 
to the Indian boundary line; thence east with the same 
to the Champaign County line; thence south with the 
said county to the place of beginning. 

"From and after the 1st day of April, 1807, said 
county of Miami shall be vested with all the powers, 
privileges and immunities of a separate and distinct 
county. Jan. 7th, 1812, all that part of Montgomery 
County lying north of the county of Miami shall be and 
the same is hereby attached to the said county of Miami 
and all that part lying north of the county of Darke 
shall be and the same is hereby attached to the said 
county of Darke. ' ' 

In this manner according to law came 
into being the county we now inhabit. 
Prior, however, to the legal establishment 
of the county the Indian title had been ab- 
rogated. The county's name is derived 
from the Miami Indians whose place of 
residence, as a tribe, has long been a sub- 
ject for dispute by local and state his- 
torians. I have before me a letter secured 
especially for this work from Col. Charles 
C. Royce, for many years a resident of the 
county and a compiler of Indian data for 
the General Government. Col. Eoyee is 
an authority on Indian affairs and his con- 
clusions which follow settle once and for 
all the disputes concerning the Indian oc- 
cupation of this county. He writes as 
follows : 

' ' At the close of the Revolutionary War and for a 
number of years thereafter the territory now comprised 
within the limits of Ohio was occupied and claimed by 
a number of Indian tribes, the respective boundaries of 
each tribe being specifically differential. As early as 
1749 an English trading-post was established called 
Loramie's Store, or Pickawillany, within the present 
limits of Shelby County, and one or more villages of 
the Twightwees, or Miami Indians, existed for a time 



in the vicinity. When the French, with the assistance 
of the Ottawas and Chippewas, destroyed the trading- 
post in 1752 in the face of a vigorous protest from the 
Miamis, the latter were disturbed in their occupation of 
this territory and withdrew further to the north and 
west in the vicinity of Fort Wayne. 

"After Wayne's defeat of the allied Indian forces at 
the Battle of Fallen Timbers, in 1794, he made a treaty 
with them at Greenville, in 179.5, whereby they ceded all 
the land south of a line beginning at the mouth of the 
Cuyahoga Eiver, thence up the same to the portage 
between that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Mus- 
kingum ; thence down that branch to the crossing place 
above Fort Lawrence; thence to a fork of that branch 
of the Great Miami running into the Ohio at or near 
which fork stood Loramie 's Store and where commences 
the portage between the Miami of the Ohio and St. 
Mary's Eiver, which is a branch of the Miami which 
runs into Lake Erie; thence a westerly course to Fort 
Recovery, which stands on a branch of the Wabash, 
thence southwesterly in a direct line to the Ohio so as 
to intersect that river opposite the mouth of the Ken- 
tucky River. 

' ' This treaty was made jointly with a number of 
tribes, of whom the Miamis were one. The laud ceded 
to the United States included the present boundaries of 
Miami County, but at the time of the cession there was 
no Miami County. Indians resided therein and the 
region including Miami. Clarke, Champaign, Logan and 
a number of other counties was claimed and occupied 
by the Shawnees who had a number of villages in this 
section. 

"By the treaty of October 6, 1818, the Miamis ceded 
to the United States a tract of country beginning at the 
Wabash Eiver, near the mouth of Raccoon Greek; thence 
up the Wabash to Fort Wayne, thence to the St. Mary's 
Eiver; thence up the St. Mary's to the Portage; thence 
with the line of the Wyandot cession of 1817 to the 
reservation at Loramie's Store; thence with the Indian 
boundary line to Fort Recovery, and thence with said 
line to the beginning. This tract at its southwestern 
extremity included a part of the present Shelby, Au- 
glaize and Mercer Counties and marked the southern and 
eastern lines of the territory specifically claimed by the 
Miamis. 

' ' It can be aflSrmatively stated that within the period 
since the organization of the Federal Government the 
Miami Indians neither occupied nor claimed any land 
within the present boundaries of Miami County. On 
the contrary the L^nited States, by a treaty concluded 
January 31, 1795, at Greenville, definitely conceded the 
claims of the Shawnees to the ownership of certain ter- 
ritory which included the present boundaries of Miami 
County. ' ' 

It will be seen from Col. Royce 's state- 
ment that "within the period since the or- 
ganization of the genei'al government," 
the Miamis claimed no land within the 
boundaries of this county. That this tribe 
of the great Algonquin family at one time 
were in these parts is undisputed. As early 
as 1658 the French found the Miamis in the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



45 



neighborhood of Greeu Bay, Wis. In 1683 
they carried on a war with the Sioux and 
Iroquois and, in 1705 the French brought 
about a war between them and the Otta- 
was. Tlie Miamis, many years later, united 
with Pontiac in his conspiracy for the de- 
struction of the whites, and during the 
Revolution they assisted the English. As 
late as 1790 they were able to put in the 
field fifteen hundred warriors and were a 
nation not to be despised. They were ivar- 
like and energetic, but idle life and intoxi- 
cants so led to their downfall as a great 
savage nation that they were easily over- 
come by the whites. They gradually ceded 
all their lands to the General Government 
and in 1846 removed to the Fort Leaven- 
worth agency. At the present time this 
once powerful nation is almost extinct and 
its members are dissipated and wretched. 

I have been thus particular in giving an 
account of the Miamis from the fact that 
this coimty owes its name to them. It is 
one of the few coimties in Ohio that per- 
petuates the memory of the tribes that 
once roamed the forests. The Miamis pro- 
duced no celebrated leaders like Tecumseh 
and Pontiac, but they had within their 
ranks warriors whose deeds for many 
years left their im^jress on the localities 
they inhabited. 

Prior to the formation of the county one 
of the hindrances to settlement was the 
manner in which the land could be ob- 
tained. In most of the states and terri- 
tories lying west of the Alleghanies the 
United States collectively and as a nation 
owned or did own the soil of the country 
after the extinction of the Indian title. 
This vast domain, which comprised mil- 
lions of acres, was to be sold at moderate 
prices to the settlers, but even at this many 



could not comply with the terms, for the 
average settler was poor in this world's 
goods and had nothing but his strong arm 
and his determination. The ' ' Sj-mmes Pur- 
chase" included land between the Great 
and Little Miami Rivers. It was patented 
by John Cleves Symmes in 1794 for sixty- 
seven cents per acre. Every sixteenth sec- 
tion or square mile in each township was 
reserved by Congress for the use of 
schools. This tract is now one of the most 
valuable in the state. I extract from a 
valuable work the disposition of the lands 
which attracted the early settlers of this 
county : 

"Up to 1799 Congress lands could not be 
sold in quantities less than 4,000 acres ; but 
through the efforts of General Harrison 
a law was passed authorizing the sale of 
half of the public lands in sections and the 
other half in half sections. In 1800 land 
offices were established by Congress for 
the sale of these lands in sections and half 
sections on the following terms : Two dol- 
lars per acre, applicant to deposit $6 for 
surveying a section, or $3 for half section 
and $5 for a patent for a section, or $4 for 
a half section; also he was obliged to de- 
posit one-twentieth of the price, all of 
which was to be forfeited if within forty- 
nine days one fourth of the purchase was 
not paid, another fourth within two years, 
another fourth within three years and the 
residue within four years with 6 i)er cent 
interest on the deferred payments from 
date of sale. Subsequent acts, however, 
gave great relief to the purchasers by ex- 
tending the time of payments and in 1804 
the fees for surveying were abolished and 
an act for the sale of lands in quarter sec- 
tions was passed. In 1820 lands could be 



46 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



bought in forty acre lots and the price was 
$125 cash." 

The last act was a great blessing to the 
early settler. He was enabled by it to pur- 
chase lands in quantities that suited him, 
but many purchased sections and half sec- 
tions, forming from these tracts some of 
the best farms that exist in the county at 
the present time. "When it became known 
that land in any quantity desired could be 
obtained in this section there was a great 
influx of immigration. The locality drained 
by the Miami and its tributaries offered 
excellent inducements to the pioneer, and 
he was not long in taldng advantage of 
them. He saw that in the valley of the 
Miami there was everything needed for a 
home, and the reports he sent back over 
the mountains to friends and relatives jiro- 
duced amazing results. 

With the legal establishment of the 
county in 1807 a new era was to begin. The 
first court was held at Staunton, primitive 
it is true, but a court nevertheless. The 
log court-house witnessed the first opera- 
tion of law within the limits of the coimty, 
and if the old records could be consulted, 
an interesting and amusing chapter might 
be included in this work. It is stated that 
coi;rt was first held in the house of one 
Peter Felix, who was a character of the 
early day. He was a Frenchman and 
somewhat of a trader and he dwelt for 
years at Staunton carrying on his business. 
Around the first county seat arose the 
cabins of the settlers. These early homes, 
which long ago gave way to more preten- 
tious ones, were simple in the extreme. 
The wants of the settler were also simple in 
the extreme. He was easily satisfied. The 
cabins were, for the most part, constructed 
on a imiversal plan. They consisted, as a 



rule, of one large room. Overhead was a 
garrett, access to which was had by means 
of a ladder in one corner of the cabin. The 
young folks used the upper room for a 
sleeping apartment. There thej" were 
lulled to sleep by the pattering rain on the 
clapboard roof which was all that sepa- 
rated them from the outer world. How 
often in the winter time on arising in the 
morning — never later than four o'clock — 
did they find their beds covered with snow, 
driven through the crevices by the piercing 
winds. 

The cracks between the logs were filled 
with clay in which was mixed the dry 
grass of the near-by meadows. This held 
the clay together and kept it from crack- 
ing and falling out. The fire-place was 
broad and deep, constructed of large stones 
obtained from the bed of a creek near by, 
and would accommodate a back-log six 
feet in length which was rolled into posi- 
tion with handspikes and would last for 
days. The floors were constructed of 
))oarcls split from long straight logs, gen- 
erally oak and were smoothed on one side 
with the axe, laid rough side down and 
made fast to the joists by wooden pins 
driven in holes made with an augur. This 
was called a puncheon floor and an old song 
recalls it in this manner : 

"Oh, Jennie, my toes are sore, 
Dancing over tlie puncheon floor. ' ' 

The windows were merely openings 
made by cutting out a portion of one of 
the logs, to be closed by a sliding clap- 
board. Loop-holes were sometimes pierced 
in the sides and ends of the cabins through 
which to shoot when attacked by Indians. 
The doors were heavy and strong and were 
often fitted with stout barricades to resist 
outside pressiu-e. The beds were made 






.1 


U t M 


'1L''_'''_ 




I^^OB 



CABIN BUILT IN 179S. STAUNTON TOWNSHIP 
(Still Standing.) 



RESIDENCE OF OSCAR F. FURROW 
Lost Creek Township 




MIAMI RIVKR BELOW TROY 



INDIAN MOUND ON WOLVERTOX FARM 




WEST CHARLESTON FALLS 




HORSE SHOE BEND NEAR TROY 



AND REPRESENTATI^^E CITIZENS 



49 



upon boards resting ou a frame attached 
to the side of the cabin. The table from 
which the meals were partaken was se- 
cured in the same manner and three-legged 
stools took the place of chairs. Now and 
then in a cabin was seen an old split bot- 
tom arm-chair that had been brought 
across the mountains. It was too dear a 
bit of furniture to be left behind, for the 
grandmother in it had sung sweet lullabies 
to all her children while in her protecting 
arms she rocked them to sleep. These 
cabin homes, humble as thej' were, afford- 
ed the i^ioneers comfortable and pleasant 
places of abode. 

One of our old settlers has left on record 
his exi^eriences in a wilderness home which 
is particularly interesting: 

"My father's family «as small and he took us all 
with him to the Miami wilderness. The Indian meal 
which he brought was expended six weeks too soon, so for 
that time we had to live without bread. The lean venison 
and the breast of the wild turkey we were taught to call 
bread. I remember how narrowly we children watched 
the growth of the potato tops, pumpkin and squash vines, 
hoping from day to day to get something in place of 
bread. How delicious was the taste of the young pota- 
toes when we got them! What a jubilee when we were 
permitted to pull the young corn for roasting ears! 
Still more when it acquired hardness to be made into 
johnny-cakes by the aid of a tin grater. The furniture 
of the table consisted of a few pewter dishes, plates aud 
spoons, but mostly of water bowls, trenchers aud nog- 
gins. If these last were scarce, gourds and hard-shell 
squashes made up the deficiency. 

' ' I well remember the first time I ever saw a tea cup 
and saucer. After the death of my mother, which sad 
event took place when I was seven or eight years of age, 
my father sent me awaj- to school. I stopped at a 
tavern which was plastered on the inside, both as to the 
walls and ceiling. I had no idea there was a house in 
the whole world that was not built of logs — the tavern 
was a stone affair — but I looked around and could see 
no joists. Whether such a house had been built by the 
hands of man or had grown up of itself I could not con- 
jecture. I had not the courage to inquire anything about 
it. When supper came my confnsion was worse con- 
founded. A little cup stood in a bigger one with some 
brownish stuff in it which was neither milk, hominy or 
broth. What to do with these little cups and the spoons 
belonging to them I did not know and I was afraid to 
ask anything concerning them." 

In the winter evenings aroimd the fire 
blazing on the hearth would congregate the 



family, the mother engaged in making or 
menchng the clothes of the household, while 
the father was shaping an axe handle, a 
hickory broom, or perhaps repaii'ing the 
moccasins for himself and boys. The chil- 
dren cracking nuts or studying their les- 
sons, while at their feet stretched out upon 
the hearth quietly slept the faithful watch- 
dog, the guardian of the place, an indis- 
pensable acquisition to the pioneer home. 
A lurid flame from the long-nosed iron 
lamp, filled with melted bear's grease, min- 
gling with the bright firelight, made cheer- 
ful the surroundings of this happy group. 

In these pioneer homes there was always 
a cheerful welcome for the new comer. 
There was little room for envy, jealousy 
aud hatred, which are the cause for so 
much human misery in the older commu- 
nities. As a natural consequence the pio- 
neers were, as a rule, true Christians. It 
was this abiding confidence in an all-wise 
Providence that enabled them to bear up 
under the many trials and tribulations 
through which they were called upon to 
pass. 

The early settlers of Miami County were 
plain in their attire. Their garments were 
manufactured at home and from flax and 
wool, as cotton then was comparatively 
scarce. The immigrants from the South 
wore goods of cotton, but those who came 
from the East could not be so favored. The 
latter had to depend ou wool and flax. A 
lady's linsey dress would often last 
through the second summer for then style 
seldom changed. The pioneers were con- 
tent with what they had. The making of 
the family clothing gave emplojTneut to the 
female portion of it and led to habits of 
economy among them. Men in the winter 
time wore light Indigo blue linsey, and now 



50 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



and then was seen a hunter in buckskin and 
moccasins. As has been said, the girls of 
the pioneer families were industrious. 
They were early taught industrious and 
economical habits l)y careful mothers. In 
this connection a page from the diary of a 
pioneer miss is given to show what could 
be accomplished by the willing hands of 
the grandmothers of the past: 

' ' Fixed gown for Prude — Mended moth- 
er 's riding hood — Spun short thread — 
Fixed two gowns for the Welsh girls — 
Carded tow — Spun linen — Worked on 
cheese basket — Hatchel'd flax with Han- 
nah; we did 5 lbs — Pleated and ironed — 
Eead a sermon of Doddridge's — Spooled 
a piece — Spun a piece — Milked the cows — 
Sjjun linen, did 50 knots — Made a broom of 
wheat straw — Spun thread to whiten — Set 
a red dye — Had two scholars from Mrs. 
Taylor's — Carded two pounds of whole 
wool and felt nationally — Spun harness 
twine — Scoured the pewter." 

Girls of this sort made excellent wives. 
The young miss also tells of washing, cook- 
ing, knitting, weeding the garden, picking- 
geese, etc., and of visits to neighbors. She 
dipped candles in the spring and made 
soap in the autumn. This latter was a bur- 
densome business, but the soft soap was 
important for home use. Even before they 
could spin the pioneer girls of Miami 
County were taught to knit as soon as their 
little hands could hold the needles. Some- 
times girls of six could knit stockings. 
Boys often had to knit their own suspend- 
ers. All the stockings and mittens for the 
family were made in large numbers. To 
knit a pair of mittens was a sharp and 
long day's work. A story is told of a 
pioneer boy in Spring Creek Township 
who came home one night and said that 



he had lost his mittens in the woods while 
chopping wood. His sister ran to a bundle 
of wool in the garret, carded and spun a 
big hank that night. It was racked and 
scoured the next morning and in twenty- 
four hours from the time the brother an- 
nounced his loss he had a fine new pair of 
double mitts. 

Another occupation which obtained 
among the girls of pioneer days was that 
of quilting. There was not then the variety 
of colors to be had now and it took no little 
ingenuity to make the product of the quilt- 
ing frame a showy one. There was one 
satisfactory condition in the work and that 
was the quality of the cottons and linens 
of whfch the patchwork was made. They 
were none of the slimsy composition- 
filled, aniliue-dj'ed calicoes of to-day. A 
piece of "chaney," "patch," and "copper 
plate" a hundred years old will be as fresh 
to-day as when woven. A sense of the 
idealization of quilt piecing is given also 
by the quaint descriptive names applied 
to the various patterns. Of these the ' ' Ris- 
ing Sun," "Log Cabin," and "Job's Trou- 
ble" were perhaps the most favored. There 
were many "quilting bees" during early 
times and they were great affairs, looked 
forward to with much interest. More than 
one resident of the county has heard his 
grandmother describe them. Not only were 
the girls taught to cjuilt, but thej' were ini- 
tiated into the mysteries of the spinning- 
wheel. Their deft fingers were ever busy 
and all became experts at the various occu- 
pations that pertained to the comforts of 
the family. 

If such were the useful occupations of 
the girls, what did the boys do ? Like their 
sisters they were raised to habits of indus- 
try, frugality and self-reliance, and were 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



51 



iudepeiidout aud fearless. At an early 
age they were instructed in the use of the 
rifle aud were taught to imitate the call of 
bird aud beast. Hidden in a thicket or 
behind a log, they would call like wild tur- 
keys, drawing whole flocks of these gamey 
birds within reach of their rifles. Bleat- 
ing like fawns they would lure the timid 
mothers to their death. Then, barking like 
squiri'els, the treetops would become alive 
with the little rodents. And packs of 
wolves far away in the forest or on the 
prairie would howl in answer to their calls. 
They also rivaled the Indian in throwing 
the tomahawk, and in handling the bow 
and arrow. They assisted their fathers in 
opening up the farms and in cultivating the 
soil. At night in the cabins the wonderful 
jack-knife would be brought forth and all 
sorts of things, useful as well as orna- 
mental, would be fashioned from the pliant 
wood. They learned how to repair every 
sort of farm machinery and became adepts 
at it. There was no idleness in the boys 
and girls of pioneer days. 

Previous to and during the period that 
witnessed the establishment of the county- 
seat at Troy — an event which will be treat- 
ed in a future chapter — the currency of 
the settlers- was poor and peculiar. Coon- 
skins and other pelts became a circulating- 
medium and were accepted at the early 
stores in exchange for the simple neces- 
saries required by the neighborhood. There 
were no established banks, as the State 
Bank was not instituted till later. About 
the only "monej"" in circulation was a 
sort of coin known as "sharp-shins." It 
is said to have come from Kentucky. It 
was not received in payment for public 
lands and had little value in business trans- 
actions outside certain localities. The dol- 



lars in circulation were the Spanish milled 
and in order to have change, the pioneers 
took them to the nearest blacksmith, who 
proceeded to cut them into two, four aud 
quite often Ave pieces, on the anvil, with 
the assistance of a cold chisel. If cut into 
Ave pieces the workman kept one for toll, 
leaving the owner of the original coin four 
quarters. 

These smaller jjieces became "bits" and 
"flips" and the terms "two-penny bit," 
"five-penny bit," "two-pence, flip and a 
bit," were in every day use. The cut pieces 
were called "sharp-shins" on account of 
the jagged edges which arose from the cut- 
ting, aud as they wrought havoc with the 
pockets of their possessors leather bags 
were called into use to hold them. With 
this sort of outlandish currency the early 
settlers seemed to get along })retty well 
until better came into use, when the 
"sharp-shins" were relegated to the rear 
and eventually disappeared. 

One of the most inq)ortant functions 
connected with the opening up of the 
county were the frequent musters. These 
were great, not to say gorgeous events. 
The fear of Indian invasion and the protec- 
tion of the settlements brought the muster 
into being and it held its j^lace for many 
years. As early as 1788 a law which was 
passed for "regulating the militia" was 
approved by Governor St. Clair. All male 
citizens between the ages of sixteen and 
fifty were required to furnish themselves 
"a musket, bayonet, cartridge-box, pouch 
and powder-horn and bullet pouch, with 
one pound of powder and four pounds of 
lead, priming wire and six flints." 

There were company musters once every 
two months, except December, Januar}% 
February aud March. The rules of the old 



52 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



militia kept the settlers familiar to a cer- 
tain extent with miltary discipline and they 
were ready at all times to respond to any 
call. As a sample of the orders issued for 
a general muster I ajjpend the following : 

"Regimental Orders. 
"The cominLssioneil officers of the 3ril, E, 2d B, 10th 
D. O. M. are liereby notified to appear armed and 
equipped according to law, at the court-house in Troy, 
on the 29th instant at 10 o 'clock A. JNI. of said day and 
continue under the command of the Brigadier General 
of said brigade until three o 'clock P. M. of the succeed- 
ing day, for the purpose of muster, inspection and drill. 
' ' By order of the Brigadier General. 

"D. Grosvenor, Col." 

The regimental and company musters 
were important events. The occasion was 
often made a holiday and the whole neigh- 
borhood flocked to witness the affair. The 
brigadier genei'al decked in ' ' all the pomp 
and panoply of war" was a sight worth 
seeing, and Solomon "arrayed in all his 
glory" would have cut a sorry figure be- 
side him. General John Webb, one of the 
pioneer settlers of Lost Creek Township, 
was a noted commander of the old militia. 
The ranking officers in blue coats, glitter- 
ing with polished brass buttons, waving 
plumes and gorgeous epaulets were the ob- 
served of all observers and created much 
suppressed merriment among the poor pri- 
vates and the concourse of spectators. 

Among the old county musters whose 
glories long ago departed the following 
major generals were conspicuous : Robert 
Young, Hiram Bell and J. "W. Frizell. 
Then came such brigadiers as James Fer- 
gus, J'ielding Loury, John Webb, Dr. Kei- 
fer, and S. J. Hensley, while a lot of 
colonels vied with the generals in their 
brilliant yet grote.sque uniforms and "mili- 
tary discipline." The generals were chosen 
by a vote of the county and it is natural 
to suppose that a good deal of "log roll- 
ing" was indulged in to secure the coveted 



places. General John Webb was once 
elected to this position and after-ward, ac- 
cording to his personal narrative, became 
acting major general of the Tenth Division 
of Ohio i\lilitia, which division embraced 
the counties of Montgomery, Darke, Shel- 
bj', and Miami, and consisted of teii regi- 
ments of infantry, riflemen, cavalry and 
artillery. Nearly all of the participants in 
the old musters had seen service against 
the Indians and not a few took j)art in the 
War of 1S12. 

When the county became well settled 
the musters went out of vogue, but their 
memories remauied for many years. They 
were excellent things since they taught the 
manual of arms and prepared the militia 
for any emergency. Some of the old com- 
pany rolls are said to be extant to-day, and 
upon them are to be found the names of 
many who in later years became prominent 
citizens of the county, distinguished in 
various walks of life. 

EOSTEK OF COUNTY OFFICERS, 1807-1908. 

After the formation of the county in 
1807 its official life began. Officers were 
chosen, some by appointment, others by 
election. After a few years they were 
chosen at regular elections, a system which 
has extended to the present day. Follow- 
ing is a complete list of the officials of 
Miami County from 1807 to 1908 : 

Treasurers— Andre'w Wallace, William 
Brown, John G. Telford, Jacob Knoop, 
William C. Knight, Andrew Patterson, 
George S. Murray, George C. Clyde, M. D. 
]\Iitchell, A. L. McKiuney, S. D. Frank, 
Theodore Sullivan, John A. McCurdy, I). 
W. Sinks, S. N. Todd, George H. Bundle, 
J. C. Ullery, John Prugh, E. J. Eby, Jesse 
Burkett, C. W. Kiser, R. N. Burwell. Of 
the above Wallace and Brown were ap- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



53 



pointed, the latter serviug tbirtj'-eight 
years. 

Auditors — H. W. Culbertsou, David 
Grosvenor, Thomas S. Barrett, Jacob 
Kuoop, B. F. Powers, Thomas B. Kyle, 
James Nesbitt, C. N. Hoaghind, J. W. De- 
frees, E. J. Douglass, George C. Clyde, 
N. C. Clyde (filled a vacancy), Eli Tenney, 
W. I. Tenney, C. C. Barnett, Horatio Pear- 
son, Boyd E. Furnas, Elmer E. Pearson, 
Albert E. Sinks. 

Sheriffs — Stephen Dye, T. W. Furuas, 
Levi Hart, Leander Munsell, Robert Cul- 
bertson, John Shidler, Joseph Defrees, 
Stephen Johnston, Thomas Jay, Joseph 
Pearson, James M. Roe, Daniel Ellis, John 
Hart, C. T. Bear, S. D. Frank, William Ev- 
ans, David L. Lee, D. C. Miller, John M. 
Campbell, xVlexander M. Heywood, T. M. 
Ashworth, E. M. AY;lbee, F. E. Scobey, W. 
E. Rogers, Ralph H. Gibson. 

Clerks of the Court — Cornelius West- 
fall, John G. Telford, Thomas J. S. Smith, 
Benjamin W. Leavell, Barton S. Kyle, 
Charles V. Eoyce, Smith Talbott, J. ^Y. 
Cruikshanks, John B. Latchford, J. B. 
Fonts, Abbott E. Childs, E. A. Jackson, 
J. H. Laudis, Cloj^d Smith. 

Prosecuting Attorneys — -E. Adams, Will- 
iam I. Thomas, Thomas S. Barrett, R. S. 
Hart, Ebenezer Parsons, H. G. Sellers, 
M. H. Jones, James T. Janvier, AValter S. 
Thomas, W. F. Ross, H. H. Williams, C. 
D. Wright, Moses B. Earnhart, Saumel 
Jones, Thomas B. Kyle, J. Harrison 
Smith, Alva B. Campbell, William E. 
Lytle. 

Surveyors — Armstrong Brandon, Field- 
ing Lonry, Andrew Wallace, David Hoov- 
er, B. S. Cox, John Devor, James Cregan, 
William E. Flinn, J. T. Tullis, Simon 
Loop, James Hanks, John H. Wolcott, 



Jacob Knooj), William GiiJtin, John B. 
Fish, J. E. Alexander, John N. Rouzer, 

A. C. Buchanan, E. P. Kellogg, H. 0. 
Evans, R. F. Walker, John W. Dowler, 
Harry J. Walker, H. E. AVhitlock. , 

At the beginning surveyors were ap- 
pointed, but not until a number of years 
after the formation of the county were 
they chosen at the regular elections. 

Commissioners — Joseph M c C o r k 1 e , 
Henry Gerard, James Naylor, William 
Barljee, Alexander Ewing, Thomas Cop- 
pock, Alexander ]\IcNutt, James Fergus, 
John Wilson, William Mendenhall, James 
Orr, James Johnston, AVilliam Barbee, 
Oliver Benton, Hugh Scott, William Wiley, 
Robert Alorrison, Michael Williams, James 
Brown, E. P. Davis, Samuel Pierce, Rich- 
ard Morrow, Jacob Knoop, Sr., Samuel 
Kelley, AV. C. Knight, William Elliott, D. 
H. Morris, Isaac Sheets, William Scott, 
J. N. AVolcot, Jacob Knoop, Thomas B. 
Rose, Abner Jones, Ralph Peterson, B. F. 
Brown, Howard Mitchell, Jeremiah Fen- 
ner, Jacob Rohrer, J. C. Coate, James 
Sims, Jr., D. M. Rouzer, Nathan Jackson, 
James Saylor, D. M. Coate, Isaac Clyne, 
W. H. Noi-thcutt, D. C. Branson, William 
Johnston, Edmund Lewis, John W. Wld- 
ney, John C. Henderson, John T. Knoop, 
David C. Statler, B. B. Scarff, S. D. 
Frank, W. H. Alexander, Robert Martin- 
dale, Havilah Coppock, Ira T. Jackson, 

B. F. Smith, J. B. Studebaker, W. G. Wil- 
son, W. B. Segner, J. E. Anderson, Thomas 

C. Brown, Joe M. Fink. 

Infirmary Directors — There seems to be 
no official roster of this office jirior to 1853, 
but the following is the roster of the In- 
firmary Board since that time: 

James C. McKaig, Jacob Coimts, Asa 
Coleman, George Throgmorton, David 



54 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Huston, S. M. Dickson, William H. Ga- 
liagan, James H. Pea, John D. DeWeese, 
George B. Frye, Jacob Knoop, "William 
Hamilton, S. A. Cairns, Stephen Gens- 
linger, Joseph Bains, B. N. Langston, 
Samuel Bowerman, John E. Anderson, 
Harrison Gear, T. M. Aspinall, E. E. 
Thompson, E. F. Savers, L. L. Speagh, 
William E. Foster, Frank Beck, Havilah 
Coppock, J. W. Underwood. 

Since 1853 the following citizens of the 
county have been superintendent of the 
Infirmary: George A. Murray, Jonathan 
Batson, Samuel Robinson, James Foster, 
Price Duncan, Cornelius N. Bowne. 

Probate Judges — Joseph Pearson, Sam- 
uel Davis, AV. N. Foster, A. L. McKinney, 
William C. Johnston, William J. Clyde, 
John C. Geyer, William B. Freshour, J. 
Harrison Smith, Eberhart W. Maier. 

Representatives — Arthur Stewart, the 
county's first representative in the Ohio 
Legislature, took his seat at the session 
commencing December 8, 1808. 

In the years following, his successors 
have been : Fielding Loury, Joseph Evans, 
James Blue, T. W. Furnas, Samuel Kyle, 
Robert Montgomery, Asa Coleman, James 
Fergus, John P. Finley, William Menden- 
hall, Leander Munsell, William Fielding, 
John McCorkle, William Barbee, Amos 
Perry, John Wilson, Thomas J. Smith, 
Stacey Taylor, Hiram Bell, John Briggs, 
Justin Hamilton, Thomas Shidler, John 
McClure, David Alexander, James Bry- 
son, J. W. Riley, David H. Morris, Stephen 
Johnston, Joseph Potter, W. A. Weston, 
Tanzy Julian, Joseph Worley, Henry S. 
Mayo, Augustus Fenner, Levi X. Booher, 
Eli Tenney, M. H. Jones, W. B. McClung, 
S. E. Brown, J. H. Randall, David Alex- 
ander, J. C. Ullery, J. P. Williamson, 



George C. Clyde, Joseph E. Pearson, Sam- 
uel Sullivan, M. W. Hays, D. M. Murry, 
Noah H. Albaugh, James A. Sterrett, Van 
S. Deaton, John A. McCurdy, W. I. Ten- 
ney, H. J. Ritter. 

Prominent among the senators elected 
from the counties comprising the sena- 
torial district of which Miami has been 
a part were William I. Thomas, John W. 
Morris, A. Curtis Cable and George S. 
Long, citizens of the county. 

Common Pleas Judges — The Court of 
Common Pleas was not instituted till many 
years after the birth of the county. The 
following is the roster of the Common 
Pleas Court to date : R. S. Hart, Ebenezer 
Pearson, Ichabod Corwin, Robert C. Ful- 
ton, George D. Burgess, H. H. AVilliams, 
Calvin D. Wright, Theodore Sullivan, Wal- 
ter D. Jones. 

Congressional — Below are found the dis- 
tinguished men by whom the county has 
been represented in the National Congress 
to date: William McLean, Joseph H. 
Crane, Patrick G. Goode, Robert C. 
Schenk, M. B. Corwin, B. Stanton, M. H. 
Nichols, William Allen, J. F. McKinney, 
William Lawrence, J. AVarren Keifer, 
Benjamin LeFevre, Robert M. Murray, 
Charles M. Anderson, Elihu S. Williams, 
Martin K. Gantz, George W. AVilson, AVal- 
ter L. Weaver, Thomas B. Kyle. 

Coroners — Dr. J. W. Means, Dr. J. AV. 
Calvin, Dr. J. Funderburg, Dr. Charles 
Gaines, Dr. John Beamer, Dr. A^'an S. 
Deaton. 

Recorders — Cornelius AVestfall, AA'illiam 
Barbee, Z. Riley, George D. Burgess, J. 
Widener, J. P. Williamson, Hiram M. 
Lukens, George Green, Isaac A. Landis, 
E. J. Eby, J. 0. Davis, J. C. Moore, Clark- 
son Coate, Perrv Mover. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THRILLING INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE. 



Contrast of Past and Present—EmigrantTrails — Encounters tvith Wild Animals — 
Pioneer Reminiscences — England Pays Bounty on Scalps — Indian Murders — Adop- 
tions into the Tribes — The Moffit Boys — Col. Johnston. 



During the settling up of the county 
and the region adjacent tliere occurred 
many thrilling incidents which have come 
down to us in personal narratives and 
otherwise. If all were to be described, 
many pages would be taken up, but some 
of these events are worthy of telling in a 
work of this nature. The traveler of to- 
day, seated in the comfortable railroad 
coach, speeding away at the rate of fifty 
miles fii hour, along the banks of broad 
rivers and the shores of inland seas, upon 
whose waters float the palatial steamer, 
and the many white-winged crafts of com- 
merce ; through a country made up of high- 
ly cultivated farms and beautiful rural 
homes, where contentment and thrift pre- 
vail — a country studded with flourishing 
towns and populous cities, where the 
smoke is seen curling from the towering 
chimney tops of the great workshops and 
factories, and hundreds of spires gleam 
in the sunshine — finds it difficult to realize 
that within the space of one hundred years 
these ships of trade and pleasure have 
taken the place of the bark canoe of the 
red man, and these mansions stand upon 



the spot where stood the Indian wigwam; 
and that where now burns the fires of 
forge and furnace, blazed the council fires 
of the painted sachem and his dusky 
braves, around which they danced the wild 
war-dance, their tomahawks glittering in 
the lurid light and their demoniacal shouts 
reverberating throughout the silent and 
unbroken forests; and that here occurred 
the gigantic struggle of the pioneer, with 
both the wild beast and the Indian, cul- 
minating in the successful contest of white 
man's skill with Indian cimniug, civiliza- 
tion with savagery. 

There is nothing to be found in the an- 
nals of chivalry to equal the acts of hero- 
ism performed by these people in braving 
the dangers that beset them on every hand 
in the accomplishment of the great work 
they had undertaken. And now before 
the obliterating liand of time erases from 
the tablets of our memories the recollec- 
tion of those perilous times, I shall en- 
deavor to perpetuate the heroic records 
of the pioneers. It must be remembered 
that the first settlers of this region en- 
tered it poorly equipped for the struggle 



56 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



before them. The lumbering wagon had 
transported across the mountains their 
scanty belongings. They were not rich 
in this world's goods, and theirs were the 
"annals of the poor." Yet they brought 
from beyond the barriers of the Allegha- 
nies healthy bodies and strong wills. They 
knew what lay before them. They knew 
that the wilderness of Ohio, vast in extent 
and joractically unknown, a veritable tena 
incognita, stood ready not only to welcome, 
but to bury them within its vastness. 

Many of these people had left more 
comforts than they could expect to find in 
the new land. Babes in arms were trans- 
ported from the newly fonned states into 
the Miami wilderness, their lullabies often 
being the long, lone howl of the wolf or the 
grinding of the wheels of the pioneer 
wagon against the rocks that fringed the 
forest trail. No doubt there were adven- 
tures a-plenty between the old home and 
the new, but history is silent as to this. 
The lone watches of the campfires on the 
way, the attacks by the wolf and wildcat, 
the battle against the forest storm and 
many other perils served to keep the im- 
migrants on the qui vive. The smaller 
children rode in the wagons, while the 
larger ones tramped alongside. Thus the 
long and lonesome journey was made. Not 
infrequently a child sickened and died on 
the way. 

Then came the saddest and most pa- 
thetic part of the trip. The little body 
was habited for the grave by the sorrow- 
ing mother, a rude coffin of bark was fur- 
nished by loving hands and a grave made 
in the forest. Sometimes the grave was 
made in the trail and after the simple 
funeral the wagons were driven over it to 
obliterate all traces from the eye of the 



Indian and the scent of the wild beast. 
Often on these mournful occasions the 
comforting words of the Burial Service 
were read: "I am the resurrection and 
the life," and a hymn sometimes floated 
heavenward from the grave of the little 
one. The long trail westward those days 
was actually dotted with little mounds. 
The boughs of the forests waved mourn- 
fully over them, and when spring came 
wild flowers bloomed profusely over them. 
One can imagine the grief of the pioneer 
mother when she turned from the grave 
of her child, knowing that never again 
would she drop a tear upon it, for the 
new home beckoned her on and on, and 
trials almost as great as the separation 
lurked among the forests of the Miami. 

Not all the adventures of the pioneer 
families were had with Indians. Many of 
them were encounters with wild beasts, 
the bear, the wolf and the ferocious wild- 
cat. Bears, panthers and wolves were 
quite numerous. The latter at times were 
very troublesome and dangerous. Collect- 
ing in large packs, they would at night 
roam the forests throughout the settle- 
ments. Stock of all Ivinds had to be kept 
housed at night during the winter sea- 
son. Bears, when hard pressed for food, 
would approach the settlements, looking 
for a stray pig or calf. I trust I may be 
permitted to quote from the narrative of 
an early settler who tells in graphic lan- 
guage an adventure which overtook him 
when he was a boy within the limits of this 
county : 

"One of the many duties that devolved 
upon me after the death of my father," he 
says, "was that of providing meat for the 
family, which I did with my rifle. I was 
then aliout sixteen. I was a good marks- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



57 



ruau aud tlie couutry abounded in all kiuds 
of game. I never bad to go far to get a 
deer — have often killed them in sight of 
the house. I remember of having one 
morning shot a large buck from the door- 
steij. Wild turkeys were numerous. We 
often caught them in large numbers, in 
pens, or traps, made by scooping a large 
hole in the ground, over which we built 
a covering by laying rails across each 
other, as in building a log cabin, or as the 
boys build their quail trajDS, then digging 
a trench or sloping passageway from the 
surface outside down into the pit. In this 
passageway and pit grains of corn were 
scattered, which led them down into the 
trap. Once in, they were perfectly secure, 
for a turkey never looks down, only when 
feeding. Whole flocks were often caught 
in this way. 

"One morning, finding one of the bee- 
gums overturned and rifled of its contents, 
I saw at once that a bear had been there 
and concluded that he would be back the 
next night for more honey. That night I 
loaded an old musket with several bullets 
to make sure work of it. I did not have 
long to wait, for about ten o'clock bruin 
made his appearance. I saw him sniffing 
about the hives, which were onlj' a few 
yards from the house. It was pretty dark, 
but I could distinguish him very well from 
a window, or rather an opening covered 
with a curtain (we had no glass windows 
until long after that). While my brother 
held back the curtain I took deliberate aim 
and let him have it. When the smoke 
cleared away we saw a large black ball 
bouncing up and down on the grass for 
several minutes, when it became quiet. On 
approaching we found the bear stretched 
out at full length, dead. It was the largest 



and fattest bear I ever saw. We now had 
plenty of meat to do us for a long time. 

"During the winter following the death 
of my father an incident occurred which 
to me proved a thrilling adventure, and 
came very near winding up my earthly ca- 
reer. As it will serve to show the dan- 
gers to which we were exposed, I will tell 
it. One evening mother informed me that 
our stock of corn meal was about ex- 
hausted. 'I had hoped,' said she 'that it 
would hold out until the heavy snow had 
passed away. You aud Charley had bet- 
ter shell euougli corn to fill two sacks, 
which will do us until winter is over. This 
you can take to mill on horseback.' 

" 'All right,' said I. Brother and my- 
self went to work, and soon had the corn 
shelled. Bright and early the next morn- 
ing, throwing the bag of corn across 'Old 
Doll's' back, with a kiss aud a 'God pro- 
tect you,' from mother, I started on my 
lonesome journey. The mill was one of 
the few in the Spring Creek region, and 
not a house on the entire way, the route 
being the usual blazed one. The snow was 
deep and the weather intensely cold. My 
clothing was light, being made of linsey- 
woolsey. As a substitute for an overcoat, 
mother had wrapped her old woolen shawl 
about my shoulders. 

"So slow was my journey that it was 
late when I reached the mill, where I found 
several persons ahead of me, waiting for 
their grists. It being a horse mill and a 
poor one at that, I found that I would 
not be able to get back for two days. This 
to me was a great disappointment, as I 
had expected to return the next day. I 
knew mother was expecting me. After I 
had looked after the comforts of the old 
mare and eaten my lunch, I turned in for 



5S 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the uight with the others, three of whom 
were boys near my own age — boys gen- 
erally had to do the milling. Our bed was 
the bare earth, the gromad floor of the mill, 
in front of a large fire-place. Whoever 
awoke in the night was expected to look 
after the fire. The lunch I had brought 
with me consisted of corn dodgers and 
boiled venison, to be washed down with 
cold water. Having to remain much longer 
than I had calculated on doing, I ran short 
of eatables, and might have gone hungry 
had it not been for a generous-hearted boy 
who divided his lunch with me. This poor 
lad had been made an orphan by the last 
Indian raid. During our stay at the mill, 
with sobs and tears he told me the heart- 
rending story of the massacre of his 
family. 

"I did not receive my grist until about 
four o'clock of my second day at the mill. 
It was then snowing hard and had been 
for several hours. I saw it would be far 
in the night before I could reach home, 
but nevertheless I was determined to start, 
contrary to the miller's advice. As he 
said, I would have to travel so slow, on ac- 
count of the great depth of the snow, I 
might become chilled through and perish 
on the way. And, then, the country was 
infested with wolves that by reason of the 
severity of the long winter were in a fam- 
ishing condition and had become bold and 
dang^erous. But having made up my mind 
to see mother that night, I started, making 
hut slow progress through the deep snow. 

"The snow had now ceased falling, and 
the full moon was shining brightly, mak- 
ing the night as light as day; an oppres- 
sive stillness prevailed and an unusual 
feeling of loneliness possessed me. How I 
wished for the company of our dear old 



dog, 'Pomp'; anything to break the death- 
like silence would be a relief. Just then 
I heard a sound that sent a chill to my 
heart. Checking the mare for a moment, I 
again heard the unmistakable howling of 
wolves in the distance ahead of me. I 
knew the sound came from a large prairie 
or marsh which they always infested, a 
neck of which I would have to cross two 
miles from home. 

"It would not do to hesitate now, so I 
urged the mare on and soon reached the 
prairie. I foimd that the wolves, with a 
few exceptions, were a great ways off, in 
the direction of a red-brush thicket. As 
I started across the opening one sent out a 
peculiar howl just ahead of me. On pass- 
ing it, it did not retreat, but sulked along 
behind me, stopping frequently to give a 
howl, as if calling the others, and in a 
short time was answered by a hundred. 
As I believe to this day, they understood 
each other, for they were evidently draw- 
ing nearer to me; before this they had re- 
mained stationary. 

"On emerging from the prairie to the 
higher ground and looking back, I could 
see several of them i^lunging through the 
snow on my track. Until then I was con- 
fident of reaching home before they could 
overtake me, but now I saw that it would 
be impossible to do so. I therefore con- 
cluded to dismount and climb the first de- 
sirable tree I came to. By this time I 
could hear the infernal pack coming, and 
riding up under a large tree, I hastily 
threw a bag of meal over a convenient 
limb, for I knew they would tear it to 
pieces if they could get at it. The mare, 
comprehending the situation, had become 
very restless, and just as I threw the bag 
over the limb, she jumped to one side, 




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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



61 



throwing me to the ground, and at once 
started for home, making fast time, being 
rid of her load. I saw that I could not 
get into the tree very readily, so I ran to 
a small dogwood tree near by, and just as 
I drew my last leg up a wolf snapped my 
foot, holding on for an instant, doing me 
no harm. I was now out of their reach 
and safe, if I could only keep up the circu- 
lation of my blood. I was chilled through 
and through, but by whipping my arms 
against my body I soon got all right. My 
perch was a frail one, requiring consider- 
able effort to keep it. 

' * On looking down I beheld about twenty 
of the brutes leayjiug towards me, snarling 
and gnashing their teeth in mad frenzy. 
They were of the large grey variety. Num- 
bers kept coming; in an hour's time the 
pack had increased to at least fifty. They 
finally got to fighting among themselves; 
when one got wounded they would tear it 
to pieces, devouring it, so nearly famished 
were they. A terrible stench from their 
fetid breaths and damp bodies assailed 
me. It was almost unbearable, I being 
only twelve feet above them. I saw a 
number leaving on the trail of the mare, 
but they were too late; she would reach 
home before they could overtake her. On 
seeing the mare returning without me, 
mother could not help but think that I had 
been devoured or at least might be perish- 
ing with the cold in a treetop, the only 
possible chance for my escape, and I 
feared that in the anxiety and excitement 
of the moment she might start out in 
search of me and be herself destroyed. I 
fervently ])rayed to God that she might 
not; and that He would protect me as He 
did Daniel of old when in the lion's den. 

"Finally I became calm and hopeful. 



waiting for the night to pass away; but 
how slowly the hours dragged! At last I 
noticed streaks of light shooting up in the 
east; the welcome sun would soon shine 
again upon the world, and then I would 
be relieved. The wolves by this time be- 
gan to leave. Some of them, after going 
a short distance, would sit upon their 
haunches and look wistfully at me, reluc- 
tant to give me up, but in a short time all 
were gone. 

"Just as the sun, in all its refulgence, 
burst through the treetops what did I see 
but mother coming up the trail mounted 
upon 'Old Doll.' I will not attempt to de- 
scribe my feelings on that joyous meet- 
ing. Suffice it to say that I mounted the 
mare, taking mother behind me, and we 
were soon warming ourselves before the 
roaring fire that brother Charley had pre- 
pared for us. After drinking a bowl of 
strong coffee — real coffee — I felt as good 
as new. Had I been a minute later in 
mounting the dogwood tree, in all proba- 
bility the world would never have known 
that I ever existed." 

The foregoing is only one of the many 
incidents that crowded the lives of the 
boys who lived in the Miami wilderness. 
Theirs was a strenuous life, beset with 
dangers from wild beast and savages, but 
all acquitted themselves bravely. Their 
adventiares, coupled with the work they 
did in clearing the land, hardened their 
muscles and kept them ever on the alert. 
The writer has heard more than one thrill- 
ing story from the lips of the first set- 
tlers and the narration of all would tax 
the capacity of a large volume. Before 
proceeding to give several thrilling inci- 
dents that took place within the county 
during the war of 1812 I hope I may be 



62 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



pardoned foi- telling the story of a Mrs. 
Davis, who at one time was a resident of 
the county in an early day. I had often 
heard the story from her descendants and 
its authenticity is not to be doubted. 

Mrs. Davis was a widow with three small 
children and occupied a home in the wild 
wood region on the west side of the Miami 
River. About the only serious annoyance 
and drawback to peace was the immense 
number of wildcats which prowled through 
the woods and decimated the poultry. 
Stumpy-tailed, green-eyed, they strolled 
through the clearing and sunned them- 
selves on the limbs of neighboring trees, 
blinking calmly at the clucking hens, which 
they marked for their prey, and even ven- 
turing to throw suspicious glances at the 
infant sleeping in its cradle. Sociable in 
their disposition, they appeared to even 
claim a kind of proprietary interest in the 
premises and in the appurtenances there- 
of. Shooting a dozen and trapping as 
many more made little appreciable differ- 
ence in the numbers of the feline colony. 
Mrs. Davis at last constructed with much 
labor a close shed within which her poul- 
try were nightly housed. This worked 
well for a season. But one evening a 
commotion in the hennery informed her 
that the depi-edators were again at work. 
Hastily seizing an axe in one hand and 
carrying a light in the other, she hurried 
to the scene and two wildcats were found 
feasting sumptuously on her plumpest pul- 
let. The banqueters were evidently a 
mother and her well-grown son, whom she 
was instructing in the predatory art and 
practice. 

The younger animal clambered to the 
hole where it had made its entrance and 
was about to make a successful exit, when 



the matron, setting the light on the 
ground, struck the animal with the axe, 
breaking its back and bringing it to the 
ground. Without a moment's warning, 
the mother cat sprang upon the widow, 
and fastening its powerful claws in her 
breast, tore savagely at her neck with its 
teeth. The poor woman, shrieking with 
terror, strove with all her might to loosen 
the animal's hold, but in vain. The ma- 
ternal instinct had awakened all its fierce- 
ness, and as the blood commenced to flow 
in streams from the deep scratches and 
bites inflicted by its teeth and claws, its 
ferocity redoubled. 

It tore and bit as if nothing would ap- 
pease it but the luckless victim's death. 
Mrs. Davis would doubtless have fallen a 
prey to its savage rage but for a happy 
thought which flashed across her mind in 
her desperate straits. Snatching her light 
from the ground she applied it to the hind- 
quarters of the wildcat. The flame instant- 
ly singed off the fur and scorched its flesh. 
With a savage screech it released its hold 
and fell to the ground, where she succeeded 
in dispatching the creature. It proved to 
be one of the largest of its species, meas- 
uring nearly three feet from its nose to 
the tip of its tail, and weighed over thirty 
poxmds. 

For many years this colony of pioneer 
wildcats continued to "make things hot" 
for the settlers in that region, but most of 
them were Anally exterminated and the 
remnant emigrated to some more secluded 
locality. 

Mrs. Davis had a grown daughter named 
Nancy, as winsome a lass as was to be 
found in the Miami wilderness. Nancy 
Davis had a score of admirers among the 
voung men of the settlements and was the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



63 



accredited belle of the region. She was 
a good rider aud an expert shot with the 
frontier rilie, and on several occasions had 
carried off honors at the "shooting 
matches" in vogue in pioneer days. 

While she was one day wandering 
through the forest not far from home she 
was suddenly startled from her reverie by 
a hoarse, deep, cavernous growl, and as 
she lifted her eyes they were opened wide 
with dismay and terror. Not twenty paces 
from her, rising on his huge-clawed iron 
feet, was a wide-mouthed, vicious-looking 
black bear of unusual size, who had evi- 
dently been "worked up" and was "spoil- 
ing for a fight." That the bear meant mis- 
chief was plain, but the girl was a pio- 
neer's daughter and her fright produced 
no symptoms of anything like fainting. 
Bears could climb, she knew very well, but 
then, if she got out of his way quickly 
enough he might not take the trouble to 
follow her. 

It was the only chance, and she sprang 
for the nearest tree. It was of medium 
size, with a rough bark and easy to climb. 
All the better for her, if none the worse 
for the bear, and in an instant she was 
perched among the lower l)ranches. For 
two or three minutes the shaggy monster 
seemed puzzled and as if it doubted what 
course he had best pursue if he wanted the 
pioneer belle ; then he came slowly up and 
began smelling and muzzling round the 
roots of the tree as if to obtain the neces- 
sary information in order to enable him 
to decide the important question. 

The young woman in the tree was no 
coward, but little as was her hope of be- 
ing heard in that forest solitude, she let 
her fears have their own way and screamed 
for help. As if aroused and provoked by 



the sound of her voice, the bear began to 
try the bark with his foreclaw while his 
fierce little eyes looked up wistfully into 
the face of the maiden and his little tongue 
came twisting spirally from his half 
opened jaws, as if he were gloating over 
a choice titbit. It happened that a neigh- 
bor young man, and by the way, one of the 
girl's admirers, soon reached the scene of 
action. Though completely unarmed, he 
did not hesitate to come to close quarters 
with bruin, and seizing a heavy stick, he 
commenced to vigorously belabor the hind- 
quarters of the brute, who, however, only 
responded to these attentions by turning 
his head and winking viciously at his as- 
sailant, still pursuing his upward gym- 
nastics in the direction of the treed girl, 
who on her part was clambering towards 
the ujoper branches of the tree. 

The young man redoubled his blows, and 
for a moment bruin seemed disposed to 
turn and settle matters with the party at 
his rear, but finally, to the dismay of both 
the maiden and her champion, the bear, 
evidently deeming his readiest escape from 
attack would be to continue his ascent, re- 
sumed his acrobatic performance and was 
about to place his forefeet on the lower 
limbs, when his foe, dropping his futile 
weapon, seized the stumpy tail of the 
lieast with his strong hands and, bracing 
his feet against the trunk of the tree, 
pulled with all his might. The girl, seeing 
the turn that matters had taken, immedi- 
ately broke off a large limb and stoutly 
hammered the bear's snout. This simul- 
taneous attack in front and rear was too 
much for bruin, and with an amusing air 
of bewilderment, he descended in a slow 
and bewildered manner and galloped ot¥ 
into the forest. 



64 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



It is not on record whether Miss Nancy 
rewarded the courageous youth with her 
hand or not, but he certainly deserved 
some consideration at her fair hands. The 
foregoing are some of the thrilling inci- 
dents that enlivened pioneer days among 
the wild beasts that infested the lands of 
the Miami a century ago. At times it was 
not safe to go far from home for fear of 
the savage four-footed denizens of the for- 
est. During certain seasons of the year, 
when food was scarce, it was dangerous 
to venture far, for the wild beasts were 
ravenous and did not hesitate to attack 
the settlers. It is not believed that any 
of the pioneers fell victims to the rapacity 
of the wild animals, but narrow escapes 
were numerous and would thrill the reader 
if all of the personal encounters could be 
recorded. 

With the breaking out of the War of 
1812 the pioneers were thrown into a new 
peril, which discounted anything that they 
had hitherto experienced. The British did 
not hesitate to turn loose ujjon the isolated 
settlements bands of savages, who swept 
the forest like a besom of destruction. Not 
only this, but they placed a bounty on 
scalps, and many were actually sold by the 
red fiends at the English posts in Canada. 
There is extant an old song which had 
for its refrain a stanza like this : 

"Scalps are sold at stated prices, 
England pays the price in gold. ' ' 

This atrocious bargain on the part of 
the mother country with a lot of blood- 
thirsty fiends who carried in their hearts 
no attributes of mercy cannot be condoned. 
It is no wonder that the settlers along 
the Miami lived in terror of this red war 
cloud which hovered over them throughout 



the whole period of that war. It seemed 
as if the entire border would be decimated 
by the tomahawk and scalping knife, and 
there was a constant fear everywhere. 
Block houses were established in various 
parts of the county, and to these the in- 
habitants would flee at every alarm. When 
one observes the present state of happi- 
ness and prosperity in our midst he can 
scarcely believe that such a state of affairs 
as I have described ever existed here. The 
wild beasts of the forest were outdone in 
their ferocity by the wilder Indian. The 
savages, egged on by the English, stopped 
at no cruelty, and all the time the settler 
was in the direst peril. 

Small war parties of Indians reached 
this locality. Raids were made by them 
within our borders, but strange to say, but 
little murdering was done. The settlers 
were constantly on their guard and the 
savages feared their murdering rifles. A 
number of cattle were killed or carried 
otf by the marauders, and several people 
were slain and scalped. One of the most 
notable of these killings within our bor- 
ders was that of the Dilbone family, which 
occurred in Spring Creek Township. 

The killing of the Dilbones, which oc- 
curred in August, 1813, was preceded by 
the Indian assault on David Gerard, who 
lived four miles north of Troy. Gerard, 
in company with a neighbor named Eoss, 
was cutting timber. They were not ap- 
prised of the nearness of the Indians until 
a shot was fired from ambush and Gerard 
fell. Ross turned and fled for his life and 
succeeded in outstripping the redskins, 
who soon came back to their victim. When 
the nearest neighbors reached the scene of 
the attack it was found that Gerard had 
been scalped and not an Indian was in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



65 



sight. But for the alarm spread by the 
terrified Eoss, the entire Gerard family 
would have been massacred, but, as it was, 
only one victim had succumbed to the fury 
of the savages. 

The Dilbones resided two miles north 
of the Gerard home. They were among 
the earliest settlers of the county and were 
well known people. Dilbone and his wife 
were found at work pulling flax. As they 
had heard nothing of the killing of Ge- 
rard, they were unsuspicious of danger, 
and therefore were not able to make any 
resistance to their enemies. It was a beau- 
tiful summer day and the sun was sinking 
slowly behind the distant hills, the last 
rays flooding the flax fields with a shower 
of golden light. At the first volley by the 
Indians Dilbone fell with a bullet in the 
breast, being unable to render his wife 
any aid. He was mortally wounded, but 
managed to secrete himself in the corn 
and was overlooked by the enemy. From 
liis hiding place he saw the fiends shoot 
and scalp his wife, after which they cleared 
out with the bloody trophies of their foray. 
There were only two Indians engaged in 
this killing, and one was only a half-grown 
boy, who in all probability was taking his 
first lessons in warriorship. The twain 
carried but one rifle, which was lost, but 
was picked up the following day. Dilbone 
survived his wound till the next day, but 
his wife died. It was afterwards ascer- 
tained that these same two Indians were 
seen along Spring Creek the day previous 
to the killing, but they disappeared so 
mysteriously that their whereabouts could 
not be traced. 

Of course this incursion into the county 
created the greatest excitement. The 
whole border was thrown into a state of 



alarm, and it was for a time feared that a 
large body of Indians was about to be 
precipitated ujion the Miami settlements. 
The fact that the two Indians concerned 
in the murders on Spring Creek went north 
after their bloody work gave rise to the 
belief that they were taking the scalps to 
their white employers for the promised 
reward. About this time a woman named 
Martin was scalped by marauding Indians, 
but she survived her wounds and lived for 
many years afterward in this county. 

There came into the county previous to 
General Clarke's expedition against the 
Piqua towns, two boys by the name of 
Moffit. They had passed through the most 
exciting experiences. Their home was in 
Greenbrier County, Virginia. One day 
while hunting squirrels they were sur- 
prised by a foraging party of Indians and 
made captives. John, who was the eldest, 
presented his gun to the redskins, but the 
Indian made proffers of good intentions 
and the brothers were deceived and se- 
cured. 

From the date of their unlucky experi- 
ence began a long captivity. John was 
forthwith adopted into the tribe and given 
an Indian name. His brother, whose phy- 
sique was more delicate, was marked for 
death, but a squaw who had recently lost a 
son interceded for the boy and he was 
handed over to her. The ceremony of In- 
dian adoption was somewhat peculiar and 
may be given here. George Moffit was 
first required to run the gauntlet, after 
which his Indian mother took some dry 
ashes which she placed on a square bit of 
bark. She next rubbed the ashes on her 
fingers and proceeded to pluck from the 
boy's head every hair but enough which 
formed a scalplock after the manner of the 



66 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the Miami. Firmly held by several red 
Indians. This ceremony was not to young 
Moffit's liking, but he had to submit to it, 
which he did with no good grace. 

The conclusion of the adoption cere- 
monies was an immersion in the waters of 
Amazons, the bewildered boy was dragged 
to the banks of the river and was repeat- 
edly soused in the water till he was de- 
clared to have no white blood in him. For 
a year or two afterward he remained to 
all intents and purposes an Indian. He 
was still iu the hands of his captors when 
Gen. Clarke entered the Miami country in 
1782. During the night battle waged by 
Clarke's little band against the Indians 
George Moffit made his escape and fled in 
the direction of the Stillwater. He did 
not care to go back to the whites, so ac- 
customed had he become to the wild habits 
of his tribe, and he looked upon the whites 
as invaders who were unjustly persecut- 
ing the Indians. But the time was coming 
when George, or "Kiterhoo," as he was 
called by the Indians, was to leave his cap- 
tors.' His father, who still resided in Vir- 
ginia, heard through other Indian captives 
that his boy was alive and with the red 
tribes. This information eventually brought 
about young Moffit's return to his home. 
John remained a cajitive nearly two years 
after his brother's restoration to the old 
home, when he was ransomed by French 
traders, so that both boys saw the family 
roof again, with exciting experiences that 
would fill a whole volume. 

Years afterward the Moffit boys became 
residents of this county, in 1808, and pur- 
chased land not far from Piqua. George 
Moffit died in 1831 and John survived him 
a few years. Both married and raised 
families and became substantial citizens 



of the county. Singular to relate, the two 
brothers for mauy years after their re- 
turn to civilization retained some of their 
Indian habits. They were familiar with 
forest life and could track a deer when 
the knowledge of a settler was in this par- 
ticular utterly at fault. 

Auother pioneer of the coimty who had 
a large and vivid experience with the In- 
dians was Col. Johnston, who during the 
War of 1812 was an Indian agent, and by 
his excellent management and coolness 
kept a large number of Indians on his land 
near Piqua and prevented them from tak- 
ing up arms against the Americans. 
Among the Indians thus managed by Col. 
Johnston were Shawnees, Delawares, Wy- 
andots and Senecas. At one time he had 
six thousand red men under his charge. 
The Indians hostile to Col. Johnston fre- 
quently plotted against his life, for they 
realized that while he lived he would keep 
his charges neutral and thus prevent them 
from deluging the frontier in blood. 

All these murderous plots failed. At 
one time it was designed to kill him where 
he was expected to pass on a journey. Not 
far from the Indian camp at Piqua, which 
Col. Johnston visited daily, grew a wild 
plum thicket. A lot of hostiles secreted 
themselves among the underbrush and pre- 
pared to end the career of the white man 
whom they so cordially hated. Col. John- 
ston had not the remotest suspicion of the 
plot. The day came and the death hour 
was near at hand. Fortunatelj', just be- 
fore the culmination of the scheme some 
Delaware women warned the agent, and 
the would-be assassins fled. Pui'suit was 
instituted as soon as possible, but the vil- 
lains escaped and, it is said, were later on 
concerned iu the killing of the Dilbones. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



67 



At auotlier time Col. Jolmston proved 
the stiitf he was made of aud showed what 
sort of men it took to keep down the tur- 
bulent characters that threatened the Mi- 
ami frontier. It seems that two mem- 
bers of the militia, in a spirit of pure 
malice, fired upon a party of friendly In- 
dians protected by a flag of truce furnished 
by Col. Johnston. Two Indians were killed 
and the remainder were taken to Green- 
ville as prisoners, a most shameful and 
unwarranted act. Changing their minds, 
the militiamen brought the prisoners to 
Piqua and turned them over to Col. John- 
ston. He decided to take them back to 
Greenville aud restore them to their 
people. 

As the journey at that time from Piqua 
to Greenville was one full of danger, Col. 
Johnston applied to the commander at Pi- 
qua for an escort. The cowardly militia 
refused to go. Then Col. Johnston said he 
would accept the responsibility himself 
and conduct the Indians twenty-five miles 
through the forest alone. It was indeed 
a dangerous journey, for the Indians had 
recently committed several murders in the 
region through which the trip had to be 



made. Col. Johnston saddled his horse, 
bade his wife farewell, scarcely exjjecting 
to see her again, and set out with his 
charges. He made the journey immolest- 
ed, and having delivered the Indians back, 
set out on his return trip alone. Great 
was the surprise of the militia at Piqua 
when they saw the brave old agent safe 
again in their midst, but not one of the 
dastardly fellows could look him in the 
eye without quailing, and the reader can 
imagine, for we cannot describe, the 
opinion Col. Johnston had of them. 

I have not space in this book to narrate 
all the thrilling personal incidents con- 
nected with the settlement of the county. 
I have given onlj' a few of the many, but 
from them the reader will form a good idea 
of the whole. It took courage and perse- 
verance, hardihood and untiring watchful- 
ness to wi-ench from the wild beast and 
the wilder Indians the rich and beautiful 
lauds of the Miami. The people who now 
inhaltit the county, while thej' honor the 
memory of the pioneers, can never fully 
appreciate the suffering and heroism which 
were required to make this region what is 
is to-day. 



CHAPTER V. 



EARLY TRANSPORTATION 



Corduroy Roads — First Gravel Road — The National Road — Braddock's Road — Early 
Stage Lines, Stages and Stage Drivers — Famous Taverns — Water Transportation 
— Freighting on the Miami^To New Orleans by River in 1819; an Unfortunate 
Voyage — Dr. Dorsey's Recollections of Flat Boat Navigation — Canal Construction 
— The Miami and Erie Canal — Benefits of the Canal — the Old Mail Service — Postal 
Ratesinl816 — Postoffice Established at Piqua — T]}e Early Postmaster — A Mail 
Carrier's Adventure — A Century's Progress. 



Transportation and travel in the early 
days of the county bordered on the primi- 
tive. For a long time there were no roads 
at all, only the buffalo trails, and these 
zig-zagged in every direction. They were 
at first used by the men who opened the 
wilderness and were followed by the blazed 
ways from one settlemuet or town to an- 
other. As early as 1806 a road was blazed 
to Greenville through the forest, and was 
for a time the main thoroughfare, so to 
speak, in this region. As the various set- 
tlements grew and the people increased in 
numbers by accessions from other locali- 
ties, better roads became necessary, and 
the settlers began to construct them. Long 
before the days of the turnpike came cor- 
duroy roads, which for a while seemed to 
fill a "long-felt want." 

J. M. Thomas, one of the early pioneers, 
has written as follows of the corduroy 
road: 



"The best roads were the corduroy roads. The man- 
lA'r in which they were constructed was to get together 
the men and boys of the neighborhood with their axes 
and oxen, ' Buck and Berry, ' as the oxen were almost 
always called. The men who drove them had a stick 
about six feet long with a leather strap tied to one end 
of it, with which he would guide his team. The men 
would cut down trees, split them into rails and haul them 
with the ox-teams to the worst places in the road. They 
would first lay brush in the road to support the rails 
and prevent them from sinking too deep in the mire; 
then lay the rails on top of the brush and shovel mud 
over them. This was the best road we had in those 
days. We did not dream of steam or electric railways. 

' ' I remember when the only road from my father 's 
house to Troy was the old Indian trail. We lived south 
of where the Peters ' nursery now is, about two miles 
south of Troy. When I was about ten years old I recol- 
lect seeing the men surveying the route for the road 
now called the Northcutt or Westlake Pike. It was then 
made a corduroy road, laid with brush and rails to 
give us a better road to Troy than the old IniUan trail, 
which was only a path running through the woods. This 
path led from my father 's house along the route of the 
present pike till it reached the point where Henry Wil- 
son's house stands, then it struck off through the bottom 
lands now owned by John and Henry Wilson, coming 
into Troy about the south end of Market Street. Woods 
all the way, no canal to cross, no hoisting bridges and 
no locomotive whistles to frighten our ponies. About 
the only noise we heard along the old corduroy road was 
the barking of the squirrel, the drumming of the pheas- 
ant on an old log, or the hoot of an owl." 



6S 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



69 



The early road leading from Troy to 
Covington was mud almost all the way. 
Mr. Thomas says that frequently, when 
traveling between these two places on 
horseback, he was compelled to dismount 
and lead the horse for fear the animal 
would swamp and tumble him off. He 
would have to go out in the woods and 
get on the old logs to keep out of the 
water. Not infrequently a misstep would 
throw him into the water, where he would 
be treated to a first-class ducking. After 
the first Troy-Covington Eoad had been 
given a trial, a few Trojans concluded to 
build a better one. They constructed a 
plank-road, but alas ! the plank soon rotted 
in the swampy ground, and gravel was 
next tried in road building. The last ex- 
Ijeriment proved a success. It was prob- 
ably the first gravel road in the county. 
The lack of good roads was a detriment 
to the settlement of the county. True, 
neighbors were few and far between those 
days, but milling had to be done, and this 
necessity, to some extent, brought about 
the construction of better roads than the 
primitive ones. Intercourse between the 
towns was another inducement to road 
building, but many years elapsed before 
the first rude county roads gave way to 
the magnificent turnpikes which now reach 
in every direction. 

As early as 1806, however. Congress 
took a hand in road building in Ohio. In 
that year it passed an act "To regulate 
the laying out and making a road from 
Cumberland, in the State of Maryland, to 
the State of Ohio," and it was this act 
which enabled Thomas Jefferson to be- 
come the official father of the National 
Road. It is interesting to note that this 
famous thoroughfare passes through a 



portion of Miami County. The old Na- 
tional Road enters Bethel Township at its 
southeast corner, and after crossing the 
township in a southeasterly direction, 
passing through Brandt and Phoneton, 
crosses the Miami at Tadmor and de- 
bouches into Montgomery County. This 
road was to the early "West what the Ap- 
pian AVay was to Rome. It was the first 
great highway from the East to the "West, 
and maintained its prominence until the 
canal and the steam roads came into 
vogue. 

Since the National Road did much to 
open up the Miami "N^alley and its adjacent 
territory, let us briefly consider some of 
its history and characteristics. It was 
conceived in the brain of Albert Gallatin, 
a Swiss, who came to this country in 1780 
and afterward became secretary of the 
treasury under Jefferson. Gallatin 
broached his project of a great National 
highway to many distinguished peojile, and 
in 1806 President Jefferson appointed a 
commission to look into the matter. The 
National Road, as originally designed, was 
to cost $7,000,000 and was to reach from 
the Potomac to the Mississippi. It passed 
through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, 
Indiana and Illinois and was "one of the 
most important steps in that movement of 
National expansion which followed the 
conquest of the "West." Undoubtedly its 
construction was one of the influences 
which secured and held the "West to the 
Union, for the population which by the 
opening of this highway rushed into the 
Ohio Valley saved the embryonic western 
states from threatened perils and hastened 
their settlement and subsequent pros- 
perity. 

Everybody — pioneers, traders, adven- 



70 



HISTORY OF ^illAMI COUNTY 



turers — hailed the National Eoad with de- 
light. Before the building of the road 
west the routes of travel followed the zig- 
zagging buffalo trails or the winding path- 
ways of the Indian. These, of course, were 
not satisfactory. It has been said that 
the course of the buffalo through Mary- 
land and Pennsylvania is the most historic 
route in Aiaerica, and one of the most fa- 
mous in the world. The old Braddock 
Eoad may be called the genesis of the Na- 
tional Turnpike. The blazed trees which 
marked this route for many years pointed 
out the ti'ail of the unfortunate British 
general to the battlefield of the Mononga- 
hela. Washington, however, previous to 
Braddock 's expedition, had blazed a way 
to the Ohio Valley, and this route, strange 
to say, afterwards became the marching 
ground of the British army. 

For seventy-live years Braddock 's Eoad 
answered all the imperative needs of mod- 
ern travel, though the journey over it at 
most seasons was a rough experience. Dur- 
ing the winter the road was practically im- 
passible. All that was needed to turn the 
current of inuBigration towards the Ohio 
was a good thoroughfare. Many times 
was the question asked, "When will it be 
built?" Not until the nineteenth century 
was the question answered. It may be 
said that the creation of Ohio is directly 
responsible for the building of the Na- 
tional Eoad. 

On December 30, 1806, the commission- 
ers appointed by Jefferson to lay out the 
National Eoad made their first report. 
These commissioners were Thomas INIoore, 
of Maryland; Joseph Kerr, of Ohio, and 
Eli AVilliams, also of Maryland. After the 
first report came another, in 1808, and in 
this it was annoimced that the contracts 



had been made for clearing the surveyed 
road of brush and trees. Contracts for 
the first ten miles west of Cumberland 
were signed in Api'il and May, 1811, and 
the following year they were completed. 
In 1817 the road was brought to Union- 
town, and not long thereafter United 
States mail coaches were run from Wash- 
ington, D. C, to Wheeling. The next year 
it was proposed to open the road to the 
Ohio Elver. The cost of the eastern divi- 
sion of the road staggered many. It ex- 
ceeded the estimate by $3,000 per mile. 

No sooner had the first division of the 
National Eoad been completed than travel 
across the Alleghany Mountains into the 
Ohio basin began. Hundreds, aye, thou- 
sands of people, faced westward, looking 
for homes, and the new highway presented 
an animated scene. It was not until 1825 
that Congress authorized the extension of 
this great road into the State of Ohio, and 
this act was greeted with immense enthu- 
siasm by the western people. Nearer and 
nearer the National Eoad was creeping 
towards Miami County. In 1837 Lieuten- 
ant Dutton, of the United States Engi- 
neers, with headquarters at Springfield, ad- 
vertised for proposals for road building 
in which he said: 

"Notice is hereby given to the proprietors of the land 
on that part of the National Eoad lying between Spring- 
field and the Miami Eiver to remove all fences and other 
barriers now across the line, a reasonable time being 
allowed them to secure that portion of their present crops 
which may Ue upon the location of the road. ' ' 

As this highway stretched westward, 
travel over it became tremendous. In a 
short sjjace of time vehicles of every de- 
scription from the smallest wagons to the 
creaking "mountain ships" crowded the 
new thoroughfare. It was almost blocked 
with herds of cattle and gaily-painted four 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



71 



aud six-horse coaches rumbled over its 
broad bed. Kude taverns sprung into be- 
ing every few miles, with gaudily painted 
signs denoting entertainment for man aud 
beast, and, in short, everywhere along the 
road the scenes were lively and unceasing. 

The National Road was a toll one from 
the first. The toll takers were appointed 
by the governor and there were some lively 
scrambles for the places. All persons "go- 
ing or returning from worship, muster, 
common place of business, on farm or 
woodland, funeral, mill or place of elec- 
tion, common place of trading within the 
county in which they resided," were per- 
mitted to travel free. School children and 
clergymen were also on the free list. Peo- 
ple who made lengthy trips over the road 
had the privilege of paying toll the entire 
distance and receiving a certiticate guar- 
anteeing free passage to their destination. 
The gate keepers usually received a salary 
of $30 per month. 

The opening of the National Road, 
which was the first linking of the "West 
to the East, gave rise to many stage lines 
which competed with one another for the 
traffic. These cumbersome vehicles, which 
disappeared long ago, were marvelous 
things in their day and were "fearfully 
and wonderfully made." Many were dec- 
orated and richly painted, the linings be- 
ing often silk plush. They usually had 
three seats inside and could comfortably 
carry nine passengers. Some were long, 
unsightly affairs, without springs or 
braces, and the harness was heavy and im- 
couth. There were fifteen-inch backhands, 
and hipbands of ten inches, and the traces 
were little less than loads of chains. 

Nor were the old stages the only vehi- 
cles that rattled over the National Road 



through this county. There were greater 
ones called "freighters." These were 
"broad treads," with four-inch tires, and 
some of the loads they carried were little 
short of marvelous. One of these freight- 
ers crossed the mountains in 1835, carry- 
ing eleven hogsheads of tobacco, or a net 
weight of ten thousand poimds. As to 
sjjeed over the new roads, ten miles an 
hour was considered ordinary. The old 
way-bills which the drivers received were 
often inscribed, "Make this time or we 
will find someone who will." Competition 
in stage line travel was always at fever 
heat and the rival drivers had their amuse- 
ments. They were a jolly set of drivers 
on the "Old National Road," great lum- 
bering fellows, yet active as panthers. They 
"jollied" one another with all sorts of 
pleasantries, and even the advertisements 
of the competing lines dropped into humor. 
Couplets were often conjured up contain- 
ing some brief story of defeat with a cut- 
ting sting for the vanquished driver : 

"If you take a seat in Stockton's line 
You 're sure to be passed by Pete Bodine. ' ' 

"Said Billy Willis to Pete Bodine: 
You'd better ^vait for the oyster line." 

These witticisms were always taken in 
good spirits and were often posted in the 
taverns, where they caused all manner of 
amusement. 

Fares in the old passenger coaches were 
not considered extortionate. Two dollars 
were charged from Columbus to Spring- 
field, and intermediate points five cents per 
mile. Mails were carried over the National 
Road. It took three days and sixteen 
hours to get the mail from Washington to 
Columbus, which fact provokes a smile 
nowadays when the "mail flyers" annihi- 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



late distance and deliver a letter at our 
doors almost before the ink is dry. 

The first old taverns that dotted the 
road were built of logs, but these, later, 
gave way to more pretentious ones of wood 
and stone, with conmiodious wagon yards 
and sheds for horses and cattle. They had 
the most pretentious names, such as 
"Temple of Juno," "The Sign of the 
Green Tree," "The Lion and the Eagle," 
and so on. The signs that swung at the 
doors creaked in the wind and were often 
elaborately decorated by the backwoods 
artist. 

"Billy Werdeu's Tavern," in Spring- 
field, was well known to the early settlers 
of this county. There were hilarious times 
in the celebrated taverns of the National 
Road, buildings which long ago crumbled 
away as the traffic of the thoroughfare 
sought other channels. Whiskey cost a 
"Plippenny bit" at the old bars and there 
was no adulteration, as nowadays. In 
some of the best taverns mulled wine, toddy 
and cider were dispensed. 

Such, in outline, was this famous thor- 
oughfare of early times. First came the 
buffalo trail, then the Indian paths, to be 
followed by the National Road, and later 
by our splendid system of turnpikes, steam 
and electric lines. Over the National Road 
passed some of the most distinguished men 
our country has ever produced — Jackson, 
Monroe, Polk, Harrison, Tyler, Clay, Ben- 
ton and Lafayette. The old stages are 
things of the past, and such practiced 
drivers at Jim Reynolds, Billy Armour, 
and Davy Gordon have been gathei-ed to 
their fathers, but the famous pike, though 
shorn of its pristine glory, still exists, and 
to-day the farmers of Miami County haul 
their grain to market over the same thor- 



oughfare which in its day was considered, 
as indeed it was, one of the wonders of the 
United States. The forests and sparse 
clearings that fringed its line have become 
fertile farms or teeming cities. In many 
places its eighty feet of road bed has been 
encroached ujDon by property owners. 

An act passed by the Ohio Legislature 
in 1870 cites that ' ' the proper limits of the 
road are hereby defined to be a space of 
eighty feet in width, forty feet on each 
side of the center of the graded roadway." 
Notwithstanding this, in some places ten 
feet of the ground of the National Road 
has been included within the fences, but 
since the State does not, or can not, show 
quit claim deeds for the land, the present 
holders are not molested. 

For years prior to the opening of the 
National Road, freighting on the Miami 
was a source of considerable income to 
many of our people, and became quite an 
industry. The river was navigable both 
above and below Dayton during the great- 
er part of the year for keel boats — which 
were built like canal boats, only slighter 
and sharper — as well as for flat boats, till 
about 1820. These boats were often loaded 
with produce taken in exchange for goods, 
work, or even for lots and houses; for 
business men, instead of having money 
to deposit, or invest, were frequently 
obliged to send cargoes received in place 
of cash south or north for sale. Cherry 
and walnut logs were frequently sent down 
the Miami on flat boats. The trip to New 
Orleans was frequently made and the boat 
was sold in that city, its owner returning 
on horseback. 

As early as 1819, Fielding Loury con- 
ceived the idea of opening up a river trade 
with the southern cities. Lourv was one 




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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



75 



of the iirst settlers of the county. Eager 
tu put his plans into effect, he loaded three 
boats with desirable cargoes for the times. 
One of these boats was commanded by 
Capt. Gahagan, a well known citizen of 
early Troy. It was then a long and peril- 
ous voyage to New Orleans. There were 
dangers by river and not a few by land. 
Some distance below Troy was a place 
called the "Ninety-nine Islands" where 
the flat boats were likely to ground. Ill 
luck would have it that Capt. Gahagan 's 
boat should meet with just such a fate at 
this spot. When Gahagan was in these 
straits, the second boat, commanded by 
Capt. Hunter (it was great to be a boat 
captain those days), came along, and in 
trying to avoid the first boat, ran into her, 
inflicting such damage that she sank cjuick- 
ly, with all her cargo. One can imagine 
the exciting scene thus witnessed by the 
two captains. Capt. Hamlet's boat, the 
third one, safely landed. The screams of 
the women on the first boat and the em- 
phatic language of the men made up a per- 
fect Bedlam, but all were rescued, though 
much of the cargo was lost. It took three 
days to save that part of the loads taken 
out, and the whole, thoroughly drenched, 
liad to be spread out on the floors of neigh- 
boring l)arns to dry. 

Captain Gahagan 's unlucky boat was re- 
paired, after which the voyage was re- 
sumed. On one of the boats was Mrs. 
Loury, wife of the owner of the cargoes, 
with her two young daughters. The voy- 
age was painfully slow. AVhen the little 
Miami fleet floated into the broad waters 
of the Mississippi, Mrs. Loury was taken 
sick and, despite the care of her com- 
panions, died. The scene was an imusu- 
ally sad one. Far from home, in the midst 



of a region comparatively unknown and 
amid strangers, the little Loury girls were 
bereft of a good mother and were obliged 
to see her buried in a rude coffin on the 
bank of the great river. Loury 's trading 
adventure proved disastrous, for not only 
had it cost him his wife, but the cargo was 
spoiled by the accident in the Miami and 
he found himself practically a bankrupt. 
For six months he did not learn of the 
death of his wife. 

The late G. Volney Dorsey, of Piqua, 
has left on record some interesting notes 
of flat-boating on the Miami, from which I 
make a few extracts : 

"After the development of the country 
about Piqua," says Dr. Dorsey, "when 
exportation became a necessity in order 
to get the sight of a little money, flat boats 
were constructed and loaded with flour, 
bacon, corn in the ear, cherry lumber, fur- 
niture and other products. The boats were 
built at Piqua on the bank of the Miami 
River, with two parallel gunwales, from 
sixty to seventy feet in length, and the 
boat about twelve feet wide. They were 
built bottom side up, the plank in the bot- 
tom running crosswise and spiked to the 
gunwales, with the ends imbedded in a 
rabbet, cut to the gunwales deeper than 
the thickness of the boards, so as to se- 
cure the bottom from catching when float- 
ing over shoal places. 

"Some of the men engaged in this river 
commerce were Joseph Bennett, a cabinet 
maker, and one Tinkham, of the same 
trade, who would ship by this means bed- 
steads in large quantities, and coast along 
the Mississippi, retailing out to people 
along the river whatever was in demand. 
The risk in navigating the Miami required 
great skill and pi'esence of mind, espe- 



76 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



cially in passing over mill dams and fol- 
lowing the channel of the river through 
the 'Ninety-nine Islands,' as they were 
called, located a few miles below Troy. 
The pilot of notoriety was Eobert Logan,. 
a very large man, and when in com- 
mand of one of these boats about to 
start on its journey, and standing upon 
the deck disciplining his boatmen to use 
the oars, he was looked upon with as much 
consideration as the greatest admiral who 
ever commanded a fleet. To see one of 
these boats pass through the channel of 
the river at these islands was indeed a 
most thrilling sight and it required the 
most consummate skill and quickness of 
action to wind the unwieldj' craft through 
its tortuous route to a safe passage. After 
l^assing into the Ohio, the jDilot and other 
men not wanted to coast were discharged. 
"Along the banks of the Mississippi are 
frequently foimd eddies, or whirlpools, 
into which the boat is liable to be drawn, 
and when once fairly in the circuit it was 
difficult to cross the circuit and reach the 
straight current. An anecdote is told of 
one of these early eddies in the Missis- 
sippi. On one occasion a green hand was 
called to watch in the darkness of the 
night, and shortly after taking his posi- 
tion on deck the boat, without his observa- 
tion, was drawn into one of these eddies, 
opposite to which, on the bank of the river 
stood a brick church, and the boat con- 
tinued making a circuit during the whole 
of his watch. When his turn was up he 
awoke the man to take his place on deck, 
and upon being asked how he got along, 
replied, 'First rate, but it is the darndest 
place for brick churches I ever saw in my 
life.' 



"In connection with this history of flat- 
boating," our narrator continues, "it was 
common for boatmen returning from New 
Orleans to walk all the way home, passing- 
through the wilderness north of that place 
and through what was called the Indian 
Nations, Chactaws and Chickasaws. Jacob 
Landis and David Hunter, both of whom 
died at Piqua after a long residence, made 
this journey on foot. Ajiother fact in con- 
nection with this primitive commerce was 
the building of a large keel-boat by John 
Chatham on the public square in Piqua, 
directly west of Orr & Leonard's ware- 
house. This boat was built (the hull) and 
hauled to St. Mary's, the bow resting on 
the wheels of a wagon, and the stern on 
sled runners, with eight horses, two teams 
belonging to James Johnston and John 
Campbell. It was launched in the St. 
Mary's Eiver and was used on that stream 
to freight to Fort Wayne and on the 
Maumee River. It was about eight feet 
wide by fifty- five or sixty feet in length." 

Flat-boating on the Miami continued for 
some years. It was attended with a good 
many risks, but there were those who were 
willing to take them for the profits prom- 
ised by the ventures. The journey to New 
Orleans was considered a long one, as in- 
deed it was, and the return trip often- 
times afoot was not without its perils. As 
the county opened up and other methods 
of transportation came into vogue, flat- 
boating was abandoned and eventually dis- 
appeared. It was superseded by the canal. 
It is not generally known that George 
Washington was among the first to advo- 
cate canal building. He conceived the idea 
of linking the Ohio with the Potomac by a 
canal, and for this he received the thanks 
of the Virginia House of Burgesses. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



77 



The famous Erie Canal, upon which tlie 
initiatory work was begun iu 1819, was the 
predecessor of the canalwhieh runs through 
Miami County. It was opened through to 
the lake in 1825. During the period of set- 
tlement iu the Northwest, roads, such as 
we know them now, were quite as little 
known to the widely separated commimi- 
ties iu Ohio as were railroads. With very 
few exceptions the roads were only 
widened bridle paths, imioroved in swampy 
places by patches of corduroy construc- 
tion, but well nigh impassable in the spring 
and fall. Thus, in the absence of roads, 
overland transportation for trade was im- 
practicable and productions of any kind 
were of no value so long as they could 
not be shipped cheaply to the consumer by 
water. The need of cheaper communica- 
tion was keeuly realized from the time of 
the first settlements west of the great bar- 
rier, the Alleghanies, and most keenly by 
those situated some distance from any 
river or stream, and thus cut off from the 
usual modes of transportation by canoe, 
flatboat, "keel-boat," or "ark." 

The beginning of canal agitation in 
Ohio, which culminated in the building of 
the artificial waterway through the coun- 
ty, was contemporaneous with that in New 
York state. In 1817 the first resolution 
relating to Ohio canals was introduced into 
the State Assembly, and the friends of the 
project entered actively into the fall cam- 
paign to elect men pledged to vote for in- 
ternal improvements, and not without suc- 
cess. Governor Brown in 1818 referred 
in his inaugural address to the necessity 
of providing cheaper ways to the market 
for the Ohio farmers. 

As the years went by interest in the 
canals increased. In 18.30 the question was 



debated in Congress when that body was 
asked to grant government lands in Ohio 
for canal purposes. Not all the states 
could view this internal improvement in 
Ohio as one of national interest. In the 
"great debate" of that year the Senate 
discussed the value of a canal in Ohio to 
the nation. AW'bster in his famous reply 
to Hayne declared "this very question, 
What interest has South Carolina in a 
canal in Ohio? is full of significance." This 
discussion took place nineteen months 
after Congress had granted the lands to 
aid the Ohio and Indiana canals, a fact 
which shows the continued interest of the 
nation. 

In 18ol the Miami and Erie Canal was 
completed to Dayton, which place remained 
as the head of navigation six years, when 
the canal was completed to Piqua. This 
afforded cheap transportation to Cincin- 
nati. It was found to be the very thing the 
people needed and they were not slow to 
take advantage of it. The cost of the 
Miami and Erie Canal — 250 miles, and 32 
miles of feeders — was $6,762,458.00 — a 
large sum — but the benefits arising from 
this waterway have been incalculable. 

It was not until after the completion of 
the reservoirs or feeders that the canal 
entered upon the era of its greatest pros- 
perity. For many years it was the means 
of transportation and travel. At every 
lock there was always a string of boats 
above and below, patiently waiting their 
turns to reach the other level. The sono- 
rous and far reaching blast of the boat 
horns and the "Lo-o-ow bridge" calls 
echoed continually from the river to the 
lake. Hundreds of sixty- and eighty-ton 
boats plied up and down between all points, 
while regular passenger packets, accom- 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



4 

1 



modating fortj- to sixty passengers, con- 
nected with the stage and steamboat lines. 
Not being affected by the bad roads, bad 
weather or breakdowns of the old stage, 
nor by the wind, high or low water of the 
steamboats, the canal packets were seldom 
delayed. 

The packets which at the time of their 
greatest popularity were much used by the 
people, are often described as the Pullman 
cars of the 50 's. Thej' bore more resem- 
blance to the limited train, as each packet 
was " diner, " " sleeper, " " smoker, " " par- 
lor car," "baggage" and "mail coach" 
combined. They created a good deal of 
excitement in the adjacent country as they 
passed up and down the canal. The worth 
of the canal was soon apparent to every- 
one. Shortly after it was put in operation 
wheat advanced in price. Firearms, cloth, 
shoes, coffee, tea, chocolate, rum, salt, g^'p- 
sum and sugar came south from the lake 
ports, while wheat, corn, flour, butter, beef, 
cheese, tobacco, and whiskey found their 
way more easily to the eastern markets. 
In 1829 merchandise was brought from 
New York City to Dayton by the all-water 
route of 1,100 miles in twenty days at a 
cost of $17.25 per ton. The route followed 
the Erie Canal to Buffalo, the lake to 
Cleveland, the Ohio Canal to Portsmouth, 
the Ohio Eiver to Cincinnati, and the 
Miami Canal to Dayton. The "Canal 
Counties" at once took the lead in indus- 
trial and agricultural growth, a lead they 
never lost, as today these thirty of the 
eighty-eight counties contain fifty-two per 
cent of the state's population. 

The speed of the canal packets was never 
great. They seldom exceeded a four mile 
per hour schedule. Leaving Piqua at 8 a. m. 
they would reach Cincinnati the following- 



morning in time for breakfast. This was 
considered a wonderful feat in those days. 
The captain of a packet was considered a 
person of distinction. His word was law 
on his boat and passengers who became 
familiar with him were called "lucky fel- 
lows." The menus of these boats was 
something worth discussing in a gastro- 
nomic sense, for the tables were supplied 
with the fat of the land and the meals were 
enjoyed to the full. 

In 1844 the ^Miami and Erie Canal was 
opened to the lake for business and this 
gave a new impetus to commercial enter- 
prise in the county. Piqua then had nearly 
five thousand inhabitants and Troy was no 
inconsiderable place. The county owes 
much to Messrs. Stephen Johnston, W. J. 
Jackson and J. F. McKinney, of Piqua, 
who as a committee contended with the un- 
friendly legislation aimed at the canal and 
who in a great measure were instrumental 
in securing its successful operation. Piqua 
was at the head of navigation from 1837 
to 1845, which gave it great impetus. It 
was intended originally to take a feeder 
out of Bosson's dam above town (Troy), 
but that failed, the Messrs. Bosson de- 
manding more for the privilege than the 
commissioners would give, and by that fail- 
ure the head of navigation was transferred 
from Troy to Piqua, a circumstance fatal 
to the pro.sperity of Troy and a godsend 
to her northern rival. 

The transportation of the mails in the 
early days of Miami County was poor and 
primitive. "When one considers the mail 
service of the present day, the fast mail 
trains, the free rural delivery, the commo- 
dious post offices and other mail facilities 
enjoyed by the people, the mere mention of 
the old mail service provokes a smile. 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



79 



There was but little correspondence before 
the introduction of steam, and letters were 
few and far between. It required days to 
get a letter to a friend in another state and 
then there was a long wait for the answer. 
Postage stamps had not come into use, but 
the amount of postage due was written on 
the outside of the letter. Envelopes then 
were unknown, nor had the day arrived for 
the sweetly-scented billet doux and the deli- 
cate linen paper. Steel pens had not yet 
come from the inventive brain of a Gillot 
and the old-fashioned quill held sway. 
•Nearly all the social letters began, "I take 
my pen in hand to inform you that we are 
all well and to hope that you are enjoying 
the same blessing," — a style which is still 
extant in some parts of the Union and 
among certain classes. 

When the writer of a letter had fiuished 
his task the sheet was simply folded and 
addressed on the blank page. This done a 
stick of red sealing wax was held over the 
flame of a candle and a bit of the heated 
substance dropped upon the fold and al- 
lowed to cool. Now and then the writer, 
if she were a young lady, would stamp the 
impression of her ring on the wax, if she 
possessed one, and the letter was ready for 
the post. Mucilage then was unknown. I 
have seen a uumljer of these old letters, 
the ink of which is as dark as the day when 
it flowed from the nib of the quill. 

In 1816 the rates of postage were fixed 
as follows: Thirty-six miles, six cents; 
eighty miles, ten cents; over oue hundred 
and fifty miles, eighteen and three-fourths 
cents; over five huudred miles, twenty-five 
cents. The blowing of a horn announced 
to the people of the neighborhood the ar- 
rival of the mail, which was carried horse- 
back. The mail bag was never filled to 



overflowing and the few recipients of its 
contents were indeed the lucky ones. 

Not until 1811 was a post office estab- 
lished at Piqua and then the weekly post- 
route was extended from Dayton. 

In a copy of the Miami Reporter pub- 
lished at Troy in 1828 I find the followiug 
advertisement of the postmaster : 

MAILS. 

The mail arrives from Dayton by the direct route on 
Tuesday and returns on Friday. It arrives from Day- 
ton by Jlilton on Saturday and returns on Monday. 

The mail also arrives from Columbus by Urbana and 
Piqua on Saturday morning and passes directly on to 
Columbus and Urbana. 

It arrives from New Carlisle on Tuesday morning and 
returns on Wednesday morning. 

Levi Hart, P. M. 

Now and then one of these old time post- 
masters trusted liis patrons, sometimes, no 
doubt, to his own sorrow, and he was called 
upon to nag them up a little by inserting 
in the newspapers a "call to delinquents," 
which read something like this : 

' ' nie postmaster, having been in the habit of giving 
unlimited credit heretofore, finds it his duty to adhere 
strictly to the instructions of the postmaster general. 
He hopes, therefore, that liis friends will not take it 
amiss when he assures them that no distinction will be 
made. No letters will be delivered in future without 
pay, nor papers without the postage being paid quarterly 
in advance. ' ' 

Now that postage for all distances is 
equal and very low — we can now send a 
letter to the Philippines for two cents — we 
can hardly realize the burden and incon- 
venience the high and uncertain postage 
rates imposed upon the pioneers. Money 
was very scarce and difficult to obtain ; and 
to pay twenty-five cents in cash for a letter 
was no easy matter and worked a hardship 
on the writer. 

Nor was the transmission of the early 
mails, no matter how they were carried, 
conducted in safety. The mail robber was 
abroad in the land then as now. Some of 
the mails brought to this country seventy- 



80 



HISTORY OF illA^lI COUNTY 



five years ago came by post riders to 
Wheeling, and thence down the river to 
Cincinnati in mail boats, built like whaling 
craft, each manned with four oarsmen and 
a coxswain, who were often armed, thence 
by postroads to the Miami region. The 
voyage from Wheeling to Cincinnati occu- 
pied six days and the return trip up stream 
in twelve days. 

The early post offices of the county were 
generally log structures, but they answered 
the needs of the times well enough. The 
postmaster was frequently merchant, cab- 
inet-maker and government official all in 
one. His salary was not large and he never 
retired with a competence. Old records 
in the Postoffice Department show that he 
was never a defaulter and he always 
squared up with the Government to a 
penny. When there were floods or heavy 
snows the mails were delayed and the pat- 
rons of the office waited till the toot of the 
postman's horn announced that he had 
overcome the obstructions. 

A story is told of one of the early mail 
routes in the county, which will bear repeat- 
ing to show the dangers that beset the mail 
carrier of nearly a century ago. This car- 
rier, one of the very first who brought the 
mails into this locality, was riding through 
a lielt of timber when he heard a wild cry 
which seemed to chill his blood. Looking 
up he espied a female wild cat squatted on 
a limb with blazing eyes and vicious mien. 
His horse seemed paralyzed with terror 
and a23i3eared to have lost his senses for 
the moment. Before the horrified postman 
could collect himself, the ferocious animal 
leaped downward upon him, lauding 
squarely upon his shoulders and burying 
tooth and claw in his flesh. At this mo- 
ment the horse plunged forward, carrying 



his double burden away at breakneck speed, 
snorting out his terror at every bound. In 
vain for a time did the post rider attempt 
to relieve himself of his determined foe. 
The wild cat clung to her victim with the 
tenacity of death, biting deeper and deeper 
all the time, while the unfortunate man 
was in constant agony. 

At last, in passing under a limb, the 
rider ducked and the bough loosened the 
grip of the ferocious beast, tearing her 
loose and throwing her to the ground 
stunned. As soon as the man could check 
the speed of his horse he hastened back 
and with a heavy stick belabored the wild 
cat till life was extinct, then, half faint 
from loss of blood, the earlier threw the 
carcass over the saddle before him and re- 
sumed his journey. "When he reached the 
Ijostoffice he fell fi'om his saddle uncon- 
scious, and the old postmaster, adjusting 
his spectacles, picked the wildcat up with 
the remark: "I guess there is no postage 
due on this package." 

I have tried to give in this chapter a 
brief accoimt of early transportation with- 
in the limits of the county. The reader 
can compare it with the splendid facilities 
we have today. In looking down the vistas 
of a century, back through the mists of the 
past, we can observe our progress and 
wonder at it. The glories of the National 
Road have faded before the steam and elec- 
tric lines that belt the county, and in the 
shadow of the handsome and commodious 
post offices that dot the county today we 
can, with little stretch of the imagination, 
see the log ones which received and dis- 
tributed the primitive mails. Then the 
people trudged miles to send and receive 
their scanty mails, but now well-dressed 
servants of the government deliver the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



81 



mails at their very doors, no matter how 
isolated they are, aud the daily newspaper 
is one of the burdens of the faithful "rural 
router. ' ' 

From the old letter with its waxen seal 
we have advanced to the convenient stamp 
and the fashionable letter paper, and the 
l^ostmaster no longer calls upon his jsat- 
rons to settle for little accommodations of 
trust. If some of the old keel boats that 
cut the limpid waters of the Miami could be 
resurrected they would become the great- 
est curiosities imaginable and the calls of 
the ancient boatmen would make uniciue 
records for the modern phonograph. One 
must remember that within the space of 
one hundred years this country has devel- 
oped from the primitive into the modern 



stage of its existence, making a i^rogress 
that is little short of the marvelous. 

For instance, when Cornelius Westfall, 
who kept the first Troy post office when 
much of this country was a howling wilder- 
ness, and when, in 1811, Arthur Brandon 
received from President Madison his com- 
mission as postmaster at Piqua, little was 
thought of the future of our great common- 
wealth. Yet from these early experiences 
in transportation sprang the civilization 
now enjoyed by the country, though, as has 
been said, it is difficult to realize the ad- 
vance that has been made. It has been re- 
marked that if the old pioneer could revisit 
the scenes of his abode he would be as 
much astonished at the progress of the 
country as are its citizens of the i^resent 
day. 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE TOWNSHIPS (WESTERN) 



Washington, Concord, Monroe, Union, Neivton and Newberry Townships; Their 
Boundaries and History— Early Settlers — Heroes of the Revolution and War of 
1812 — Development of Natural Resources — First Mills, Founding of the Villages; 
Tippecanoe, Etc. 



Before giving in detail an account of 
Troy and Piqua, which are the largest 
municipalities of the county, I shall devote 
two chapters to the history of the town- 
ships and the towns which are found within 
their limits. Prior to 1807 the county com- 
prised but two townships. The division 
west of the Miami was called Eandolph 
Township, while the eastern section was 
named Elizabeth. The genesis of these 
titles as applied to the divisions is obscure 
and not traceable. Randolph Township be- 
ing too large, was not permitted to retain 
its name very long. In fact it disappeared 
within a year and the territory therein em- 
braced was divided into more townships. 
In the same manner, that portion of the 
county which had been given the general 
name of Elizabeth, was divided until the 
six townships lying east of the river had 
been formed. 

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. 

Washington Township, though the small- 
est in area, is the most populous division 
of the county. It is named for General 



Washington and justly so since to the 
"first great American" we owe much con- 
cerning the opening of the Miami country. 
The boundaries of AVashington Township 
are as follows: On the north by Shelby 
County, on the east by Springcreek and 
Staunton Townships, on the south by Con- 
cord and Newton and on the west by New- 
beriy. To Washington Township belongs 
the credit of some of the first settlements 
in the state. It was the" home of some of 
the Indian tribes so closely identified with 
the history of the county and it witnessed 
not a few stirring events in early history. 
It has aptly been said that "hei-e was the 
last home of the red man in the county and 
here the earliest white settlements. ' ' From 
the Indian cantons in Washington Town- 
ship, the Indian forayed into Kentucky and 
when loaded with the spoil of his depreda- 
tions, he returned to the banks of the 
Miami and at Piqua told to attentive listen- 
ers around the forest fires the story of the 
bloody raid. 

The county had been a legally organized 
commonwealth about seven vears before 



82 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



83 



Washington Township came into existence. 
Prior to this time (1814) several settle- 
ments had been made within its present 
limits. One Job Gard, who had been a 
soldier in Wayne's army, taking note of 
this particular region when the army 
passed north to punish the Indians on the 
Manmee in 1794, returned after the cam- 
paign and built for himself a cabin out of 
timber which had been used in the con- 
struction of old Fort Piqua. Gard's settle- 
ment is supposed to have been an event 
of 1798. This first pioneer of W^ashington 
Township remained in his habitation for 
three years when he sold out to John Man- 
ning, a man closely identified with the 
early history of the county. From this 
date the tide of settlement in the northern 
portion of the county can easily be traced. 
The cabins of the settlers, hitherto far 
apart, were to be found in little groups 
which formed a protection from the Indi- 
ans and stimulated neighborly intercourse. 
The needs of the little colony in Washing- 
ton Township increased. Hand mills for 
the grinding of corn were erected, but these 
failing to sufficiently provide for the wants 
of the community, regular mills came into 
use, and in 1804 Manning erected one near 
what is now the south end of Harrison 
Street in Piqua. It was the first real mill 
in that section of the county. 

With the organization of the township 
the first trustees were elected. They were 
John Widney, Benjamin Brandon, and 
William Mitchell. The Mitchells came from 
Tennessee and were hardy, honest and en- 
terprising people. It is noticeable that 
many of the first settlers of the county 
came from the Southern states. This fact 
may be traced to the Boones and others 
who had i^enetrated to this region years 



before to carry back to their friends flatter- 
ing reports of the fertile valleys wliich lay 
north of the Ohio, a veritable "land of 
promise." It is somewhat remarkable that 
but little is known of the actual settlement 
of Washington Township outside of the 
City of Piqua. One of the first inhabitants 
of the township was the celebrated Col. 
John Johnston, the Indian agent. Others 
were James and Frank Johnston, Hugh 
Scott, Benjamin Leavell, John and Enos 
Manning, Armstrong Brandon, and Mat- 
thew Caldwell. Another well known char- 
acter was Joseph Porquette, who kept 
about the first liquor store in the county. 

The late Dr. Dorsey, in his reminis- 
cences, has this to say of Porquette, who, 
from his name, was evidently French: ''At 
that time there was ciuite a broad strip of 
land between the east side of the street in 
Piqua and the west end of the river bridge. 
This was claimed by Porquette. Ewing, a 
local trader, kept a tavern, in which he had 
a few articles of traffic which he sometimes 
exchanged with the Indians for skins and 
furs. As the village grew, the consumption 
of liquor naturally increased, and Por- 
quette kept some whiskey on his side of the 
street, which was not a little frequented 
from the fact that the first blacksmith shop 
stood hard by, and hence it happened that 
occasionally little disturbances arose in 
this vicinity, somewhat to the disgust of 
the good and sober people in the other 
houses. As the nmnbers year by year in- 
creased and these outbreaks became more 
marked and frequent, Porquette 's little 
piece of ground was at length called by 
the distinctive appellation of the 'Devil's 
Half-acre,' that it might be known that it 
was believed that this was all the territory 
to which it was believed His Satanic Maj- 



84 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



esty could rightfully lay claim witliiu this 
locality. This name continued for many 
years, and it was only after the larger por- 
tion of the ground was buried in the canal 
and the evil spirit properly laid beneath its 
waters that the name was lost and is now 
only remembered by a few of the old inhab- 
itants." 

Much of the improved land in Washing- 
ton Township today was cultivated by the 
Indians in corn. It was this fact which 
induced George Eogers Clark to invade 
this particular locality in 1782 when, as has 
already been narrated in this work, he dev- 
astated these fields, laying them waste and 
depriving the red men of their sustenance. 
The Indian corn fields stretched along the 
bank of the Miami in Washington Town- 
ship and were cultivated by the women of 
the various tribes. When the whites came 
they found some of these fields in a fair 
state of cultivation, but the Indian method 
was very primitive. The pioneers of Wash- 
ington Township at once improved on the 
Indian's work and before long their own 
fields were the wonder of the early days. 
As the village of Piqua grew in importance 
a little market for grain was established 
and later on the boating industry enabled 
the settlers to reach the outside world 
which lay beyond the forests of the Miami. 

No other township in the county fur- 
nished a sturdier group of settlers than 
Washington. They came of a hardy race, 
immigrants from beyond the barriers of 
the AUeghanies, men who made that long 
journey alone, looking for the new land of 
which they had heard and longed to pos- 
sess. If the docket of Mathew Caldwell, 
who was the first justice of the peace of 
Washington Township, could be unearthed, 
its few entries would show how peaceably 



its first inhabitants got along together. 
There was little litigation and nearly all 
the cases that came up before Justice Cald- 
well were settled by the advice of friends 
or of the Justice himself. In shoi't the 
neighborhood was not disturbed by quar- 
rels, and it was not until Piqua became a 
large town that the dockets assmned visible 
proijortions. Since it is designed to give 
the history of Piqua in a separate chapter 
we will turn our attention to another town- 
ship. 

CONCORD TOWNSHIP. 

The organization of Concord Township 
is contemporaneous with the formation of 
the county. It is located centrally, being 
bounded on the north by Washington, on 
the east by the Miami, on the South by 
Monroe and on the west by Newton. Its 
name means "peace," though at various 
times since its promotion and during i^o- 
litical years it has swung away from that 
appellation. It does not contain much In- 
dian history, as no Indian villages seem to 
have been built within its borders. Among 
the first whites to settle in Concord Town- 
ship were: Arou Tullis, William Barbee, 
Reuben Shackelford and Alexander Tel- 
ford. These came about 1804. In 1806 
came John Peck from Kentucky with four 
sons, Jacob, John, Joseph and Isaac and 
four daughters. This family located on 
the Boone place south of Troy. Peck ar- 
rived in the winter season and paid $100 
for 160 acres of excellent land, only one 
acre of which was cleared. His little cabin 
of simple construction contained but one 
room, 16x18, and this housed the entire 
family. Peck drove all his cattle through 
the wilderness from Kentucky, guarding 
them by day and by night from Indians 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



85 



and wild beasts. It was a long aud peril- 
ous journey, but the pioneer was undaunt-- 
ed and was at least rewarded for his trou- 
ble by finding a home near the waters of 
the Miami. In the second year of his resi- 
dence in Concord Township all his stock 
died save one mare, three cows and a few 
sheep, and with this remnant he was com- 
pelled to begin life anew. It was a gigantic 
task which confronted John Peck and his 
famil}', l)ut all went to work with a will 
aud before long found themselves well sit- 
uated with all the losses recovered and 
good prospects ahead. 

In 1805 Abraham Thomas joined the 
little colony in Concord Towushii). Thomas 
had had some experience in war, as he had 
been a soldier in the Eevolution, and an 
enlisted man in both of Clark's expedi- 
tions against the Indians in the Miami 
country. Like Mr. Peck, he made the jour- 
ney from Kentuclvj" with his family, con- 
sisting of his wife and four children. The 
emigrants reached the Staunton settle- 
ment, where they remained for a few hours, 
then forded the Miami at the "broad ford" 
as it is yet called. From the river bank 
Thomas and his sons were obliged to cut a 
road through the forest to their farm not 
far south of Troy. On this piece of land 
these pioneers first cut the brush out and 
built what was called a "camp." This 
was not the comfortable cabin, a few of 
which may still be foimd standing at the 
present day. It was a structure still more 
modest in its pretensions. Instead of logs, 
the sides were hastily built up with poles, 
the cracks between them were stuffed with 
moss and the roof and floor were made of 
bark. The front side of the structure was 
left entirely open and a huge fire built in 
front of it. Here there were no troubles 



with rats in the cellar, cats in the garret, 
smoky chimneys, slamming doors or lack 
of ventilation. The good housewife cooked 
her ))ear-meat, venison and wild turkey at 
her primitive range and spread a board 
which epicures might envy. The family 
lived in such a camp for a few weeks until 
a more substantial log cabin could be com- 
pleted. The cracks of this were chinked 
with mud and daubed with mud and a door 
and chimney were not forgotten. One little 
aristocratic feature of the new structure 
will readily be forgotten nowadays — four 
panes of real glass were used in the win- 
dows instead of greased papier. 

When the cabin, one of the first erected 
in Concord Township was finished. 
Pioneer Thomas and his sturdy sons went 
into the woods, which soon resounded with 
the sound of their axes. The first task 
was the planting of an orchard, trees for 
which they had thoughtfully brought from 
Kentucky. In time these trees bore lus- 
cious pipins, and but few years have 
elapsed since the last of these pioneer or- 
chards disappeared. 

Across the river from the Staunton set- 
tlement lay what was known as the Ga- 
hagan Prairie. Mr. Thomas rented ten 
acres of this rich bottom land, which he 
planted with the necessaries of life, while 
he and his sons cleared the homestead. On 
this farm Mr. Thomas ])assed the remain- 
ing years of his life, dying in 18-13, and was 
buried by the famous La Fayette Blues, a 
Troy military organization commanded by 
Lieutenant Pettit. Abram Thomas is a 
fair sample of the early pioneers of the 
county. It is said of him that his charac- 
ter was unimpeachable, that he possessed 
a daring spirit, aud being of a robust and 
hardy constitution, he was often detailed 



86 



HISTORY OF MIA:MI COUNTY 



for the most important and hazardous 
service in time of war. He took part in 
the Eevolutionary AVar and in many a hard 
fought Indian skirmish before and since 
that period. 

Among the other early settlers of Con- 
cord Township were Foust, McGimpsey 
and Steward. These settled near the Peck 
place, and in 1807 the small colony was in- 
creased by the addition of David Jenkins, 
of South Carolina, and James Knight of 
Pennsylvania. The Concord colony was 
increasing. Gahagan's Prairie was giving 
forth crops that cheered the heart of the 
pioneer and made him satisfied with his 
change. In fact this tract, having once 
been "farmed" by the Indians, was easily 
induced to yield to the industry of the set- 
tler. Such was the fertility of this ground 
that the first year with its primitive uten- 
sils Mr. Peck got forty-one bushels of corn 
to the acre. Through the woods of Con- 
cord, over the winding trails, the settlers 
went to mill on horseback. No wagons 
were theirs. Up to about 1814 only two 
wagons were to be found in this whole re- 
gion and they were not accessible for use. 

While the Pecks and Thomases were the 
first pioneers to break ground in Concord 
Township, there were others who were 
contemporaneous with them. There were 
James Orr, James Youart, A. McCuUough, 
James Marshall, John .Johnson, Henry Or- 
bison and Joseph McCorkle. The majority 
of these men came from Kentucky, which 
section sent into Miami County some of 
its foremost citizens. When one looks 
back over the history of Concord Town- 
ship, much of which belongs to the history 
of Troy which is to be related hereafter, 
he must give unboimded credit to the men 
who overcame the difficulties of the wilder- 



ness and brought order out of chaos. Let 
us consider for a moment a few items 
plucked at random from the early chapters 
of this township. 

Soon after the first settling of the town- 
ship came the war of 1812 with its attend- 
ant Indian horrors. The panic which grew 
out of the threatened danger spread along 
the Miami and for a season paralyzed the 
pioneer settlements of Concord. They were 
believed to be in the shadow of the toma- 
hawk, but fortunately the danger passed 
and peace once more hovered over the 
Miami frontier, guarding it as a mother 
guards her young ; the tide of immigration, 
halted by the war, revived and returned to 
its former sweep. 

The progressive agriculture of the pres- 
ent day as seen in Concord Township was 
in its infancy a century ago. There was 
scarcely any market, not even for the small 
amount of grain raised by the settlers. 
Teams were almost unknown, fences had 
not come into vogue, and mills were few 
and far between. It did not require much 
corn to fatten hogs, as the woods furnished 
them with sustenance. Owing to a scar- 
city of fences all cattle were belled and 
hogs marked. The only market was across 
the river at Staunton and the produce, 
which consisted mainly of butter and eggs, 
was taken thither. Groceries were con- 
fined to those of the most simple descrip- 
tion and the pioneers of Concord Town- 
ship were often put to their ingenuity to 
supply their wants. Sugar was made from 
sap of the maple tree, sage and sassafras 
took the place of "Oolong," and browned 
rye was a substitute for coffee. Doctors 
had not invaded the neighborhood and 
home-made medicines, tansy and penny- 
royal, were the "cure alls" of that day. 





SOUTH PLUM STREET, TROY 



MAIN STREET, TIPPECANOE CITY 





CHRISTIAN' CHURCH, COVIXGTOX 



SITE OF FIRST FORT AND OF FIRST BIRTH IN 
MIAMI COUNTY (STAUNTON TOWNSHIP) 





RESIDENCE OF W. P. ORR, PIQUA 



RESIDENCE OF L. M. FLESH, PIQUA 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



89 



The harvests were cut in the simplest 
manner with the sickle. Corn huskings, 
which were great and jolly affairs, came 
into vogue in Concord as they did in other 
parts of the country. They put the corn 
in piles, with a rail in the center. Then 
two members of the party were selected to 
"choose up" and the huskers were chosen. 
At a given signal all hands went to work 
and amid much merriment the work was 
completed. This was but one of the recre- 
ations of the first settlers of Concord 
Township. Everything was cheap then 
but the clothing which the pioneers were 
forced to buy. 

Fine shirts were not known, because 
muslin was too high — 75 cents per yard. 
The housewife spun for the family and 
linsey-woolsey dresses were the first seen 
iu Troy. The Concord pioneers cut cord- 
wood and got it into Troy, where it brought 
thirty-seven and one-half cents per cord, 
which he could exchange for half a yard 
of muslin. Corn brought eight cents a 
bushel, wheat seldom more than twenty- 
five and oats six and one-fourth cents. The 
fanner of today will smile at these prices, 
but they were considered "pretty fair" 
by the men who broke ground here one 
hundred years ago. 

The history of Troy will form a chapter 
by itself, hence nothing more concerning 
Concord Township need l)e written here. 
It is today one of the foremost of the 
twelve divisions of the coimty. It is richly 
supplied with turnpikes which enter Troy 
from every part of the county and steam 
and electric roads add to its wealth. Troy 
is the only incorporated town within the 
limits of Concord Township. Eldean is a 
hamlet on the Troy-Piqua turnpike and 



the 1). tfc T. electric car-line, about two 
miles north of Troy. 

MONROE TOWNSHIP. 

The most interest seems to cluster about 
the early or pioneer history of any place. 
This is not only true of nations, but of 
smaller commonwealths, towns and cities. 
The coming of the fii'st settlers has a 
charm which later history cannot take 
away. There is something in the early mi- 
grations to this county that is still unex- 
plained. Several townships, notably those 
in the Stillwater region, were largely set- 
tled by people from the far south, from 
North and South Carolina. AVhy they se- 
lected one part of the county and not the 
other is still a mystery. Monroe Township 
was settled to a great extent by people 
from that section of the Union. Monroe 
is found in the southern tier of townships, 
bounded on the north by Concord, on the 
South by ;Montgomery County, on the west 
by Union Township, while the Miami sepa- 
rates it from Bethel and Elizabeth, which 
stretch away to the east. Its first settlers 
came from South Carolina and when they 
reached the fertile lands of Monroe they 
found the Indians in possession, living in 
the primitive villages that sheltered the 
red tribes of the forest. 

Samuel Freeman seems to have been the 
first white man to break ground in Mon- 
roe, which he did in 1801. His habitation 
was the beginning of house building in the 
township. From North Carolina in 1802 
came John Yount, who entered a choice 
piece of land at $2 per acre. Next came 
Michael Fair, who emigrated from Fredei'- 
ick County, Maryland, the home of Bar- 
bara Freitcbie, and he was followed a little 
later on by John Clark, also of Maryland- 



90 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



The Clarks were of good stock, sturdy and 
industrious, and produced a long line of 
descendants as notable as themselves. 
David Jenkins left his South Carolina 
home to begin a new life among the woods 
of Monroe and with him came Elisha 
Jones, another son of the Palmetto State. 
Jenkins being a man of some culture, filled 
various township offices, all of which he 
discharged faithfully, winning the respect 
of his neighbors. 

Among the other pioneers of Monroe are 
to be found Thomas Pearson, his three 
sons Enoch, Jonas and Thomas, Jr., Sam- 
uel Pearson, John Jay, Paul Macey, 
George North, George Kerr, the Laytons, 
Ferguses, "Westlakes, Puterbaughs, Sliaf- 
ers, Furnaces, and a numljer of others 
whose name at this late day are not ob- 
tainable. The Maceys were from Tennes- 
see, the Norths from Georgia and the 
Kerrs from Virginia. All these hardy 
pioneers brought families with them, and 
these increasing as the years went by, pop- 
ulated Monroe Township with an excellent 
class of citizens. 

In Monroe the settlers found laud to 
their liking. Many settled on Freeman's 
Prairie, which was situated southeast of 
Tippecanoe City and opposite the mouth of 
Honeycreek on the west side of the Miami. 
The mills to which the pioneers had access 
were few and far between. They were 
very i)rinutive as compared with the mills 
of the present day. Dr. Asa Coleman in 
his reminiscences describes one of these 
mills as follows: "These early erected 
mills were quite primitive in their struc- 
ture and material. The mill-stones were 
generally manufactured in the county, 
often in the immediate vicinity of the site 
where they were to be used, of single stones 



worked out of the large boulders which are 
to be found on the surface in various parts 
of the county. Very little iron except the 
spindle gudgeons and a few bands were 
used, wood being exclusively used for all 
other inirjioses; iron being too expensive 
and difficult to obtain. These mills from 
these circumstances were very simple 
structures, calculated principally for the 
grinding of corn. The first grinding of 
wheat for flour was very imperfectly done. 
In some at first the bolt was turned by 
hand, a somewhat laborious operation, but 
wheat bread being a rarity the labor was 
willingly performed. At the time of the 
organization of the county there were six 
or seven of these milling establishments 
in operation. There were Mordecai Men- 
denhall's on Honeycreek, Henry Gerard's 
on Springcreek, John Freeman's and John 
Manning's on the Miami, Moses Coate's 
on Ludlow Creek, Mast's, AYeddle's and 
Empre's on Stillwater." A number of 
these sawmills sawed lumber for the first 
frame houses erected in Monroe Town- 
ship. 

Tippecanoe City, the principal town in 
Monroe, dates its incorporative origin in 
the year 18-10. It was named for "Tippe- 
canoe," the sobriquet given President AY. 
H. H. Harrison for his defeat of the In- 
dians at the battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. 
It lies in the eastern part of the township, 
its northeastern boundary being formed 
by the ^liauii Elver. For some years Tip- 
l^eeanoe City had no market facilities, but 
the Imilding of the Miami and Erie Canal 
supplied this want and later the shipping 
facilities were further increased by the 
Dayton & Michigan Railroad and the D. 
& T. traction line. Tippecanoe City's first 
post office was called Hyattsville and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



91 



Heury J. Hyatt was the tirst postmastei'. 
Hyatt lived in a log cabin, where he was 
merchant, tailor and postmaster all in one. 

It is said that a division of sentiment 
prevailed over the naming of Tippecanoe 
City. A Mr. Jay, who pnrchased the first 
lot, wanted the place to bear the appella- 
tion of Jaytowu, while Mr. Clark wanted 
it called Sharjisburg after his home in 
Maryland, but the present name was se- 
lected and the discussion ended. The first 
tavern in the now prosperous town was 
built by Thomas Krise, who for some 
years furnished entertainment for man and 
beast, and he is said to have been an en- 
terprising landlord. 

From the very first Tippecanoe City 
seemed to prosper, owing to the energy of 
its inhabitants, until now it has a popula- 
tion of almost 1,800. Its first official ros- 
ter is as follows : Mayor — Levi N. Booker ; 
recorder — E. F. Shields; marshal — Eli 
Snell; treasurer — I. L. Wilcox; coimcil- 
men — Thomas Jay, Michael Shellabarger, 
Henry Krise. From that time to the pres- 
ent the mayors of Tippecanoe City have 
been I. K. Gilbert, H. H. McCabe, C. W. 
Wheeler, John J\fann, E. T. Shields, T. 
Kibby, A. H. Wesler, Levi Jay, A. E. 
Kerns, Ellis H. Kerr, W. G. Fritz, L. A. 
Sheets, S. E. Smith, B. B. Scarff, G. J. 
Smith, R. N. Eyler. Messrs. Shields, Wes- 
ler and Kerr filled the mayor's office at 
difTerent times. 

The present city officers are: Mayor — 
R. N. Eyler; clerk— S. O. Mitchell; treas- 
urer — J. S. Pohlman ; solicitor — W. E. Ly- 
tle; marshal — C. J. Frost; councilmen — 
W. H. Clark, E. T. Davis, G. O. King, Will 
H. Long. D. W. Prill, L. L. Youart; street 
commissioner — S. S. Westfall; police — 
Crist Eickhoff, J. H. Fenner. 



Tippecanoe is a noted manufacturing 
center, but this industry will be mentioned 
in a special chapter. It has two banks 
(see "Banks and Banking"), a fine public 
school, and excellent churches. 

Ginghamshurg, a village of some local 
importance, is situated in Monroe Town- 
ship, with FredericktoHii {Fidelity P. 0.) 
and CoivlesvUle, the latter a cluster of 
houses on the Dayton & Troy Traction line. 

UNION TOWNSHIP. 

In writing the history of Union Town- 
ship one must go south to discover its 
fountain head. The tide of emigration 
that flowed northward from the Carolinas 
l)roke upon the shores of the Stillwater 
and populated Union. When that vast 
area lying west of the Miami and which 
for a time was known as Randolph Town- 
ship was cut up into five smaller divisions, 
Union became one of these about 1807. It 
is bounded on the north by Newton Town- 
ship, on the south by Montgomery County, 
on the east by Concord and Monroe Town- 
ships and on the west by Monroe Town- 
ship in Darke County. It is traversed by 
the Stillwater in the eastern part, while 
two branches of Ludlow Creek and other 
streams water its large area. 

There being no finer land "out of doors" 
it is no wonder that the first white men 
who penetrated to this region concluded 
to make it their home. In the year 1801 
Henry Fonts and the two Filers, Leonard 
and Adam, settled in Union Township in 
the very heart of the "forest primeval." 
They had looked at other land, but found 
the region of the Stillwater to their liking. 
The next year came Caleb Mendenhall, 
with his family of six, and he was followed 
bv John Mast and Frederick Yount. The 



1 



92 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



last named located a mill site and for a 
jvliile supplied the settlers with flour and 
ground meal. 

lu 1804 David Mote, Sr., with five stal- 
wart sons, settled in Union. They chose 
the western jjart of the township, while 
east of the river received Leonard and 
William Fincher, "William Neal, Benjamin 
Pike, Jacob Bj'rkett and others. The 
]\Iotes led the vanguard of Quakers who 
settled in Union Township, a class of peo- 
ple who have given to this coimty much of 
the stability and prosperity it now enjoys. 
These j^eople, quiet, unobtrusive and strict- 
ly honest, are found all over Union Town- 
ship, forming within themselves a class 
noted for its integrity. The descendants 
of the first Quaker residents have filled 
many positions of trust and are numbered 
today among the foremost citizens of the 
county. 

The year 1805 found Samuel Jones in 
Union Township. He emigrated from 
Georgia, as did Abiather Davis, who 
brought with him to the fine lands on Still- 
water four sons and three daughters. In 
the same year Newberry District in South 
Carolina sent a little colony of Quakers 
into the township, among whom were Isaac, 
James, George and Nathan HoUingsworth. 
Elisha Jones, a chairmaker, came in 1807, 
having been preceded a year previous by 
Joel HoUingsworth, another Quaker. Joel 
was a man of both ingenuity and business, 
for he l)uilt flatboats upon Stillwater and 
transported his own produce to New Or- 
leans, making quite a little sum by the 
operation. It is stated that upon one re- 
turn trip Mr. HoUingsworth brought home 
a telescope, a wonderful thing in those 
days. Neighbors came from far and near 
to inspect the wonderful instrument and 



for months it was the "newest thing under 
the Sim." 

One cannot help noticing the stalwart- 
ness of the first settlers of Union Town- 
ship. They were men of powerful phy- 
sique and people of more than the average 
culture and perseverance. For instance 
Isaac Ilasket rode horseback from South 
Carolina, accompanied by his wife and 
child, and many others followed his exam- 
ple. He was a blacksmith whose forge was 
always aglow and his hands and skill 
turned out all sorts of farming imple- 
ments, including sickles in profusion. 
There were no keener sickles in the Still- 
water Valley than those he fashioned and 
the bearded grain went down before 
them in a marvelous manner. So rapid 
was the settlement of Union Township 
that it is asserted that two large Friends 
or Quaker settlements in Georgia and 
South Carolina were almost depopulated 
to furnish inhabitants in this section. The 
tide of immigration rolled resistless this 
way for several years or until Union 
Township was almost entirely populated 
with Quakers. 

"When the township came to organize 
itself into a body politic it chose Samuel 
B. Edwards as clerk. He was a man not 
calculated to make the best possible offi- 
cer, but something had to be done and he 
was selected. He served but one term and 
the people seemed glad to exchange him 
for another elector. John Coate is said 
to have been the first duly elected clerk. 

Settled as it was by people of decided 
worth, Union Township soon became a rec- 
ognized branch of the coimty 's existence, a 
position which it holds today. It is noted 
for its liberality in everything, for thrift 
and industry. Its principal town is "West 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



93 



Miltou, or Milton, as it was first called. 
The towu was uamed for Joliu Miltou, the 
English poet, and it is said that "Paradise 
Lost" held such a sway over the mind of 
a fair daughter of Union Township that 
she managed to have its chief town named 
for her favorite author. 

AV'est Miltou, with a present population 
of over 1,000, is situated on the west bank 
of the Stillwater. The site of the town 
was selected by Joseph Evans, who came 
from the Newberry District, South Caro- 
lina. He was so pleased with the location 
that he resolved to establish a village at 
this point. The first lots were sold in 
1807. For years the village had a slug- 
gish growth, and as late as 1825 but three 
families occupied the site, but in course 
of time the village took on new life and 
began to assume considerable proportions. 
Oliver Benton became the first postmaster 
of West Milton and added the occupations 
of merchant and justice to his other one. 
He owned the only store in the towu and 
wagoned his produce to Cincinnati. As 
the town grew, manufactui-e was encour- 
aged, a carding machine was set up, and 
a woolen mill followed. Samuel Kelley 
was the proprietor of the mill, but in 1820 
he sold out to David Thayer, who wove 
blankets there. In 1824 a scythe factory 
was established at AVest Milton and the 
manufacture of linseed oil became an in- 
fant industry there in 1819. 

Not until 184:0 did the town get an out- 
let by turnpike, when the one from Dayton 
tapped the place. Years afterward the 
railway came and now, besides this con- 
venience, "West Milton is tapped by the 
Dayton, Covington and Piqua Traction 
Line. About 1834 the prospering town 
took out papers of incorporation and C. 



A\'. Beebe was called to fill the fir.st may- 
or's chair. To-day the town of West Mil- 
ton has two prosperous banks, a number 
of manufactories, a fine school, excellent 
and commodious churches, well paved 
streets and handsome business blocks and 
dwellings, all of which go to make it one 
of the foremost towns in the county. Its 
future is bright, for its citizens take an 
interest in everything that goes to make 
it prosperous and influential as a town. 

The present official roster of West Mil- 
ton is as follows: Mayor — W. 0. Martin- 
dale; clerk — Charles E. Fox; treasurer — 
Philip Yount; marshal — Cyrus Long; 
councilmen — David Stoltz, E. M. Crew, 
Oren Coates, A. G. Eidemiller, Smith Gas- 
sett, Cyrus Folkerth; board of education 
— Gaiuor Jennings, John Henderson. 

The villages of New Lebanon and Laura 
are situated in Union Township. The 
former has a population of 250, the latter, 
400. The picturesque hamlet of Ludlow 
Falls, near the beautiful cascade of the 
same name, is a promising place. New 
Lebanon, or Georgetown, was laid out in 
1840. It has a German Baptist Church, 
and the postoffice is Potsdam. Laura, 
named for the daughter of its first post- 
master, was incorporated in 1892, and is 
a well conducted, thriving towu. It is offi- 
cered at present as follows : Mayor — Rob- 
ert Wylie; clerk — Arthur Hess; treasurer 
— George Swisher ; marshal — M i 1 1 o n 
North; councilmen — Ellis Lowery, Will- 
iam Coate, Charles Hall, Urias Netzley, 
Benjamin Welbaxmi, Hervey Cassell. 

NEWTON TOWNSHIP. 

Newton Township, the second of the 
three known as the "Stillwater town- 
ships," occupies the extreme western part 



94 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of the county. Newberry and Washing- 
ton bound it on the north, Union on the 
south, Concord on the east, and Darke 
County on the west. It is watered by the 
Stillwater and tributary streams, and the 
land is fair and fertile. There is no town- 
ship in the county that has better roads 
than Newton. These pikes, running in 
every direction, reach every section of the 
township, giving every inhabitant an ex- 
cellent outlet everywhere. 

The history of* Newton Township is con- 
temporaneous with the greater history of 
the county. The same class of people that 
poured into other parts of the Stillwater 
Valley gave Newton her share and estab- 
lished the division which bears her name. 
They came, many of them, from the South, 
from the Carolina s, from Georgia and ad- 
jacent states, and not a few had seen serv- 
ice under the banner of Washington. 
Hardy sons of the new republic were they, 
men inured to every danger, strong willed 
and capable of making a home north of 
the Ohio. 

The first of these immigrants to Newton 
Township was Michael Williams, who had 
heard of the laud from General Harrison. 
He came about 1799, and with his four 
sons, proceeded to build the new home in 
the Miami wilderness. In 180-1: Marma- 
duke Coate, in spying out the Stillwater 
Valley, entered Newton Township and be- 
came its second pioneer. This family be- 
gan at once to make an opening in the for- 
est which rang with the music of their 
axes and before long the sunshine kissed 
soil it had never kissed before. There was 
determination in everything the Coates 
did, and Newton Township owes much to- 
day to tliis enterprising family. 

Thomas Hill seems to have been the 



third settler to invade the township, which 
he did about 1805. Among other things, 
he is noted for having erected the tirst 
copi^er still ever seen in the township, and 
it is on record that he made the best of 
whiskey. After Hill came Thomas Cop- 
pock, the progenitor of one of the most 
noted families of the county. He, too, 
came from South Carolina. Coppock 
might be called one of the first abolition- 
ists, for he was opposed to slavery and 
was not loath to leave a section where the 
crack of the slave diiver's whip rang con- 
tinually in his ears. He was a blacksmith 
by trade and obtained coal for his forge 
by burning charcoal. He was one of the 
first men in the county to be elected county 
commissioner. 

One year after Coppock 's arrival Sam- 
uel Teague, Benjamin and AVilliam Furnas 
took possession of Newton Township land 
and cleared the same. Jacob Embree fol- 
lowed the first newcomers, and William 
Long left Virginia to find a home in New- 
ton. Long was another good citizen, and 
his household, it is said, furnished the 
third preacher in the county. In 1807 
Alexander Mills arrived to swell the little 
colony in Newton; then followed the Idd- 
ingses, Balliugers, Mileses, Leavells, Per- 
rys, Dicksons and others. Newton was in- 
creasing slowly but surely in poi^ulation 
and it was of the best quality. There 
wasn't a drone in it. The Falkners, 
Renches, and Freshours added to the New- 
ton colony, and the Teeters and Deeters 
estal>lished themselves near the Stillwater. 

Industries soon began to spring up, 
primitive, it is true, but it was a laudable 
beginning. Embree erected a saw-mill 
with a corn-cracker attachment and the 
people rejoiced. Next Robert Dickson put 



HISTORY OF :\1IAMI COUNTY 



95 



up a saw-mill ou Pauther Creek aud 
George Freshour went iuto the same busi- 
ness. Newton Township was surely "mov- 
ing along." 

In the midst of these growing industries 
the War of 1812 broke out, and for a time 
business was stifled. A dark cloud hung 
over the township, but when it was dissi- 
pated by the sunshine of peace, business 
flourished again. There were now numer- 
ous openings in the townshiiD where the 
forest had been and on every side was 
heard the hum of prosperity. Homes 
sprang up in every direction, farms were 
cultivated throughout the township aud 
villages began to spring into existence. 
Newton Township bid fair to outstrip 
some of her neighbors. 

Pleasant Hill, or Newton, as it was first 
called for Sir Isaac Newton, the philoso- 
pher, was surveyed by James Hanks in 
1843. I. K. Teeter laid it out. The town 
which now has a population of 700 souls 
is the only one in the township. AVhen the 
postoffice, which was first kept some dis- 
tance from the town, was moved into it, 
John Whitmore became the postmaster. 
In 1866 the village was duly incorporated, 
its first officers being: Treasurer — Fred 
Deeter; marshal — J. CI. Ritter; trustees — 
William Patty, M. D., John H. Williams, 
D. Minnich, John Whitmore and Joseph 
Pearson. The present official roster of the 
town is as follows : ^Mayor — D. M. Cop- 
pock ; clerk — C. Eoy Coppock ; treasurer — 
D.E.Rothermal; marshal — Sidney Strong; 
council — H. H. Coppock, president; J. C. 
Kriegbaum, Henry Martindale, ]\rartin L. 
Gates, Daniel Hayworth, Jesse Berry; 
board of public service — Dr. A. J. Baus- 
man, G. P. Hoffman, Samuel Berger. In 
August, 1908, council passed an ordinance 



authorizing the sale of $16,000 worth of 
bonds for waterworks, which sold at a 
premium. Council also granted a fran- 
chise to a Covington firm to furnish elec- 
tricity for lighting purposes. Pleasant 
Hill has shown its loyalty and public 
spirit in numerous ways, among these be- 
ing the erection of a handsome nioniuuent 
in her public square to the memory of the 
heroic sons of Newton Township who went 
forth to do battle for the Union in 1861 
and 1865. The township has one good 
bank situated in Pleasant Hill, where 
there are also one newspaper, several 
handsome churches, and up-to-date school 
building and several factories. 

NEWBERRY TOWNSHIP. 

Last but not least of the western tier of 
townships is Newberry. It occupies the 
northwest corner of the county and is 
bounded by Shelby County on the north, 
by Darke on the west, by Washington 
Township on the east and by Newton ou 
the south. There is no exact data giving 
the organization of Newberry Township, 
but historians place it about 1810. The 
•nomenclature of the name Newberry is 
also undiscoverable. It is watered by the 
Stillwater and Greenville Creek, into which 
flow numerous tributaries that afford it 
excellent drainage. In the early days of 
the township's existence it was the abode 
of many poisonous reptiles which infested 
the stony banks of its streams, but the set- 
tlers made war on them and they were 
finally exterminated. 

South Carolina has the distinction of 
leading the way into Newberry. In 1806 
one McDonald settled on Harrison's Creek 
near Covington, and in the following year 
^lichael Ingle erected a cabin at the mouth - 



96 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of Trotter's Creek. lugle was a tanner, 
but a farmer as well, and he resided on 
his farm till 1838. He is regarded as New- 
berry's first white settler. Following the 
Ingles came the Coates, William and John, 
and soon Daniel "Wright put uj) his little 
cabin. These men were true sons of the 
soil and labored hard to establish them- 
selves in their chosen quarters. In 1810 
Jacob Uilery purchased hind in Newberry 
Township and his selection has proven the 
most valuable within its limits. 

Newberry Township's prosperity was 
hampered by the same misfortune that was 
felt in other parts of the county — the War 
of 1812. Some of her citizens were the 
first in the field. They saw the danger 
and responded nobly. Captain George 
Buchanan commanded a company in which 
many of Newberry's citizens served, and 
his scope was the Stillwater Valley, which 
was several times threatened by the In- 
dians. A block-house, which stood near 
the site of the old Pan Handle Depot in 
Covington, afforded protection for the in- 
habitants. It was near the spot where 
stood "Fort Rowdy," which marked Gen- 
eral Wayne's encampment in 1794. 

At the breaking out of our second war 
with England there were nine families in 
Newberry Township. These jieople lived 
in constant dread during the greater part 
of the struggle, and though Indian dei)re- 
datious were committed in other parts of 
the county, Newberry did not experience 
any of the actual horrors of war. 

The town of Covington, which is the 
principal municipality in Newberry Town- 
ship, was laid out by David Wright and 
Jacob Uilery in 1816. Benjamin Cox sur- 
veyed the land for the town, but his work 
was never acknowledged by Uilery and 



AVright. There is a tradition that when 
the town came to be named, "Friendship" 
and "Newberry" were suggested, and even 
the name of "Rowdy" was thought of; 
but the first postoffice was called Still- 
water, certainly an euphonious name. Aft- 
erward the name of Covington was given 
to the beautiful town. 

When it came to house building, Elijah 
Reagan distanced all his competitors and 
erected the first one, Michael Ingle put up 
a double log cabin and Noah Hanks built 
a frame store. This is the genesis of Cov- 
ington. After the house building came 
various industries until now Covington, 
for a town of its size, keeps pace with its 
neigh1)ors. It has now a poi^ulation of 
1,800. It has furnished some prominent 
legislators in the Ohio Assembly and nu- 
merous county officers. The first election 
for town officers was held in 1835, at which 
the following were chosen: Mayor — Gil- 
bert Adams ; recorder — William Robinson ; 
trustees — Charles Orwan, Joshua Orr, 
Thomas McKenzie. Samuel Patterson was 
elected mayor in 1837. From this date the 
mayor's record seems to have been lost, 
but the following persons have filled the 
office since 1850: B. Neff, Joseph Marlin, 
C. H. Gross, AVilliam Couffer, T. A. Wor- 
ley, W. G. Bryant, Isaac Sherzer, David 
Diltz, J. L. Smart, John V. Griffin, Adam 
Minnich, D. C. Shellenbarger, J. H. Mar- 
lin, S. C. Sisson, D. J. Martin, S. D. Palm- 
er, R. F. Alberry, M. H. Nill. The present 
roster of Covington is as follows: Ma.yor 
— M. H. Nill; clerk— Glen F. Shawver; 
treasurer — John S. Dolliuger; marshal — 
H. J. Hake; council — W. H. Minton, B. 
Swisher, R. W. Himes, Charles McAIakin, 
William Vandergrift, A. S. Rosenberger. 
Covington is a well situated and well gov- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



97 



erned town. It has two banks (see "Banks 
and Banking"), two newspapers, the Ga- 
zette and Tribune, many churches, a fine 
system of waterworks, an electric light 
plant, a well-graded public school, three 
railways, two steam and one electric, and 
numerous shops and stores. There is no 
more progressive town in the county. 

Newberry Townshij) also contains a part 
of the town of Bradford, which has the 
Pan Handle yards, a bank and numerous 
industries. Several small clusters of 
houses which can scarcely be designated 
as towns dot the township and these show 
signs of healthy growth. 

I have given briefly in the present chap- 
ter the history of the six western town- 



ships of the county. An unabridged his- 
tory of the same would fill a whole volume. 
Some of the industries, etc., of these town- 
ships and their towns will be treated under 
proper heads later on. Suffice it to say 
that the western townships will compare 
favorablj' with similar divisions through- 
out the state. They have made wonderful 
strides since their formation, keeping jjace 
with the march of progress, and abreast 
with everything that builds up a commu- 
nity. Having treated them less briefly 
than they deserve, owing to our limited 
space, we will now turn to the six town- 
ships that lie east of the Miami, for they 
have a history which will rival in interest 
that of their neighbors on the west. 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE TOWNSHIPS (EASTERN 



Brown, Springcreek, Staunton, Lostcreek, Elizabeth, Bethel. 



That part of the county lying east of the 
Mami and embracing six townships can 
justly lay claim to the earliest settlement. 
The whole area was first called Elizabeth 
Township, but as the county increased in 
population and a demand was made for 
smaller divisions, it was cut up into the 
six townships which form the caption of 
the present chapter. The early history of 
these six townsliips is most interesting. 
While they contain no large municipali- 
ties, no commercial centers, and are known 
as the "rural townships," they are no less 
an integral part of the county. I shall 
not describe them in their priority of set- 
tlement and formation, but shall take them 
up from north to south in their geograph- 
ical location. 

BROWN TOWNSHIP. 

The first settlement in Brown Township 
was made in 1806 by John Kiser, who was 
a Virginian. At first he located in the 
vicinity of Dayton, but leaving his first 
habitation after a brief sojourn, he moved 
northward till he entered the forests of 
Brown Township, where he concluded to 
build his cabin. His industry enabled him 
to clear some ground, upon which he put 



his first crops, and in course of time be- 
came one of the foremost farmers of the 
county. Isaac Kiser, son of this first set- 
tler, was the first white child born in 
Brown Township, and he first saw the 
light where the village of Fletcher now 
stands. The Kisers were well calculated 
to become the first settlers of a county. 
They came of a hardy stock of people and 
were men whom no trials could balk and 
to them Brown Township to-day owes 
much of its prosperity. 

In 3807 John Simmons arrived from 
Pennsylvania and joined the little colony. 
He came with ten children to swell the 
scanty population. He built the first 
double-roomed cabin in the township and 
for a long time the structure was an ob- 
ject of curiosity among the neighbors. 
What was more, a porch extended the 
length of this wonderful house and dur- 
ing the summer the Simmons family dined 
thereon. Simmons had real glass win- 
dows, and this excited the envy of the less 
fortunate neighbors. His squeaking doors 
had wooden hinges and wooden catches. 
These catches were raised from the out- 
side by means of a string and when the 
family were ready to retire at night they 



98 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



99 



pulled the string inside and considered 
themselves secure. Of course there was 
no patent on the Simmons "safety lock." 

"William Concannon is credited with be- 
ing the third man who settled in Brown 
Township. He, too, was an emigrant from 
the land of Penn. Concannon came in 1907, 
as did John Adney. Alexander Oliver was 
added to the township's population in 
1808, but he soon grew tired of the loca- 
tion and, being of a roving disposition, he 
sold out and moved farther west. Every- 
thing went well within the limits of the 
township till the killing of Gerard and the 
Dilbones not far off, by the Indians, threw 
the inhabitants into a state of fear. A 
block-house was built on the Kiser farm in 
1812 and became a retreat in time of dan- 
ger. But the township was not invaded by 
the enemy and the block-house finally was 
put to other uses. 

In the year 1818 the Munsells were add- 
ed to the population of Brown Township, 
then the Malloys came three years later. 
About the same time John Wolcott and 
Giles Johnson put up their cabins and 
Michael Sills exchanged his home in 
Champaign County for one in Brown 
Township. It was impossible at this late 
day to enumerate all those who entered 
this township at the dawn of its history. 
Many records of the first settlers hav-e 
been lost and that, I regret to say, through 
utter carelessness. Among the first fam- 
ilies to inhabit Brown Township were those 
of William Cox, Edmund Yates, Joseph 
Jackson, Frederick Gray, Major Manning, 
John D. Cory, Joseph Shanks, AVilliam 
Manson, John Wilson, William Walkup, 
David Newcomb, Thomas McClure, Benja- 
min Sims, and Joseph Rollins, all good 
men and worthy citizens. Nearly all tlieso 



families came from the East. They 
crossed the Alleghanies, taking that well- 
defined trail which led to the valley of the 
Miami and, pushing on, at length found 
a resting place in the county. Not one of 
them, it is said, ever repented his choice 
of a home. 

In 1819 the township was formally or- 
ganized. At that time it did not contain 
man}' inhabitants, but it was thought best 
to be "somebody in the world," as one of 
the organizers expressed it, so the town- 
ship proceeded to elect officers as follows : 
Trustees — Alexander Oliver, William 
Walkup and William Manson; clerk — 
Joseph Rollins; treasurer — Levi Munsell; 
justice of the peace — John Wilson; super- 
visors — John Oliver and Daniel Newcomb ; 
lister — Jacob Simmons ; fence viewer — 
Benjamin Sims ; house a^jpraiser — Thomas 
McClure; overseers of the poor — John 
Simmons and Peter Kiser. This was quite 
an array of officials for a township, but 
doubtless the exigencies of the occasion 
demanded it, though in later years some 
of the officers were lopped off and the busi- 
ness of the township delegated to fewer 
officials. 

Brown Township soon became one of 
the most progressive of the six east of the 
Miami. Isolated somewhat from the early 
markets, it had a slow growth for a few 
years, but it at last overcame these diffi- 
culties, uutil now it is accessible to the best 
markets in the state. It has for years 
been favored with shipping facilities by 
the Pennsylvania lines, which now cross 
the township from east to west, tapping 
its two towns, Fletcher and Conover, and 
affording to the farmer a splendid outlet 
for his products. 

Fletcher is the only incorporated town 



100 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



in Brown Township. John L. Malloy laid 
it out in 1830. The first store in the vil- 
lage was kept by Samuel Dougherty and a 
queer store it was. His shelves were laden 
with every species of merchandise required 
by his customers. It was a miscellaneous 
stock, from shoe pegs to liquors, and what 
Dougherty didn't sell could not be found 
in any store in the county. Samuel Crane 
soon appeared as a rival of Dougherty's, 
probably to prevent him from getting all 
the money there was in the neighborhood, 
and later an Isaac Dukemineer put up a 
brick store and Fletcher put on the airs 
of a metropolis. The village was named 
Fletcher in 1814. To-day this pretty little 
village has a population of about 400 and 
is officered as follows : Mayor — E. E. Ber- 
ryhill; clerk — AV. 0. Shreve; treasurer — 
I. C. Kiser; marshal — W. D. Kiser; coun- 
cil — Joel Carter, Bent Erhart, Daniel 
Kiser, Barna Ralston, James Gayhart, 
John Moore; board of education — W. L. 
Mumford, Joseph Coppock, "W. E. Doub, 
James T. Hartley, Charles Morton. 

Fletcher is the home of a progressive 
public school, several good church edi- 
fices, a town hall, and several fraternal so- 
cieties. It also contains a grain elevator 
and its shipping facilities are of the best. 

Conover is a small town lying four miles 
east of Fletcher on the Pittsburg, Cincin- 
nati & St. Louis Eailway. It was laid 
out in 1856 and was named for A. G. Con- 
over, one of the surveyors of the county. 
It contains several stores, shops and a 
church, the latter of the Universalist order. 
Its entire population is perhaps 100 souls. 

Lena, also in Brown Township, is situ- 
ated a short distance north of Conover. 
It was founded in 1830 by Levi Eobbins. 
The town was first called Elizabeth, but 



the name was afterward substituted for 
that of Lena, but the postoffice was called 
Allen's. It is not on the railroad. While 
it remains but a village, after the rather 
lengthy period of its existence, it is a busy 
little place, containing several stoi^es, good 
houses and a prosperous lodge of Free 
Masons. Brown Township is the banner 
Democratic township of the county and 
can always be relied upon to roll up a large 
majority for that party. 

SPRING CREEK TOWNSHIP. 

Spring Creek Township, lying west of 
Brown, is bounded northward by Shelby 
County, westward by Washington Town- 
ship and south by Staimton. It contains 
no incorporated towns, though a large col- 
lection of shops and houses within its bor- 
ders ; across the Miami River opposite Pi- 
qua has been called East Piqua. There 
was no more inviting prospect to the early 
settlers than Spring Creek Township. 
Well watered and well wooded, it seemed 
an ideal place for a home, and thither the 
discriminating emigrants flocked. It was 
chosen as the permanent abode of the first 
white settler of the county, John Hilliard, 
who came from New Jersey in 1792. Hil- 
liard first located somewhere in West Vir- 
ginia, but, not liking the locality, turned 
his face towards Ohio and after a brief 
residence in Hamilton County, not far 
from where Cincinnati now stands, he 
finally took up land in Spring Creek Town- 
ship. The latter move he made in 1797. 

At that time the whole region embraced 
by this township was an unbroken forest. 
Game of every kind roamed wild through 
the sylvan solitudes and roving bands of 
Indians sought the region as a hunting 
ground. About the time of Hilliard 's com- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



101 



iug, a busy little Frenchman, named La- 
tonr, put up a trading store and dickered 
with the Indians for furs, etc. The trader, 
who was a sort of human will-o'-the-wisp, 
did not make his residence permanent, so 
it was left for Hilliard to become the first 
l^ermauent white settler in the township. 
He put up his cabin and cleared the laud, 
bringing up his family in the new home. 

John Hilliard 's first house was a bark 
affair, rude and not altogether comfort- 
able. This called for a more substantial 
home, and one was built from round poles. 
It was an imi^rovemeut on the first at- 
tempt at house building. "The roof of this 
house was of rude clap-boards and the 
chimney a most inartistic pile of mud and 
sticks ; the floor was partially covered with 
inmcheon plank, while, in lieu of a door, a 
large old quilt hung, curtain-like, over the 
aperture, which answered the purposes 
of ingress and egress." In this primitive 
house, if house the structure may be 
called, the Hilliards made themselves as 
comfortable as possible. The family was 
almost entirely shut off from the real com- 
forts of life. The nearest mill for some 
time was at Dayton, then but a collection 
of cabins, and the grinding of the grist 
necessitated a long and toilsome journey 
through the wilderness. It is believed that 
the unremitting toil of this pioneer short- 
ened his life, for after a few years of la- 
bor he was carried to his grave by his few 
neighbors who had followed him into the 
Spring Creek wilderness. 

It was one of the most pathetic and 
strangest funerals in the forests of the 
Miami. The white mourners were accom- 
panied to the grave by a number of friend- 
ly Indians, who gazed with awe upon the 
burial rites, something entirely new to 



them. After the burial the Indians col- 
lected in little groups and for a while dis- 
cussed the affair, then stole silently into 
the forest and disappeared. Not rmtil sev- 
eral years had passed did the HilUards 
possess any white neighbors. At last, in 
1804, the Dilbones came. This family met 
with a tragic ending so far as its heads 
are concerned, Mr. Dilbone and wife be- 
ing killed by the Indians during the War 
of 1812, an event narrated in another part 
of this work. The Dilbones were Penusyl- 
vanians and were an industrious class of 
people. Mrs. Dilbone was one of the first 
flax spinners in the county, and she was 
famous for her dexterity in this direction. 
It will be remembered that the couple were 
attacked while laboring in a flax field near 
their humble home. 

"William Frost left North Carolina in 
1805 and settled in Spring Creek Town- 
ship. He brought with him some of the 
habits peculiar to the region from which 
he emigrated. He was fond of hunting and 
was celebrated for his skill with the rifle. 
His son Ebenezer is said to be the second 
white child born in Spring Creek Town- 
ship. In the same year that witnessed 
the coming of the Frosts, John R. ]\IcKiu- 
ney entered the township. McKinney was 
a liachelor, who after a while became tired 
of living alone and, without much effort 
on the young lady's part, he was captured 
by ]\Iiss Jane Scolt/ This was probably 
one of the first matches made in Spring 
Creek Township and doubtless one of the 
happiest, for McKinney's log cabin was 
soon exchanged for a more pretentious 
house, and the love and skill of his wife 
made life pleasant for him. 

From ^Maryland in 1808 came John IMill- 
house, and the same year Gardner Bobo 



102 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



cleared some ground for a farm. These 
settlers were followed by Mathias Scud- 
der, Uriah Blue, James L. McKimiey, Den- 
nis Liudley and Henry Millhouse. These 
people settled, not in one locality, but scat- 
tered out and established themselves in 
different parts of the township. The bet- 
ter homes of the settlers were to be seen 
in every direction. They took pride in 
the building of their homes ; they patterned 
after one another and soon had dwelling 
places supplied with not a few conve- 
niences for the times. A writer speaking 
of this period of the settlement of Spring 
Creek Township says: 

At this period domesticated animals were quite nu- 
merous, esiiecially liogs were raised by the farmers in 
considerable abundance. The markets being distant and 
no railroads in the country, the hogs were driven 
through to Baltimore, Pittsburg and Philadelphia, and 
much of the way being through miry woods, many 
weeks were required to make the journey and return. 
Owing to the fact that fences were not kept up by the 
early settlers, their stock roamed the woods at large and 
hogs, especially not being easily distinguished from 
others of their own kind, became at times mixed with 
those belonging to a different herd, and in attempting 
to separate them it was necessary to put an end to 
numerous disputes which arose over the ownership of 
the stock. 

A system of marking was agreed upon, so that every 
man had his own mark by which he could distinguish 
his stock from that of his neighbor, which always bore 
a clifferent mark from his own. These marks were de- 
posited with the township clerk, so that afterwards all 
disputes were settled by referring to his book, which 
contained such declarations as the following: "This 
is to certify that the marks used by Uriah Blue for the 
year 1S15 will be two slits on the upper side of the 
right ear." Another reads: "The mark used by Gard- 
ner Bobo for the year 1815 will be a notch cut in the 
tip of the left ear."' This usually settled the matter 
and from that time no trouble was experienced from 
this source. 

This same system was in vogue in other 
liarts of the county, as the old Clarke's 
books will show, especially in those divi- 
sions which lie east of the river. 

During the Indian troubles which grew 
ojit of our second war with England one 
or more block-houses were erected in the 
township. One was built on the Hilliard 



farm and in after years was used by the 
farmer as a barn. The close of the war 
was followed by added immigration into 
this locality, which had been checked by 
hostilities. Samuel AViley came from Mary- 
land with one of the largest families that 
emigrated to the county. It consisted of 
sixteen children, an emphatic declaration 
that the "NVileys were not partial to "race 
suicide." Following the "NVileys came the 
Kearus, Furrows, Hendershots, Gateses, 
"\\'ebbs, Jacksons, Floyds, Deweeses and 
many others whose family names are 
household woi'ds in the township at the 
pi'esent day. 

The township was formally instituted in 
1814, with the following duly elected offi- 
cers: Trustees — Henry Orbison, James 
L. McKinnej\ Uriah Blue; clerk — Lewis 
Deweese; treasurer — David Floyd; con- 
stables — John Wilson and Jacob Gates; 
lister (assessor) — John "Webb. Business 
was light for the township officials for 
some years and they had little or nothing 
to do. However, as the population and 
general business increased, the needs of 
the township augmented until now it is 
regarded as one of the busiest and most 
important rural divisions of the county. 

Spring Creek Township, owing to its 
natural water supply, became the site of 
many of the first mills, grist and other- 
wise, of the county. These mills were 
much needed by the people, as the nearest 
even were miles away and necessitated 
long journeys, which broke into the daily 
farm work. James McKinney put up a 
corn-cracker mill on Spring Creek and 
Silas Manning operated another. A Mr. 
Eoss combined a grist-mill with a carding- 
mill about 1S30 and operated it success- 
fullv. Samuel "Wilev erected the first saw- 



'TW,^«*5 ' 





ST. PATRICK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH. TROY 



FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, TROY 





ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH, PIQUA 



BRETHREN CHURCH. PLEASANT HILL 



i)^ 





Y. M. C. A.. PIQUA 



CHRISTIAN CHURCH. PIQUA 



AXD REPRESENTATI^^E CITIZENS 



105 



mill on Spring Creek in 1815 and sawed 
lumber for the tirst frame houses in the 
township. His example was followed by 
Elias Manning- and Dr. Jackson. Several 
small distilleries also were erected and 
their output was either shij^ped out of the 
county or consimied within its limits. 

ShawHeetown, opposite the northern 
limits of Piqua, and Rossville, to the east 
of the same city, both separated from it 
by the Great Miami, are the only towns in 
Spring Creek Township. Neither is in- 
corporated. Eossville dates back to 1840, 
and Shawneetown was laid out about the 
same time. Both towns have been over- 
shadowed by the growth of Piqua, of which 
city they are now suburbs. 

Spring Creek Township has long been 
noted for its excellent and well cultivated 
farms, its graded turni^ikes, good country 
schools, a good class of citizens, intelligent 
and progressive, and in fact for a thou- 
sand and one other things that go toward 
keeping it in the front rank of township 
governments. 

STAUNTON TOWNSHIP. 

Staunton Township, the longest of the 
twelve divisions of the county, extending 
from the southern line of Spring Creek 
to the northern boundary of Moni'oe, has 
a history peculiarly its own. Its elongated 
appearance on the county map has brought 
forth numerous comments, being wide at 
the top and running wedge-like southward 
till it seems about to dart arrow-like into 
the domain of Monroe. Its western bound- 
ary is very uneven, owing to the wind- 
ings of the ^liami, which separates it from 
the western part of the county. It has 
not a cluster of houses which can be called 
by the name of town, though, if history 



can be relied upon, it had a narrow escape 
from becoming the county-seat township. 
The few houses which form what is known 
as the hamlet of Staunton l)ecame the first 
official habitation of the county, for here 
the first court was held, in the house of 
Peter Felix, the trader, and here primitive 
justice was first dispensed to the evildoers. 

Staunton much desired the county seat, 
but lost out in the deal, and when the seat 
of justice and otherwise crossed the Miami 
and was established at Troy, much to the 
chagrin of Piqua, Staunton henceforth 
lost much of its importance. To-day it 
has not so much as a recognition on the 
map. But when one looks back upon the 
genesis of the county and notes the early 
struggles that ijreceded the establishment 
of the county seat he is prone to give 
Staunton her just dues. 

It has been narrated in a previous chap- 
ter how the Knooi^s and otlier hardy pio- 
neers established themselves at "Dutch 
Station," which occupied the site of the 
present hamlet of Staunton. It is not 
necessary to refer to them here. Besides 
the initial settlers at Dutch Station there 
were others who came across the rugged 
barriers of the mountains and found homes 
among the forests that stretched eastward 
from the banks of the Miami. Perhaps 
the names of some of these men have been 
lost, but all were worth}' members of that 
advance guai-d of civilization which made 
the woods of the ]\Iiami blossom like the 
rose. It is a fairly established fact that 
the early explorers of this region reached 
the lands of Staunton. Peter Felix — 
shrewd little Frenchman that he was — 
was one of the first white men to settle 
in Staunton Township and the hard bar- 
.H-ains he drove with the Indians over his 



106 



IIISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



counter euabled him to erect at Staunton 
the first tavern, where he entertained all 
with the natural eclat of one of his race. 
Simon Landry was probably contempo- 
raneous with Felix. In 1807 Amariah 
Smalley put up a blacksmith shop, though 
he did not shoe many horses till later in 
life. Levi Martin was another of the 
Staunton pioneers. His wife was scalped 
by the Indians and left for dead, but she 
eventually recovered and lived many years 
to exhibit to the younger generations the 
scalp mark on her cranium. 

Henry Marshall and John Defrees came 
into the township in 1806 and lived ujion 
their farms till death claimed them at a 
green old age. A Virginian, named Will- 
iam MeCampbell, entered the t-owushii) in 
1807, and subsequently became one of the 
first justices of the peace elected in the 
county. About the same time the Staun- 
ton colony was increased by the arrival 
of Jacob Riddle, William and James 
Clark. A few years afterward John Gil- 
more built his house near the Miami, but 
previously Uriah Blue, Richard Winans, 
John Julian and Rev. William Clark had 
come. 

The early pioneers of the township had 
more than their share of Indian troubles. 
Situated as many of them were along the 
banks of the Miami, which afforded abund- 
ant waterways for the little canoes of the 
red prowlers, there were many alarms, 
some of them fortunately false. A story 
showing the perils and annoyances to 
which the Staunton settlers were put is 
told of the Carver family. At one time 
when Mr. Carver was hauling wood on a 
sled, an Indian, well loaded with the white 
man's "fire water," proceeded to make 
the woods resound with his heathenish 



yells. These so frightened Carver's team 
that it was all the settler could do to re- 
strain his horses. He begged the drunken 
brave to desist, but as he exhibited no in- 
tentions in that direction. Carver proceed- 
ed to lay him out with a cudgel, whereupon 
the hilarious red man, upon recovering, 
betook himself to a less dangerous local- 
ity. Quite frequently bands of drunken 
Indians kept the women and children of 
Staunton Township in a state of terror, 
and at times the settlers, when forebear- 
ance had ceased to be a virtue, took the 
law into their own hands and visited the 
drunken warriors with well merited 
thrashings. 

I cannot refrain from going back to the 
reminiscent days of Dutch Station. A 
whole volume might be filled with the story 
of the men who erected it after casting 
their fortunes in the Miami wilderness. It 
has aptly been said, as showing the prom- 
inence of this township, that "the Dutch 
Station" was the first place of settlement, 
Staunton was the first town in the county, 
and the first seat of justice. 

Jane Gerard Deweese was the first fe- 
male white child, and Jacob Kuoop the first 
male white child born in Staunton Town- 
ship, dating back to 1800. Peter Felix, as 
I have already said, was a man who could 
drive a cool, hard bargain. He frequently 
sold needles to the unsophisticated Indians 
at one dollar apiece and when the would- 
be purchaser demurred to the price Peter 
without the semblance of a smile on his 
bland face would inform his customer that 
the needle maker was dead and that he 
(Peter) was offering the last of his stock 
dirt cheap. This bit of craft generally 
closed the deal, and the Indian would walk 
off congratulating himself on the bargain, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



107 



while Peter's white witnesses of the trans- 
action playfully observed that the needle 
maker had a knack of dying that was as- 
tonishing, not to say commendable. 

The full history of Staunton Towushi]), 
especially that interesting part which com- 
prises its early chapter, in all probability 
will never be written. Some of this his- 
tory has been merged into that of other 
townships. Upon the establishment of the 
county seat at Troy, Staunton lost some 
of its prestige, though she still deserves 
the appellation of "The Mother of the 
County." 

A few years ago Miami Chapter, Daugh- 
ters of tlie American Revolution, marked 
with a huge boulder the site of the old 
Dutch Fort at Staunton. This memorial 
appropriately inscribed is one of several 
which have been placed within the bound- 
aries of Miami County to mark historic 
spots. It is said that General Wayne's 
army passed through a part of Staunton 
Township in 179-1. It was also the scene 
of several animated scouting expeditious 
during the War of 1812. 

Situated in Staunton Township is the 
County Infirmary, with the buildings per- 
taining thereto. The land was purchased 
by the county in 1838, the buildings erected 
the following year, and opened for the re- 
ception of inmates in 1840. In 1853 a 
storm demolished the Infirmary buildings, 
injuring a number of the public charges, 
but a year later new buildings were ready 
for occupancy. Since then additional 
buildings have been added, especially one 
for the proper care of the insane. To-day 
the ]\[iami County Infirmary is one of the 
best institutions of the kind in the state 
and has been well conducted from the first. 
The inmates are well cared for, the build- 



ings well kept up and the finances of the 
institution satisfactorily managed. The 
j\Iiami County Infirmary is the largest 
jmblic institution on the eastern side of 
the river, the other bein,*'- the Knoops 
Children's Home in Elizabeth Township. 

LOST CREEK TOWNSHIP. 

There is a tradition to the effect that 
the term "Lost Creek" originated back in 
the days of the red man. It is asserted, 
with what degree of truth none can say at 
this late day, that an Indian once lost his 
bearings along the stream now called Lost 
Creek. When accosted by a friendly set- 
tler who observed the Indian's state of 
mind, the brave replied that not only was 
the Indian lost, but the creek as well, hence 
the name Lost Creek, which the stream 
bears to the present day, as well as the 
township through which it flows. 

The county commissioners at their ses- 
sion on December 10, 1818, decreed that a 
certain area bounded on the north by 
Bi'owu Township, on the .south by Eliza- 
l)etli and on the east by Jackson Town- 
ship in Cham]iaigTi County should be called 
Lost Creek. Prior to this time, in fact as 
early as 180-1-, Willis Northcutt and John 
Rogers had settled within this area. Later 
General John Webli and Alexander Mc- 
Dowell, Sr., two men who had taken part 
in the War of 1812, entered the township 
and permanently located there. Some of 
the early records of Lost Creek have been 
lost, but enough is known to say that John 
Lenou, George W. Green, and James 
Buckles were the first duly elected trus- 
tees, and that J. K. McFarland acted as 
clerk. The first township election was held 
at the home of George Puterbaugh, near 
the site of the now demolished Lost Creek 



108 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Baptist Church. Very few votes were 
polled. There was no "log rolling," as 
now, and the ballots were bits of white 
paper, the names of the candidates being- 
written in ink. From this lirst election, 
almost a century ago, sprang the govern- 
ment of Lost Creek Township. 

Among the old settlers of Lost Creek 
Township — not in the order of their ar- 
rival, for that is impossible to give — were 
Elisha Webb, Asa Rogers, Abram Cromer, 
James Buckles, Timothy Green, James 
Frazee, George Green, "Willis Northcutt, 
John AV. Martin, Willis Hance, Benjamin 
Hance, Giles Johnson, Allen Ralston, Will- 
iam Babb, Daniel Knoop, John Wilson, 
William Burton, Thomas Shidler, Henry 
Whitmore, William Wallace, Richard 
Palmer, W. C. Knight, William Saunders, 
John Lenon, David Archer, Jonathan 
Yates, Reuben Westfall, John Darst, 
Thomas Stretch, Joseph Webb, Joseph 
Laj'tou, James Fordyce, Jonas Sutton, D. 
H. Knoop, Thomas Long, Barnett Rapp, 
Samuel McDowell, John Shanks, Levi 
Martin, Jacob Youtsey, Jonathan Covault, 
Josiah Martin, Peter Clyde, Levi Trim- 
mens and Andrew Egnew. 

These were the men who cleared the 
Lost Creek forests and opened .up that 
township. They came from various parts 
of the Union. They made long and peril- 
ous journeys to the new homes, and by 
their i^erseverance made the woodlands 
put on new beauty. All were hardy, hon- 
est. God-fearing people, who raised large 
families where they settled. Lost Creek 
Township is peopled to-day by many de- 
scendants of its first pioneers. 

There is nothing exciting in the history 
of this township. It saw none of the bor- 
der troubles which during the War of 



1812 kept some of the other townships in 
a state of ferment. The only event of that 
war which belongs to the township is the 
march of General Isaac Hull's army on its 
way to Detroit. Hull came through the 
Miami wilderness from Dayton and crossed 
Lost Creek Township. He found a block- 
house near where the George McDowell 
homestead now stands, and halted there 
to rest his men. The march from Dayton 
had told severely on the little army; the 
men were almost shoeless and on the oc- 
casion above referred to the pioneer wo- 
men of Lost Creek bound up the bleeding 
feet with blankets and gave of their provi- 
sions to refresh the army. 

The early enterprises of the township 
were few. In 1814 John McFarland erect- 
ed a carding-mill and fulling-mill near 
where Casstown now stands, and Green 
and Frazee put up a couple of grist-mills 
which were badly needed. Gen. John Webb 
was elected justice of the peace in 1819 
and served many years in that capacity. 
One of the other early justices was Thomas 
Shidler, who became a member of the Leg- 
islature. General Webb, who lived to a 
good old age, came from Kentucky. He 
moved with his parents to Ohio in 1797 
and settled first near the site of Dayton. 

General AVebb volunteered in 1813 to 
take part in the war with England. He 
was not permitted, however, to see any 
arduous ser^-ice, as during the greater 
part of his enlistment he was stationed at 
Greenville. He afterwards became a ma- 
jor-general in the Ohio militia and upon 
the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861 
he drilled a company of Home Guards, 
which afterward went to the front. Dur- 
ing the Civil War Lost Creek Township 
furnished more than two hundred men to 



AND REPIiESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



109 



the Union armies, and these took part in 
some of the most desperate conflicts of 
that wai". 

Casstown. The only municipality within 
the boundaries of Lost Creek Township 
is the village of Casstown. It was laid out 
in 1832 by Levi Trimmens. It was first 
called Trimmensburg, but the name not 
suiting the iirst inhabitants it was changed 
to Casstown, being the only postoffice of 
that name in the United States. Cass- 
town now contains about 300 people. The 
iirst brick house erected in the village was 
built by Daniel Knoop, who for many 
years engaged in the merchandising busi- 
ness there. The village is four miles east 
of Troy, on the Springfield, Troy and Pi- 
qua Eailway. It has several stores, a 
grain elevator, three churches, an Odd Fel- 
lows Lodge, good cement sidewalks, and is 
quite a business center. Some of its early 
mayors were John T. Webb, Abram Mer- 
ritt and Henry Jackson. Others were J. 
B. Geisiuger, Charles P. Young, H. P. 
McDowell, James M. Stuart, John C. 
Knoop. The present official roster is as 
follows : Mayor — W. W. Baker, clerk — F. 
G. Main; treasurer — Samuel Knoop; mar- 
shal — John H. Harbaugh ; council — J. W. 
Fuller, Charles Conner, Alexander Long, 
Frank Simmons, Thomas Lewis, W. R. 
"Wilgus; board of education — George M. 
Boak, Joseph Burton, Jesse Davis, Sam- 
uel Porter, W. W. Baker. Casstown has a 
well- graded high school, conducted by F. 
G. Main as principal and Horace Motter 
and Miss Pear Main as assistants. In the 
center of the township lies a collection of 
houses known locally as Sodom of Pence- 
town. It has never advanced beyond the 
dignity of a hamlet. 



ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP. 

Elizabeth Township is the only one in 
the county which retains the name orig- 
inally given to the area, or a part of it, 
which was iirst embraced within the coun- 
ty limits. The western part of the county, 
known as Randolph Township, lost its 
name when it was broken up into town- 
ships. There is no record of settlements 
in Elizabeth Township prior to 1800, the 
settlers, seemingly not having penetrated 
that far eastward. 

The states of Kentucky, Pennsylvania 
and A'irginia furnished some of the first 
white men who came to Elizabeth Town- 
ship. These were Michael Shidaker, John 
and Jacob Mann, George AYilliams, John 
Flynn, John Gearhart, and the Cecils. 
They found the forests of Elizabeth un- 
broken by the work of the settler, and they 
at once set to work to flood the ground 
with simshine and establish themselves on 
farms. It took a good deal of energy for 
these men to bring order out of chaos, but 
they were equal to the emergency. All day 
long their axes rang in the wildwood, and 
cabin homes began to appear in every di- 
rection. They were installing a little com- 
monwealth of their own. 

John Shidaker, one of the iirst set- 
tlers, was a shrewd man. He purchased 
a whole section of land from the govern- 
ment and walked to Cincinnati to make the 
payments, carrying his gun on his shoul- 
der. Fearing that the Indians or some des- 
perate white man might rob him, he car- 
ried his money in his gun. It is stated 
that he got through safely, completed his 
transaction and tramised back to his cabin 
home. Samuel Kyle was another of the 
early settlers of Elizabeth Township. He 



110 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



was a Pennsylvaiiiau. He was oue of the 
first pioneer preachers of the couuty, hav- 
ing joined the Christian Church with his 
parents. He organized the Cove Spring 
Church in a log schoolhouse that stood on 
or near the Kyle cemetery. He served as 
pastor of the church for many years, and 
at one time was a member of the state 
Legislature. 

In 1813 Robert Sproul came from Ire- 
land and settled near the Cove Spring 
Church. He was a pronounced Presby- 
terian. Jacob Harter, another of Eliza- 
beth's pioneers, served in the "War of 1812 
and took part in the siege of Fort Meigs 
and the battle of Perrysburg. Harter, 
while reared in Kentucky, was a native of 
Virginia. A number of the settlers of this 
township took part in the war. John AYill- 
iams and Jacob Mann both bore a cap- 
tain's commission, and Philip Sailor, Will- 
iam Mitchell, William Shearer and John 
Shidaker were privates. It is narrated 
that all these men were fearless and faith- 
ful in the discharge of their duties and 
were a credit to the community which they 
represented. 

For some time after the settling of the 
township the Pottawatomies gave the 
whites no little trouble. The Indians com- 
mitted no depredations, but they had the 
habit of lurking around the settlements, 
frightening the women and children and 
keeping them always in a state of alarm. 
The people of the township were greatly 
relieved when the last Indian took his de- 
parture and the frontier saw him no more, 
^^'ith the Indian were the wild animals. 
Wolves were i)lentiful in the township, even 
as late as 1820, and it required the utmost 
exertions of the settlers to exterminate 
them. Sheep, which had been early 



brought into the township, the first flock 
by the Knoops, were visited by wolves and 
nimibers of them destroyed. They were 
the ferocious grey wolves and their preda- 
tory excursions in packs forced the set- 
tlers to keep large dogs capable of doing 
battle with the invaders. More than oue 
desperate conflict took place between wolf 
and mastiff. 

John W. Dye built the first mill in Eliz- 
abeth Township. It stood on Lost Creek 
near the stone house which stands on the 
John Lefevre farm. It was a wonder of 
the early days, as it was built in 1813. 
In order to accommodate the people, a 
road was built from the Dye' mill to Troy, 
an innovation which was much appreci- 
ated. In 1823 Michael Carver put up the 
second grist-mill, and others followed. 
Distilleries, saw-mills, turning-lathes, and 
other industries followed oue another un- 
til Elizabeth Township became one of the 
most progressive of the east side divi- 
sions. For years good roads were un- 
known, but at last came the Troy and 
Springfield Pike, which runs through the 
township from east to west, and other ef- 
forts in good road building became suc- 
cessful. To-day the township is well sup- 
plied with good roads. 

Alcony. Having no incorporated town, 
Elizabeth Township is in this particiflar 
a little behind some of her neighbors. The 
village of Alcony, or Miami City, as it is 
sometimes called, is the only settlement 
within her area. Can-, Hart and Vande- 
veer laid it out in 1858, and Philip Dick 
erected the first house. The village has 
now a population of 200 and lies in a beau- 
tifi;l region. Some years ago a jjostoffice 
was established there and the people are 
now served dailv by the rural route sys- 



AND REPRESENTlTn'E CITIZENS 



111 



teiii. Aloouy has a good church, good 
pavements, and her people are aiuoug the 
most progressive in the county. Eliza- 
heth Township contains the Knoop Chil- 
dren's Home, an account of which will he 
given in another chapter. 

In this town.ship are found numerous 
small cemeteries which mark the last rest- 
ing place of many of the tirst settlers. It 
seems that in the early days families 
buried their dead on the farms instead of 
in a general graveyard, and this probably 
accounts for the many small God's acres. 
Not a few soldiers of the Eevolution are 
buried in this township. These men, after 
serving in the Continental army,, sought a 
home beyond the Alleghanies and were 
laid away among the growing settlements 
of the Miami country. 

It would recjuire too much space to 
enumerate the full history of Elizabeth 
Township or to record the strides she has 
made since the coming of her first set- 
tlers. The township now has a population 
of 1,400 and can boast of one of the best 
country school sj'stenis ever devised. This 
is shown by the class of scholars turned 
out by the annual examinations. 

BETHEL TOWNSHIP. 

■ y ' 

The southeasternmost division of the 
county, called Bethel Townshii), will finish 
this account of the twelve little common- 
wealths that make up the body politic of 
the county proi)er. The l)oundaries of 
Bethel as formed by the county commis- 
sioners at their first meeting have never 
been changed. The first settlement of the 
township goes back to the life of the Dutch 
Station at Staunton. One Thomas Stock- 
still, a Tennesseean, who became disgusted 
with the system of slavery which prevailed 



in the South at the close of the eighteenth 
century, left his father's roof antl finally 
settled iu the northeast corner of the town- 
ship. It was prol)ably the first actual set- 
tlement in the county, as it was made in 
1797. Stockstill came north as a youth; 
growing to manhood among the woods of 
Bethel and lived to become one of the 
township's most useful citizens. 

After Stockstill 's coming, others, at- 
tracted by the beauty of the land in Bethel, 
erected homes there and opened up the 
region. Among these were David Morris, 
Sr., a New Jer.sey man; Robert and John 
Crawford, Samuel ^lorrison, ^lordecai 
Mendenhall, John Ross, Daniel Agen- 
brood, the Saylors, Puterbaughs, Clay- 
tons, Ellises, Studebakers and Newcombs. 
Some of these people were of the Dunkard 
persuasion, a class of inhabitants noted 
for their honesty, good habits and worth. 
This little colony soon made Bethel Town- 
ship one of the most desirable in the coun- 
ty, and their presence there induced other 
immigrants to share their fortunes. They 
represented several of the original states 
of the American Union. 

Bethel Township experienced certain 
hardshi})s which were not visited upon her 
neighbors. Lost Creek Township suffered 
during the famous cholera epidemic, but 
Bethel fell a prey to fever and other dis- 
eases, owing to a poor system of drain- 
age in the marshy region in the northeast 
corner of the township. This state of af- 
fairs discouraged some of the most hope- 
ful of the population. There were few 
doctors those days, and they were of a 
school not very progressive. Then they 
were few and far between, and the vari- 
ous diseases spread so rapidly that for a 
time the mortality was very great. The 



112 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



lanee and calomel were the stock in trade 
of the old physicians and they were ever 
administered without stint and to the det- 
riment of the sufferers. At one time it 
looked as though a portion of the town- 
ship would be depopulated. The few car- 
penters within the disease belt trans- 
formed themselves into undertakers, and 
night and day they were busy burying the 
dead. No system of embalming was 
known. To the credit of the self-consti- 
tuted undertakers be it said that they re- 
fused compensation for their services. At 
last the low lands were drained, and almost 
like magic the sickness disappeared, but it 
had poi^ulated many a little cemetery and 
tilled more than one community with 
mourning. 

Besides this strange death sickness, 
Bethel Townshiii experienced during her 
early history some troiible with Indians. 
The savages found excellent lurking places 
among the hills that are to be found in 
some parts of the township, and from 
these they made frecpient incursions into 
the neighboring country. On one of these 
occasions a young girl named Hacker was 
overtaken, scalped and left for dead on 
the ground. She was found in an uncon- 
scious condition after the departure of the 
ludians and conveyed to her home. The 
victim of the assault not only recovered, 
but raised a new crop of hair, and also a 
family. In course of time the Indian dem- 
onstrations ceased and the inhabitants of 
Bethel Township enjoyed a long period of 
peace. 

Brandt and West Charleston are the 
largest villages in Bethel Township. The 
former is situated on the famous National 
Pike and contains aliout 200 inhabitants. 



It was founded in 1839. Being some dis- 
tance from a railroad, it has not made the 
growth it otherwise would have done. 
John Dinsmore was the first tavern keeper 
in Brandt, which place was at one time fa- 
mous for a plow factory installed by Wilm- 
ington and King. "VYhen the building of 
new pikes became one of the features of 
Bethel Township, the old National Eoad 
fell into disuse and much of the former 
glory of Brandt vanished. It has now sev- 
eral stores, a postoffice, one or more 
churches, and several nurseries which have 
more than local significance. 

West Charleston is one of the oldest 
towns in the county and was laid out by 
Charles Friend in 1807. The town lies 
on the Troy and Dayton Pike, which road, 
it is asserted, was originally cut out as a 
trace by General Wayne. For some years 
West Charleston maintained considerable 
importance, but when it came to be missed 
by the canal and the railroad, it lost much 
of its former prestige and developed into 
a quiet village. To-day it contains prob- 
ably 200 souls. Not far away are found 
the "Charleston Falls," which of late 
years have become a summer resort for 
the contiguous country. The "Falls" pos- 
sess much natural beauty and are con- 
nected with some of the most interesting 
legends of Bethel Township. In conclud- 
ing the history of the townships of Miami 
County I have been briefer than they de- 
serve. Much could yet be told concern- 
ing them. Some of their statistical his- 
tory will be foimd in another part of this 
work. Perhaps in no other coimty in the 
state is there a history so interesting as 
ours. During the first century of its ex- 
istence ^liami County has made prodig- 



AND RErRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 113 

ious strides along the highway of prog- son. Each township within our borders 
ress, and to this glorious consummation may proudly take for its motto the phrase 
the several townships have worked in uui- "Imperium in imperio." 



1 



CHAPTER VIII. 



TROY, THE COUNTY SEAT 



Establishment of the County Seat — Rivalry Bettveen Statmton and Piqua; Troy Enters 
the Contest — First Survey by Andrew Wallace — Absence of Graft — Description of 
Troy in 1815 — Log Court House Built — Brick Court Rouse Built in 1816 — Over- 
field's Tavern — Queer Real Estate Transactions — William Barbee — " Squire " 
Brown and Other Early Settlers — The"Broadford War" — First Railroad — Open- 
ing of the Canal — The Cholera Scourge in 1850 — First Court of Common Pleas — 
Troy Merchants in 1828 — The Jackson-Adams Campaign — Runaivay Apprentices 
— Appearance of the County Seat in 1853 — Mayors Since 1840 — Early Schools and 
School Teachers — Churches — The Postffice — City Government — Corner Stone of 
the Court House Laid, 1885 — Masonic Temple Erected. 



It was about ten years from the time of 
the appearance of the first white settlers 
in the county until the establishment of 
the county seat at Troy. A court of jus- 
tice had previously operated at Staunton, 
being held in the house of Peter Felix, 
the trader; but the need of a permanent 
county seat was felt and it was determined 
to set it up. Already a good deal of ri- 
valry existed between the various inter- 
ests in the county. Piqua desired to have 
the honor of being the county town and 
there were those who considered Staun- 
ton the best site. Among the latter the 
pride of first settlement existed. The first 
settlement had been made at Staunton, and 
its central situation ap^iealed to many. A 
good deal of "log rolling" took place. 

The coimty was formed by an act of the 
Legislature dated January 16, 1807, but it 



was not until the following September that 
the commission aj^pointed to lay out the 
seat of justice for Miami County made 
their return to the court. This report was 
signed by Jesse Newport, Daniel Wilson 
and Joseph Lamb. They fixed upon Frac- 
tional Section 21, and the northeast quar- 
ter of Section 28, Town 5, Eange 6, east 
of a meridian line drawn from the mouth 
of the Great Miami River. The site se- 
lected consisted of forty acres and was 
owned by Aaron TuUis, who deeded the 
tract to Cornelius Westfall, town director, 
on the 31st day of July, 1813, for $120.30, 
or about three dollars per acre. On the 
same day William Barbee and Alexander 
McCuUough deeded to the town director 
the east part, northeast quarter of Sec- 
tion 28, containing 144 acres and 77 poles, 
for $421.50. 



114 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



115 



From the very outset a relentless war- 
fare began over the establishment of the 
county seat upon the spot described above. 
The commissioners had been bothered al- 
most to death by the advocates of the dif- 
ferent sites. Piqua seemed to consider 
herself in line for the county seat and 
could not realize that it could be placed 
elsewhere than within her limits. As the 
controversy over this important matter 
progressed the county seat campaign 
waxed extremely warm. Piqua got out a 
map prepared especially to establish her 
claims and Piqua was the only visible set- 
tlement on the map. . Troy, in order to 
controvert Piqua 's assumption, forthwith 
went into the map business herself and 
produced a chart which showed Troy in 
the center of the county and her rival so 
far away, apparently, that communication 
with the rest of the county would be well 
nigh impossible. It was then that the ri- 
valry between the two towns began, and 
the first "court house war" was succeeded 
by another many years later by the de- 
scendants of those who contended in the 
first. 

Not to be left in the lurch, Staimton put 
in a bid for the county seat. It was 
claimed that the site of the Dutch Sta- 
tion was the most desirable. The Hath- 
away and Marshall farms were offered as 
excellent sites for Miami's seat of justice, 
and Samuel Beedle and Judge Adams were 
anxious to sell their farms for this lauda- 
ble purpose. It was therefore a sore dis- 
appointment to Piqua and the landed lords 
of Staunton when it was decreed that Con- 
cord Township should hold the county 
seat. 

The town which was to be thus honored 
was first surveyed by Andrew Wallace, 



who completed his work December 16, 
1807. He was allowed $44.50 for his serv- 
ices, and Eobert Crawford for his serv- 
ices as director, purchasing the site, lay- 
ing out and selling the lots, was allowed 
twenty-four dollars. There was no graft 
in those days, the whole proceedings were 
singularly free from all chicanery and 
everything was honestly conducted. 

January 13, 1810, the court settled with 
Eobert Crawford and it was found that 
he had sold lots to the amount of $2,820, 
that he had paid accounts as per vouchers, 
to the amount of $2,163, and paid orders 
on the treasury, $415. It was then or- 
dered that he be allowed in future on the 
amount of all lots sold five per cent; and 
on all moneys received and paid out, four 
per cent, and fifty cents for each deed exe- 
cuted to purchasers. The first survey of 
Troy comprised eighty-seven lots, com- 
mencing on Water and Clay Streets, num- 
bered one, extending and comprising all 
between the river and Back Street to Short 
Street. 

I extract from Drake's "Picture of Cin- 
cinnati and the Miami Country," pub- 
lished in 1815, the following concerning 
the new county seat: 

Trov, on the west side of the Great Miami, twenty 
miles above Dayton and seventy-two miles north of Cin- 
cinnati, is Ihe seat of .Justice. It was laid out by the 
commissioners iu 1808 and incorporated in 1814. It has 
a public library and a post office. The houses are chiefly 
of wood. No permanent county buililings have yet I)een 
erected. The reserves and donations by the commission- 
ers are, a square for the court house; one lot for the 
jail, another for the cemetery and a square for an 
academy. The site of this place is hamlsome, but a 
bayou is occasionally formed across it in high floods and 
the plain declines into a swamp at the distance of a 
mile from the river. This snajnp. lying to the south- 
west of the town, has rendered it unhealthy, but the 
expense of a drain that wouM convert it into dry and 
arable land is not estimated very high. .\s in other 
towns on the Jliami, well water is easily obtained. 
Sandy limestone is quarried about two miles distant. 
Good timber is plentiful. 



116 



HISTORY OF .AIIAMI COUNTY 



Shortly after the establishment of the 
county seat a log court house was built. 
It was a double-log house and was well 
built; one end of the structure was used 
for confining prisoners, the other end com- 
l)rised the sheriff's living room, while 
court was held in the upper story. The 
log court house was occupied until 1816, 
when it was superceded by one of brick, 
which was erected in the Public Square. 
This temple of justice cost $2,500 and 
stood until 1841, when a third court house, 
which occupied the present site of the post- 
office was built at an expense of $20,000. 

With the establishment of the county 
seat west of the river the glories of Staun- 
ton dei)arted. Piqua started to outrival 
Troy, and other town sites were laid out 
in different ijarts of the county. Beau- 
tifully situated on the banks of the Miami, 
then dressed in the emerald garb of Na- 
ture, the new county seat opened its doors 
to the world. It grew rapidly from the 
first. There were several additional sur- 
veys as new land was added to the town, 
and there were frequent sales of lots. 

One of the first settlers of Troy was a 
Mr. Overfield, who became the first Boni- 
face of the town. He opened an excellent 
tavern for that day, and treated all alike. 
No matter whether his guests came in 
buckskin or broadcloth, they got the same 
attention, and Overfield soon became fa- 
mous as a tavern keeper. This tavern 
became a great resort for those who at- 
tended the first courts held at the county 
seat. The latest news and the latest deci- 
sions were discussed about his fire, and 
some pretty heated arguments were in- 
dulged in. There was good whiskey at the 
tavern and it is to be supposed that the 
flowing bowl went round during the dis- 



cussions. "When this first Boniface of Troy 
had a little leisure he was to be found 
nights on the Miami, fire-hunting for deer 
for he was a famous Nimrod and loved the 
sport. More than once the venison he 
served his guests was of his own killing. 

To show some of the queer real estate 
transactions which took place early in 
Troy, I will give a deal of Overfield 's as a 
sample. The tavern keeper bargained with 
Cornelius Westfall for Lot No. 2, which 
was on the corner of Water and Mulberry 
Streets. The price was $95, which Land- 
lord Overfield agreed to pay on or before 
a certain date. He secured the note by a 
mortgage on the premises and 150 bushels 
of corn, one barrel of whiskey, one mare 
and colt, seventy-eight hogs, one cow and 
calf, one yearling bull, three beds and bed 
clothes, four bed-steads, two tables, one 
chest, one spinning-wheel, one coi'ner cup- 
board, ten split-bottom chairs, three ket- 
tles, two dutch ovens, one tea kettle, one 
pot, one frying pan and all the queens- 
ware and glass furniture — surely enough 
to cover the $95 note. W^hether business 
became poor or whether he found himself 
in financial straits I do not know; Land- 
lord Overfield failed to "come to time" 
and indulgence was granted him on his ap- 
peal and the note and mortgage were at 
last satisfied. 

Another early settler of Troy was Will- 
iam Barbee, commonly known as "Billy." 
He had been a volunteer under George 
Eogers Clark and during the expedition 
against the Indians at Piqua he had seen 
much of the region where he afterward 
settled. Barbee was a man of good parts, 
honest and industrious, and afterward 
held several offices of honor and trust in 
the countv. He bought a lot on Market 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



119 



Street for sixty-five dollars. He became 
soou after a laud owuer, for he married a 
young lady who owned eiglity acres of 
good land while he himself owned about as 
much. He embarked in the blacksmith 
trade and shod many horses during the 
War of 1S12. There was a good deal of 
money in blacksmithing just at this time 
and Barbee kept everlastingly at it. He 
went into the dry-goods business, but 
found it a losing venture when the sheriff 
seized on the stock. This failure, however, 
did not discourage Barbee. He began to 
buy cattle, which he drove to Chicago and 
with considerable profit. In course of 
time he amassed a good deal of money and 
he is said to have been worth a quarter of 
a million at the time of his death. Barl)ee 
was whole-souled and genei'ous to a fault 
and no alms seeker ever turned from his 
door unsatisfied. 

Another early citizen of Troy was 
"Squire" Brown, who crossed the river 
from Staunton and opened a saddlery. He 
was a good saddler and in his shop he dis- 
pensed law as a justice of the peace. He 
was one of the first postmasters of Troy. 
Brown took several apprentices who after- 
ward became prominent citizens. Henry 
Culbertson was one of these and Isaac 
Peck another. Nearly every person who 
resided in Troy at this time had a trade. 
There were shops of every description and 
stores were springing up on every street. 

Joseph Culbertson had come to Troy in 
1808. He was a poor boy, but he brought 
to Troy a trade which flourished from the 
first. He was a hatter and it was not long- 
till Culbertson 's hats found a ready mar- 
ket beyond the confines of the town. At 
the corner of Water and Clay Streets a 
plain frame house was occupied liy Will- 



iam Brown, who started a carpenter shop 
in conjunction with John AVallace. Wal- 
lace was fond of his toddy and lost out in 
his intercourse with it, but his partner 
Brown, who was more abstemious, became 
a prominent citizen and at one time filled 
the oftice of County Treasurer. 

Among the first doctors in Troy was De 
Joncourt. He was of French extraction 
and had his office on the corner opposite 
the Wallace and Brown carpenter shop. 
De Joncourt lanced and "pilled" his pa- 
tients for some years and gave place to 
some other disciple of Hippocrates. Doc- 
tors were few and far between those days 
and when they got established in a com- 
munity they did a good business, for chills 
and fever prevailed during certain seasons 
and "blood letting" was considered neces- 
sary. 

It was not until 1815 that the people of 
Troy had a house of worship. Mr. Ga- 
hagan donated a lot on the west corner of 
Main and Clay Streets and soon a log 
church arose on the site. It was a church 
edifice renowned for its simijlicity. No or- 
gan pealed forth its sonorous tones, no 
frescoes adorned the rough walls, no 
chimes called the people to worship and 
cushioned pews and paid choirs were un- 
known. In this first Methodist Church at 
the county seat worship was conducted for 
some years, or until Troy had so increased 
in wealth and po])ulation as to demand a 
larger and better house of worship. 

A frame building known as the Clerk's 
Office was located where the Gi'under store 
now stands. It was a double frame affair, 
office in front and kitchen in the rear. 
Later on this official building gave way 
for a brick affair 12x15 feet square be- 
tween ]\Iulberry and Walnut. It, small as 



120 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



it was, held about all the offices connected 
with the town. Cornelius AYestfall, who 
was clerk, had a monopoly on all other 
offices, for he was town director and mas- 
ter commissioner in chancery, besides tak- 
ing care of the post office. There is no 
record showing that Mr. "Westfall was not 
capable of filling a few more offices if they 
had been thrown in his way. In office hold- 
ing he was certainly a " Jack-of-all- 
trades." 

In 1830 Joseph Skinner built a large 
brick house on the southeast corner of 
Main and Plum Streets. The south end 
of the building was constructed for a jail 
with heavy brick walls and sills of black 
walnut. This building was occupied by the 
following sheriffs: John Shidler, T. W. 
Furnas, Joseph Defrees, Stephen Johns- 
ton; Joseph Pearson was the first sheriff 
to occupy the present sheriff's residence. 

During the first several decades of 
Troy's existence there was little to mar 
the even tenor of its way. In 1842 occurred 
the famous "Broadford War" or the 
"Battle of the Broadford" as it was face- 
tiously called. The late Stephen Johnston 
of Piqua was sheriff at the time, and Hon. 
Thomas Corwin looked after the welfare 
of the State of Ohio from the executive's 
chair at Columbus. The "war" originated 
in this wise: 

Several Trojans, whose names have been 
lost from the records of fame, conceived 
the idea of weaning men from the wine cup 
by preaching a temperance crusade among 
the rural townships. They may have been 
good conscientious citizens, but they soon 
discovered that the ruralites did not need 
regeneration at that particular time. At 
several of these temperance meetings the 
speakers were assailed with all sorts of 



missiles, especially stale eggs, and this so 
roused their indignation that they swore 
out warrants against the offenders, who 
were arrested and lodged in the old brick 
jail at Troy. 

It was thought for a while that this 
would end the affair, but soon the mutter- 
ings of a storm reached the county seat. 
The peojjle of the country were rising in 
their might and it came to be known that 
mobs were collecting for the purpose of 
storming the jail and releasing the prison- 
ers. The utmost excitement prevailed in 
Troy. Sheriff Johnston saw his habita- 
tion a heaji of ruins and himself probably 
swinging from a convenient pole and he 
set about to counteract the revolutionists 
and maintain the peace and dignity of the 
county. He promptly called out the militia 
to help him as a posse comitahis to pre- 
serve peace, especially in Troy. Forth- 
with there was a gathering of the clans of 
war and all peaceful pursuits were for 
the time being abandoned. Captain Ad- 
ams and Lieutenant Carson put their com- 
pany of light infantry in motion and Col. 
Clarke and Captain E. Y. Barney appeared 
at the head of their dragoons. Piqua, 
throwing aside her jealousies for a mo- 
ment, came to help her sister town. The 
Piqua squadrons were met by the citizens 
of Troy and the Lafayette Blues, com- 
manded by Captain Mayo. 

At any moment the mob might enter 
Troy and leave wreck and ruin in its track. 
Those who had gone to the "seat of war" 
had left weeping families at home and it 
was expected that blood would flow in pro- 
fusion in the streets of Troy. At length 
some wily strategist who had probably 
studied the Napoleonic campaigns pro- 
posed that the militia take up a position at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



121 



the Broadford Bridge, where the mob 
could be intercepted and the battle fought 
outside the walls of Troy. This proposi- 
tion was received with delight and forth- 
with the legions were marched to the 
Broadford, where they encamped. 

Here for two days and nights the ut- 
most vigilance was exercised. Eimior fol- 
lowed rimior thick and fast. The revolu- 
tionists, it was asserted, were not far 
away. Scouts were sent into the woods 
and the pickets were doubled. The brave 
militia slept on their arms, some dreaming 
of the homes they never expected to see 
again. At last it dawned on the minds 
on the Miami Spartans that the foe was not 
coming. Perhaps they had overawed him 
with their formidable preparations for his 
reception and at last the recall was sound- 
ed and the Broadford army broke camp 
and marched back to Troy. It presented 
a splendid appearance and doubtless 

" 'Twere worth ten years of peaceful life 
One glance at their array." 

As the valiant soldiers returned to the 
bosoms of their families from the blood- 
less campaign they could exclaim triumph- 
antly — 

"We routed them, we scouted them 
Nor lost a single man." 

Such was the "Broadford War," for a 
long time celebrated in the annals of the 
county, and many believed that Sheriff 
Johnston's promptness not only saved the 
county buildings but probably prevented 
the streets of Troy from being deluged in 
blood. 

The coming of the canal and the railroad 
to Troy were events of siapreme impor- 
tance to it. The foi-mer was finished to 
the town in 1837 and at once there was 
great rejoicing. The county seat was thus 



placed in touch with the outside world and 
Troy markets were greatly benefited. 
About this time produce in Troy was com- 
manding the following prices : Flour, per 
barrel $2.62 ; wheat, 371/2 cents ; bacon, per 
pound 31/2 cents; chickens, per dozen 50 
cents; eggs, 3 cents; butter, 6i/4 cents; 
sugar, 614 cents; tallow, 614 cents. The 
finishing of the canal permitted the ship- 
ping of all kinds of farm produce from 
Troy and the farmer took advantage of it. 
In fact the canal was foimd inadequate for 
the shipping of grain and the railroad was 
acknowledged to be the only salvation for 
the town. In 1850 the first train on the 
C. H. & D. ran from Dayton to Troy. It 
was a day long to be remembered by all 
who inhabited the town and the surround- 
ing country. A large crowd came to "see 
the fun" as they expressed it, but it was a 
different kind of fun from what they ex- 
pected. 

The cars were old flat ones with railing 
around the sides to keep the people from 
falling off. The crowd that came from 
Dayton was composed of a rough set of 
men. They had imbibed pretty freely be- 
fore leaving the Gem City and by the time 
the train reached Troy they were ready 
for anything and some were spoiling for a 
fight. They went over town in a boister- 
ous manner and made themselves obnox- 
ious to everybody. By the time they were 
ready to start back to Dayton thej" were 
picking up stones and throwing them at 
the cars. When finally they got on board 
they began throwing stones into the crowd 
composed of men, women and children 
who had come down to the track to see 
them oflf. This caused a stampede on a 
part of the lookers-on, but the men in the 
crowd returned the volley of stones with 



122 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



interest and things looked serious for a 
time. At last the whistle blew and the 
cars pushed away from the indignant Tro- 
jans. Such was the exciting scenes at- 
tendant upon the arrival and departure of 
the first steam cars that entered Troy. 

The opening of the canal was also at- 
tended with more or less excitement. Soon 
after the water was let ifito the long basin 
a party of Troy people hired a packet and 
took a ride down the canal to where it 
crossed the river about half way between 
Troy and Dayton. A Mr. Crumpacker 
steered the boat and as it was entering the 
lock he steered it into a waste-way and 
was compelled to back out again. The 
occupants on the boat became frightened, 
thinking they were going over the waste- 
way. There was much excitement on 
board and no little screaming on the part 
of the women passengers; but finally the 
boat was righted and taken safely through 
the lock. At that time there was but one 
house in Tippecanoe and it was owned by 
John Clark, who was proj^rietor of nearly 
all the laud in sight. 

Troy was visited by a cholera scourge 
about 1850. The dread disease also visited 
other parts of the covmty and the death 
rate rose rapidly. The whole town was in 
a state of alarm, for no oue knew when he 
might be attacked and it was some time 
before the epidemic was stayed and the 
inhabitants got relief. 

The first Court of Common Pleas held 
its November session up stairs at Mr. 
Overfields, commencing November 5th, 
1808. Troy was then a small place and 
had recently been made the county seat. 
There were as yet no newspapers in the 
town. As has been mentioned, Overfield 
kept tavern and his establishment con- 



tained a bar, as did all the taverns at that 
early daj-. The late John T. Tullis, one of 
the pioneer residents of Troy, in his inter- 
esting reminiscences has this to say of the 
time of which we write : 

"There was sometimes a little friction 
in running a court and bar-room as near 
neighbors, but Judge Dunlavj' was prompt 
and allowed no annoyance. On one occa- 
sion, George Kerr, a wealthy farmer of 
good repute and ex-Governor Arthur St. 
Clair were discussing the quality of Mr. 
Overfield 's beverage, when, getting much 
interested, they raised their voices an oc- 
tave above the key note. The Judge sent 
his respects to the gentlemen ):)y Mr. Dye, 
I'equesting an interview in the court room. 
When they came in Judge said: 'Gentle- 
men, the court assesses a fine of two dol- 
lars each for contempt. ' Mr. Kerr replied : 
'It bears me in mind that you might as 
well say ten. ' ' Well, I say ten, ' the Judge 
answered, turning to his associate on the 
bench, 'What do you say, Mr. Barbee?' 'I 
say ten for Mr. Kerr,' said Judge Barbee, 
'and ten for the Governor.' They put down 
the dust and Mr. Kerr, being a little excit- 
ed, retorted : 'Judge Dunlavy, I knew you 
when you were so poor you had to lie in 
bed until your wife washed your breeches. ' 
Though it was very convenient to have the 
court so near a watering place where there 
was plenty of good liquor, yet it was not 
always held there, but in the early days 
of the county it was held wherever the 
judges happened to be." 

For a time the court room at Troy was 
occupied by the Presbyterians for relig- 
ious purposes; the same Imilding was not 
very secure. Joseph Beedle and some of 
his friends were incarcerated for a few 
days for uncovering Jimmy Mackey's 



AND REPRESENTAT1\E CITIZENS 



123 



bouse and happening to want water, be 
slipped a log, a part of the Hoor between 
the two stories, and went up, bucket in 
hand, to the well to till bis bucket. Before 
the family could give the alarm be made 
his ingress through the same aperture 
through which be bad made his egress. 
This feat admonished the county function- 
aries that the jail was not a safe deposit; 
so Joseph Skinner was set to work about 
1828-30 (the date is uncertain) to build a 
strong jail and a two-story brick house for 
the jailer on the same lot, which answered 
a good purpose until the new stone jail 
was built. 

Merchandizing in Troy about 1828 was 
yet in its infancy. The only newspaper 
then published at the county-seat was the 
Miami Reporter, published by Micaiab 
Fairfield. Among the Troy merchants at 
this period were Mayo & Bosson, and Will- 
iam Barbee. Barbee had the largest es- 
tablishment and consequently the best 
trade. He was a good patron of the ad- 
vertising columns of the Reporter. He 
made annual trips to New York to select 
his stock and upon his return he always 
announced his selection for the benefit of 
the public. Some of the goods sold in the 
stores at that time have long since gone 
out of date, as the following inventory of 
Mr. Barbee 's stock will show: "Super- 
fine Blue steel mixed cloths, satinets, bang- 
up-cord, Eowen Casimere; black lasting, 
domestic plaids and stripes, Ticking, 
checks. Sheeting and skirting, cambric, 
Jackonet, books, hair-cord. Jubilee muslin, 
calico; Ginghams, crape robes, satin Le- 
vantine, blue and black Gros de Na]i ; linen 
and cotton laces, silk Valencia and Swan- 
down Vestings, Leghorn and straw bon- 
nets. Prunella and Morocco shoes, silk and 



cotton shawls and handkerchiefs," etc., 
etc. The stores also kept groceries, hard- 
ware and liquors. 

At this time T. W. Furnas was sheriff of 
the county and Daniel Grosvenor, auditor. 
It was at the time when the famous Jack- 
son-Adams campaign was at its height 
and Troy was a center for the foment. 
Some of her citizens beaded by John "Wi- 
ley and Dr. Asa Coleman met at the house 
of Col. Humbert in Troy, on October 11, 
1829, and organized what might be called 
a vigilance committee in the interest of 
John Quincy Adams. They issued a proc- 
lamation addressed to the "Friends of 
Order and Good Government," in which 
they called upon every friend of Adams to 
exert bunself for their candidate. "Do, 
then," the call said, "for the sake of that 
liberty which you now enjoy and which 
you will be glad to leave as the most valu- 
able legacy to your children, turn out on 
the day of election and secure it while it is 
yet in your power. A little negligence on 
your part may prove fatal to liberty with 
all its concomitant blessings." The com- 
mittee on the part of Concord Township, 
including Troy, consisted of John G. Tel- 
ford, "William I. Thomas, Thomas Bar- 
bour, "William Tullis, David Tullis, Daniel 
Grosvenor, Lewis Humbert, James 
Knight and Asa Coleman. In this year 
Concord gave a large majority for Allen 
Trumble for Governor of Ohio. 

It would seem that some of the citizens 
of Troy as early as 1828 had to put up with 
a good many trifling employees. It was 
the day of apprenticeship and when the 
young apprentices did not find things to 
their liking they "stayed not upon the 
order of their going," but took leg bail and 
made themselves scarce. Henrv "W". Cul- 



12-4 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



bertson, who was a saddler at the time, 
advertised for one of his runaway hands 
in the following amusing manner : 

ONE-FOURTH OF A CENT REWARD. 

' ' Ran away from the subscriber an indented apprentice 
to tbe saddling business by the name of James Gibbs, 
said boy about 15 years old, dark (romplexion, has large 
black eyes and black hair, very talkative and a most 
intolerable liar. Whoever will return said boy to me in 
Troy, JJiami County, shall receive the above reward, but 
no thanks. H. W. Cdlbektson. ' ' 

The result of this advertisement, if any, 
is not on record, but it is not likely that 
the subscriber was ever called upon to pay 
the liberal reward offered. 

From the reminiscences of Charles N. 
Burns I cull the following data concerning 
the appearance of the County Seat about 
the year 1853. 

"The schoolhouse was new, as was also 
the Morris House (now Hotel Troy). Ev- 
erything else was or seemed to be old. 
West Main Street beyond Elm, was in the 
future and the "plank road" began near 
that point. Main Street east of the rail- 
road had but few houses, Market Street 
south of the canal soon become a country 
road, and excepting at Main and Market, 
I think there were but two other bridges 
crossing the canal — at Union (the Dayton 
Eoad) and the Lover's, beginning at the 
corner of Oxford and Franklin and run- 
ning on to between George Streets and 
the Hafer grocery and meeting the Mc- 
Kaig Avenue, then a lane. 

"The mill at the lock on Main Street 
was owned and run by Hanson Mayo. The 
entire square west of the school house was 
vacant 'commons.' At the corner of 
Water and Oxford were Stockton's car- 
riage and smith shops. The Gait House 
(now Masonic Temple) was then as now, 
except the frame addition on the west. 
'Lawyer's Eow' was then one office used 



by Judge Pearson. ' The Eailroad House, ' 
George Simmons, proprietor, was a two- 
story brick where Steil's Store is now, on 
the north corner of Main and Public 
Square. Old frame shells occupied space 
bordering the square on Market Street, 
both sides except the Morris House ; south 
of the Square were also frame shells. 
Franklin Street ended at Union. East of 
that and south of the canal was 'country' 
and west of the canal 'swamp.' There 
were very few stone walks in town and 
those in front of the stores principally. 
Mr. Edwards started the planting of trees 
on the walks. 

"Little Henry Culbertson was the prin- 
cipal dry goods man and Evans & Elliott 
kept a dry goods store in the corner of the 
Gait House. Joe Youart kept a dry goods 
store where the Troy National Bank is 
now and on a big sign in front were paint- 
ed in large letters these words: 'Joe 
Youart, Family Grocery, Loafers' Ee- 
treat. Politics, Beligion and the Fine Arts 
discussed at all hours.' 

"The town was dark at night except 
when the moon shone. There were neither 
gas nor oil lamps. In fact, I believe, that 
most of the people used either tallow can- 
dles, lard oil or camphene in their homes. 
There was no manufactory in Troy then, 
except a shop or two for making plows, 
wagons and buggies for the local trade, 
and I believe a flax mill above the dam." 
In later years John Kelly of Troy invented 
the first corn planter and put it on the 
market. This was about 1875. 

The municipal government of Troy dates 
from among the early days of its exist- 
ence. It is to be regretted that no list of 
its mayors prior to 1840 is obtainable. 
Since that time to the present the list of 





TROY ELECTRIC WORKS, TROY 



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FIRST NATIONAL BANK, TROY 





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OLD GAULT HOUSE, TROY 



MASONIC TEMPLE, TROY 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



127 



mayors is as follows: William B. John- 
son, George D. Burgess, Joseph Pearson, 
Henry S. Mayo, S. L. Bayless, Harvey G. 
Sellers, S. 0. Binkley, Charles Morris, 
John T. Somerville, H. AV. Culbertson, H. 
J. Pettit, W. F. Eoss, N. C. Clyde, W. D. 
Hughes, M. W. Hayes, James Knight, G. 
T. Thomas, George S. Long, J. F. McCas- 
key, M. K. Gantz, T. M. Campbell, A. L. 
McKinney, John W. Morris, J. O. Davis, 
Thomas B. Kyle. 

Troy was the first place in the county to 
inaugurate a good system of public schools. 
The population of Concord Township in 
1804 consisted of but three families. Sam- 
uel Kyle taught the first school in Troj' in 
1813. The log schoolhouse occui^ied the 
corner of Market and Water Streets. He 
rarely had more than twelve pupils and the 
schoolhouse and its surroundings were 
quite primitive. John G. Clarke presided 
over the Troy public schools in 1816 and 
he had a imique way of reaching the 
hearts, to say nothing of the brains of his 
scholars. Clarke did not live in local op- 
tion days, so he gave his pupils whiskey, 
diluted with sugar and water, and occa- 
sionally he had some laughable experi- 
ences with his classes. In 1826 Micajah 
Fairfield taught in Troy, then Uriah For- 
dyce. Miss Mary Barney, George D. Bur- 
gess, afterward judge of the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas; Robert McCurdy and Irving 
Giles. Some of the other early school mas- 
ters of Troy were B. F. Powers, G. A. 
Murray, E. P. Coles, Minor W. Fairfield. 
The first board of education consisted of 
Charles Morris, Rev. Daniel Rice, B. F. 
Powers, William B. Johnson, Zaehariah 
Riley and Henry S. Mayo. Salaries were 
small in the early days of Troy's school 
system. The first roster of her public edu- 



cators received the following yearly pay: 
N. W. Edwards, $800, Jonathan Aruott, 
$400, Arnold Finner, $400, Miss Susan 
Linn, $300, Miss Catherine Gaylor, $225, 
Frances Rice, $225, Miss Louise Thorne, 
$200, Miss Bishoprick, $200. In course of 
time the first public school buildings gave 
way for better ones ; as the school popula- 
tion increased others still more costly and 
commodious were erected and these sujjply 
the city's educational wants at the present 
day. The public schools of Troy will be 
treated more at length in the Educational 
Chapter. 

The churches of the County Seat, to be 
mentioned more at length hereafter, have 
kept pace with the needs of the hour, hav- 
ing developed from the primitive taber- 
nacle into the splendid religious edifices 
that house her present day worshippers. 
The Methodist Church of Troy was or- 
ganized in 1815, the Episcopalian in 1831, 
the Christian in 1856, the Pi-esbyterian in 
1818, the German Lutheran in 1841, the 
Baptist in 1834. All these churches are an 
honor to the various denominations. The 
Catholic Church came long after the oth- 
ers, but it is today one of the most pro- 
gressive churches in the city. 

From the time of Cornelius Westfall, 
the first postmaster of Troy, the mail 
services of the county seat has shown rapid 
progression. In early days this service 
was slow and laborious, but the postal 
needs of the people were not great. One 
post office building has followed another 
until now the service is well housed in the 
Odd Fellows' Temple. There have been 
no defalcations in the Troy post office; 
the postmasters have been faithful and 
diligent and worthy of the important 
trusts imposed upon them. It is a matter 



128 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of interest that John AV. Morris still treas- 
ures a government draft for one penny, 
which was sent him when he presented his 
final accounting as postmaster. Follow- 
ing is a complete list of the postmasters of 
Troy: Cornelius Westfall, W. I. Thomas, 
John G. Telford, Levi Hart, John T. Tul- 
lis, Joseph Pearson, Henry J. Pettit, John 
Block, Robert M. Barbour, Thomas B. 
Rose, George W. Bull, Samuel McKee, 
Harriet E. Drury, John H. Drury, Frank 
M. Sterrett, John W. Morris, N. C. Clyde, 
J. W. Davis, S. D. Frank, Walter M. Kyle, 
Elva A. Jackson. 

The present roster of the post office, 
which is one of the best conducted in the 
state, is as follows: Postmaster — E. A. 
Jackson; Clerks— T. J. Gibbs, R. H. Wid- 
ner, George W. Humphreys, J. C. Fuller- 
ton, W. J. Kingham, Miss Ella "Warner; 
City carriers — Harry G. HoUis, No. 1; J. 
W. Robbins, No. 2; Noah A. Ellet, No. 3; 
Benjamin F. Robbins, No. 4; Arthur May, 
No. 5 ; Rural carriers — James C. Stratton, 
No. 1; Charles E. Buckels, No. 2; Calvin 
Kerns, No. 3; Elijah E. Moore, No. 4; 
Harry H. Stewart, No. 5; Edmund S. 
Whitmore, No. 6; Charles W. Peurod, 
No. 7. 

The city government, at the head of 
which is Mayor Tliomas Barton Kyle, has 
the following efficient roster: President 
of council — J. B. McCoole; auditor — 
Charles Rannells ; treasurer — John K. De- 
Frees; solicitor — T. M. Campbell; mem- 
bers of council — C. W. Douglas, C. G. 
Snook, S. D. Frank, John Laufer, C. H. 
Kramer, George Brauuschweiger, Clar- 
ence J. Marr; Board of Public Service — 
John M. McLain. R. H. Southerland, Jr., 
A. E. Childs; Board of Public Safety— 
L. H. McConnell, M. K. Gautz; Board of 



Review — John Henne, William Stephey, 
C. L. Yost ; Trustees of Sinking Fund and 
Board of Tax Commissioners — W". E. Boy- 
er, John Hall, D. W. Smith, C. L. Yost; 
Board of Education— T. B. Kyle, A. F. 
Broomhall, AY. E. Boyer, R. W. Crofoot, 
Horace Allen, E. W. Maier; Chief of Po- 
lice — John Headly; chief of Fire Depart- 
ment — Amos Hetzler; City engineer — H. 
J. Walker. The Board of Health is in the 
hands of the Board of Public Service and 
the Public Library is controlled b}' the 
Board of Education. 

It is the intention to treat the newspa- 
pers, the banks, parochial schools and oth- 
er institutions of the City of Troy imder 
separate headings, to which the reader is 
referred. 

On the 16th of June, 1885, the corner 
stone of the magiiificent new court house 
which graces one of the squares of Troy 
was laid with appropriate ceremonies. The 
erection of this Temple of Justice forever 
put an end to the "County Seat War" 
which originated almost a century ago. 

AYith blare of brass bands, march of 
military and civic orders, profuse decora- 
tions of l)unting and National colors, and 
display of fireworks, the 16th of July, 1885, 
passed into history and marked a mem- 
orable day in the annals of Miami County. 

There was laid with impressive cere- 
monies, and amidst a scene never before 
witnessed in this part of Ohio, the corner 
stone of a magnificent new court house, 
which will mark the progress and devel- 
opment of the Twelfth County in Ohio, 
and stand for the next century as a monu- 
ment to the intelligence and public spirit 
of the taxpayers of today. The genera- 
tions who come after us will praise the 
wisdom which selected so beautiful a site 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



129 



for tlie county's eapitol, and builded upon 
it an edifice in harmony with the popula- 
tion, wealth and intelligence of Miami 
County in 1885. Those who were active 
to secure the new court house will soon 
pass away; those instrumental in its loca- 
tion will die and be forgotten, but th'fe beau- 
tiful building will stand for ages, and a 
county with a population of a hundred 
thousand, with a tax duplicate of more 
than a hundred million, will transact its 
official business in the building erected in 
1885. 

The day was all that could have been 
expected as to weather in mid-summer, and 
as pleasant as could have been wished 
for. A delightful and much needed rain 
the night before put the streets in splen- 
did condition, and cleared the atmosphere. 
The sun appeared brightly Thursday 
morning as though the Ruler of the Uni- 
verse were smiling upon the consumma- 
tion of a glorious project. By afternoon 
it grew warm, decidedly warm, but all dur- 
ing the day there was a delightful air, and 
much of the time a refreshing breeze. The 
crowd began to come early. Before nine 
o'clock the side streets were full of vehi- 
cles, and the walks filled with happy, joy- 
ous faces. 

The escort committee from the Grand 
Army of the Eepublic, Knights Templars, 
Uniform Rank Knights of Pj^thias, and 
Odd Fellows, headecf by the G. A. R. Band, 
marched to the I. B. and W. Railway to 
meet the delegations from Hollingsburg, 
Greenville, Union City Arcanum and other 
western points, several car loads of hu- 
manity being unloaded at this place. 

The north bound C. H. & D. train 
lirought the Tipp Fire Department in uni- 
form, visiting delegations from Tipp, Daj^- 



ton, Miamisburg and Hamilton ; the south- 
bound train brought the Piqua division 
Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias with 
Band, the Sidney and Kirkwood bands and 
a large crowd of 2)eople, and the noon train 
on the I. B. & W. unloaded the greater por- 
tion of the inhabitants of the eastern pai"t 
of the county, and most of Clark living in 
the neighborhood of New Carlisle. 

Champaign County from the neighbor- 
hood of Addison was here in force and the 
G. A. R. Post of that town brought along 
their large flag, which was suspended 
across Main Street, 

The procession formed at about 1 :30 
'clock and moved in the line announced by 
program, through the principal streets and 
entered the court house enclosure at the 
west entrance. A platform had been erect- 
ed at the northeast corner of the building 
and this was occupied by prominent Ma- 
sons and members of the press. 

The procession was admitted to have 
been one of the finest ever witnessed in 
this part of Ohio. The ceremonies pre- 
paratory to performing the act of formally 
laying the corner stone began with music. 
Following this Rev. Mr. VanCleve made 
a short but impressive prayer. The grand 
treasurer, Jos. Bains, then placed the cop- 
per box filled with articles in the mortice 
of the corner stone, and the ceremony of 
"leveling," "iihmibing" and "squaring," 
sprinkling upon it wheat, wine and oil was 
conducted by Right "Worshipful Grand 
Master J. M. Goodspeed. 

The orator of the day was the late Cap- 
tain Elihu S. AVilliams, who delivered an 
oration replete with eloquence and his- 
torical data, which evinced a vast amoimt 
of research. In summing up the history 



I 



130 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of the county Captain Williams closed with 
the following peroration : 

"In 1807 Miami County had but little over one thou- 
sand inhabitants. Today she has forty thousand. 

"In 1807 she cast 208 votes; today she can cast 10,- 
000 votes, and her property returned for taxation reaches 
in round numbers twenty-four millions of iloUars. 

'"We have a Nation of fifty-five millions of people and. 
we hold within the limits of our vast domain the line of 
perpetual snow and the home of perpetual summer. 

"We stand in the front rank among the nations of 
the earth in wealth and power, and around our mag- 
nificent heritage of land and sea is drawn the 'sacred 
circle of liberty which the demon of slavery will never 
dare to cross.' 

"I thank God that I am an American citizen, a resi- 
dent of Ohio, and that I live in Miami County — a county 
in which no home is out of sight of a sjhool house nor 
out of hearing of a church bell. Her farmers stand 
among the first of the state in wealth and intelligence. 
Her merchants stand high in integrity and honesty. Her 
clergy are noted for their pure lives and zeal" in the 
cause of their Lord and blaster. Her courts stand 
among the first for judicial knowledge and legal ability. 
Her lawyers do not hesitate to enter the legal arena 
and throw down the glove of challenge to the first and 
foremost of the State. 

"Then let this court house be built upon the founda- 
tion the corner stone of which we this day plant and let 
it rise in its architectural beauty as a sign and a symbol 
that the protecting arm of the law is around every "home, 
and that .iustice like the sunshine and the rain of Heaven 
falls alike upon the rich and the poor, without regard 
to race or color. 'No man is too high for its reach "and 
no man is too low for its grasp.' A shield of protection 
for the innocent, and a swift, strong arm of punishment 
for the guilty." 



This splendid building dedicated to jus- 
tice cost $400,000 and is one of the most 
imposing court houses in the United 
States. It is massive in structure and 
houses all the county offices. That it will 
long stand as a monument to the progress 
made by the county during the first hun- 
dred years of its existence goes without 
saying. 

The Troy Masonic Temple Company 
was incorporated July 31, 1906. Its capi- 
tal stock is $-10,000 divided into sixteen 
hundred shares of twenty-five dollars each. 
The Temple was completed in 1908 and 
dedicated with imposing ceremonies De- 
cember 29, of the same year. The struc- 
ture is one of the finest in the state dedi- 
cated to fraternal purposes. The Temple 
Company is officered as follows : E. M. 
Faulkner, president, H. A. Cosley, secre- 
tary, F. W. Steil, treasurer. The directors 
are H. A. Cosley, E. M. Faulkner, C. A. 
Hartley, T. B. Kyle, L. H. McConnell, F. 
W. Steil and Walter Duer. 



CHAPTER IX. 



PIQUA, THE BORDER CITY 



Origin of the City — Its Historic Associations — An Indian Legend — Piqua Formerly 
Called Washington — Coming of Job Gard — Reminiscences of Joseph HilU<ird — 
Piqua a Place of Rendezvous in the War of 1812 — Land Office Established in 1819 
— Piqua Becomes a Town in 1843 — First Election Under the Charter — Early May- 
ors — Amusing Ordinances — Population in 1826 — The Act of Incorporation — The 
Eunng Tavern — Early Merchants and Leading Citizens — Piqua Benefited by the 
Canal — Coming of the Railroad — The Hydraulic Canal — Business Statistics — The 
Town Hall — The John Vail Academy — Early Schools — Educational Progress — Re- 
ligious Institutions — Relics of the Mound Builders — Military Spirit of 1861-65 — 
Soldiers' Aid Societies — War Memorials — Postmasters — Fire Department — City 
Government. 



The City of Piqua, familiarly called the 
Border City, is coexistent with the forma- 
tion of the county. It has a history pecu- 
liarly its own. Its name rests upon a tra- 
dition which antedates the coming of the 
white man into this locality. Gen. George 
Eogers Clark, the ranger general of the 
Eevolution, destroyed the Mad River In- 
dian towns, inhabited at the time by the 
Shawnees and kindred tribes. This act on 
the part of Clark forced the red men far- 
ther north and they established themselves 
at Upper Piqua — Pickawillany, as it was 
then known in border history. 

We are told that "Piqua" in the Shaw- 
nee tongue signifies "ashes" and the le- 
gend is that many years before the foot of 
the first adventurous pale face disturbed 
the leaves of the Miami forests, the Indi- 



ans captured a prisoner in one of their 
inter-tribal wars. The prisoner, accord- 
ing to the custom of the savages, was 
burned at the stake with all the inhuman 
ceremonies attending such brutality. The 
legend further avers that when the body 
was reduced to ashes and the victors were 
contemplating it, a fuU-gi'own man rose 
slowly from the white heap and stood be- 
fore the astonished warriors. Electrified 
and dumbfounded at this, the Indians set 
up the cry of "Otatha-he-wagh-piqua!" 
which means "He comes out of the ashes." 
Piqua, being the site of a Shawnee town, 
received the name it now bears from the 
legend of the tortured captive. The late 
George C. Johnston, who was for some 
years a Shawnee by adoj)tion, and who 
was perfectly familiar with the language 



131 



132 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of that tribe, is the authority for this bit 
of legendary history. Therefore, 

"Should you ask me when these legends, 
Whence these legemls and traditions, 
I ivould answer, I would tell you, 
From the campfires of the Shawnees." 

On an old map of the Miami Country, 
made in 1815, the present city of Piqua is 
designated as Washington, while Piqua, 
the Indian town, is located by the cartog- 
rapher farther north. The name of Wash- 
ington was retained for a number of years. 
In Drake's book (1815) is to be found the 
following allusion to it: "W^ashington is 
a village of this (Miami) County. It lies 
eight miles above Troy, on the same side 
of the river, on the site of an old Indian 
settlement. The plain on which it stands 
is less than a mile from the river and ter- 
minates in wet ground, similar to that in 
the rear of Troy. Timber for building is 
convenient and the bed of the river near 
the village affords good limestone in an 
abundance. The excellent mill sites at this 
place are already improved to some extent. 
There is a postofifice which receives a week- 
ly mail from Cincinnati. It was laid out 
by Messrs. Brandon and Manning in 1809 
and has been nearly ever since in com- 
petition with Troy for the county seat of 
Justice." 

It would seem from the above descrip- 
tion of Piqua published nearly a century 
ago that even then the pleasant rivalry 
which exists today between it and Troy 
was fostered and kept warm by agitation. 

In 1798, nine years before Brandon's 

survey of Piqua, Job Gard, who had served 

under "Mad Anthony AVayne," settled on 

the site of Piqua. He had land about the 

' ' Bend, ' ' which ground had been cultivated 



by the Indians in their primitive way. Gard 
sold some of his improved land to John 
Manning, which is nQ,w Harrison Street in 
Piqua. Settlers began to flock to the little 
settlement in considerable numbers. Fear 
of Indian uprisings forced the whites to 
group their cal)ins for mutual protection. 
Hand mills and hominy mortars came into 
vogue and before long the pioneer store 
opened for business where are found to- 
day the fine mercantile blocks that accen- 
tuate the Border City's prosperity. Piqua 
was well located and grew as the years 
slipped by. 

John Manning and Mathew Caldwell 
entered the land where Piqua now stands 
and it was formally surveyed by Arm- 
strong Brandon in 1807. At this time 
there were but seven houses in Piqua, or 
Washington as it was then called. These 
first homes were occupied by John Man- 
ning, Edward Manning, Alexander Ewing, 
Benjamin Leavell, Ai'thur Brandon, Na- 
thaniel Whitcomb and Joseph Porquette. 
These houses stood on Water and Main 
Streets. From some cause or other the in- 
habitants became dissatisfied with the 
name of the town, not from any disrespect 
to the illustrious citizen for whom it had 
been named, and in 1816 they petitioned 
the legislature to give them back the old 
Indian name of Piqua, in which they suc- 
ceeded. Henceforth the town became 
known as Piqua though the township kept 
the appellation dropped by the settlement. 

If one is curious to know the manners 
and customs of the first families of Piqua 
he is referred to the interesting reminis- 
cences of Joseph Hilliard, one of the mem- 
bers. As Mr. Hilliard 's account is not ac- 
cessible to the general reader I will be par- 
doned for making a few extracts. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



133 



•*Tbe commou dress of the young meu," 
says the narrator, "consisted of hunting 
shirts made of buckskin and cut in notches 
in such a way as to make ornamental 
fringes, and pantaloons of the same mate- 
rial. Instead of hats they wore fur caps 
of their own manufacture and made from 
the skin of fox or raccoon and adorned 
with the tail of the animal for a pendant. 
Boots and shoes were little worn, buckskin 
moccasins being worn instead. When fine 
shoes were worn they were of a style which 
the young ladies and gentlemen of the 
present day would scarcely know to what 
use they could be applied. They were 
much longer than the foot and terminated 
in a sharp point which of course turned up. 
Young ladies' dresses were made of calico 
or chintz, but pi'incipally of calico. Their 
ordinary dresses were made of striped liu- 
sey and very often they had no other kind. 
There were no hoops in those days, our log 
cabins scarcely aft'ording sufficient room 
for the modern style of female dress. 

"Such an article as a cooking stove was 
unknown in early Piqua, the wide chim- 
neys affording sufficient space for all cook- 
ing purposes. AVe kept time without a 
clock and were as regular in our habits as 
now. Our floors were made of puncheons 
split out of the log and sometimes hewed. 
For chairs we used benches from three to 
six feet long and small three-legged stools 
which served all necessary purposes for 
comfort and convenience. Our dishes con- 
sisted of bowls and trays made of pewter 
or wood ; no china or Liverpool ware being 
then in use. All our furniture was plain 
and common and no one style was covered 
by a patent." 

It has been said that much of the early 
history of Piqua is obscured by tradition. 



It is true that tradition is unreliable, but 
the written reminiscences of the early set- 
tlers, the meu who broke up the forests 
and led the vanguard of civilization, are 
reliable and should be cherished and pre- 
served. The growth of Piqua kept pace 
with the years. For a long time the first 
inhabitants suffered from what the pres- 
ent generation would term "insurmount- 
able difficulties." 

There were no matches; tinder, flint 
and steel being used to obtain a light; the 
fire was buried at night as a matter of 
econom}^, the household light was a tallow 
dip and fingers were used as snuffers; 
sugar was made from the tree, corn was 
prepared for food by boiling it with a bag 
of hard wood ashes to soften and hull it. 
The married women wore caps and all 
females carried "reticules," which were 
sometimes adorned with cucumber or 
muskmelon seeds to "set them off." Every 
Saturday night the young Piquads greased 
their shoes with tallow to look well for 
Sunday. AYhen they needed blacking soot 
was taken from the under side of the ket- 
tle and mixed with water for the purpose. 
When a person died they stopped the clock, 
covered the looking glass with a towel and 
turned it to the wall until after the funeral. 

The foregoing are a few of the "fashions 
and manners ' ' which prevailed when Piqua 
was young. "When the place had grown to 
fair dimensions some of these were super- 
seded by others more in keeping with the 
changed times. 

The growing town was considerably 
helped lay the AVar of 1812. This war 
which, to a certain extent, retarded the 
growth of Troy, operated differently for 
Piqua. Col. John Johnston got together a 
large body of Indians upon bis farm and 



134 



HISTORY OF MIAill COUNTY 



kept them neutral. Piqua became a place 
of rendezvous during the war. Provisions 
were collected there and from there trans- 
ported north. This brought a good deal of 
business to the town. 

An Indian ageucj- was established at 
Piqua. Col. Johnston handled large 
amounts of goods, monej^ and supplies ; he 
restricted the trade to Piqua. "While there 
is no sign of graft during those days, it is 
a matter of record that the Colonel did not 
neglect his relatives. 

In 1819 Piqua was still further benefited 
by the establishment of a land office. The 
first register of the land office I have any 
account of was Col. T. B. Van Home, who 
became one of Piqua 's foremost citizens. 
He was a soldier by profession. Being 
stationed at Detroit in 1811, he and Gen. 
Lewis Cass tried to persuade Hull to fight 
and not surrender. Van Home was a man 
who had not a drop of cowardly blood in 
his veins. When the aged poltroon of the 
time surrendered Detroit to the enemy 
Van Home was one of the officers who 
broke their swords rather than undergo 
the humiliation of turning them over to 
the British. Cass was another officer who 
followed Van Home's example. 

Piqua was raised from a village to the 
dignity of a town in 1843. This charter 
was passed by the House and Senate of the 
General Assembly and became a law, re- 
ceiving the sig-uatures of John Chaney, 
speaker of the House, and James S. Far- 
ren, speaker of the Senate, March 13, 1843. 
Some odd features are connected with this 
charter. It made the councilmen the judges 
of elections and the recorder the clerk of 
the same. Any person refusing to serve 
when elected was subject to a fine of two 
dollars. The mayor, recorder and marshal 



were required to give bond in an amount 
satisfactory to the council, which body had 
the authority to appoint a collector and 
treasurer for terms of one year. 

The first election under the new charter 
was held the following April. "William R. 
Barrington was chosen mayor. He was a 
newspaper man. He edited the first news- 
paper printed in Piqua, the Piqua Gazette, 
which he sold in 1837. At the first election 
F. R. Cole was chosen town recorder. For 
the next seven years the mayors of Piqua 
were "William R. Barrington, G. B. Frye, 
J. P. "Williamson, J. AV. Horton, S. S. Mc- 
Kinney, Jos. C. Horton, Stephen Johnston. 
The recorders during the same period were 
as follows : F. R. Cole, J. A. Truitt, AVill- 
iam Elliott, M. H. Jones. Among the later 
mayors of Piqua one finds the names 
of Harvey Clark, Samuel Garvey, AV. AA^ 
A^. Buchanan, George Detmer, George A. 
Brooks, John C. Geyer, E. M. AVilbee, J. 
AVard Keyt, J. E. Smith, L. C. Cron, and 
J. C. Hughes. The latter is the present 
efficient mayor of the city. 

Some of the early ordinances that were 
placed on the official records of Piqua are 
decidedly amusing as viewed at this day. 
One of the first provided for a license of 
from $5 to $20 per day for showmen. An- 
other which was adopted in March, 1845, 
prescribes the manner in which the town 
hall might be used by the public. AVhen 
it was desigiaed to use the building for 
any purpose it was necessary to interview 
the marshal, who was both custodian and 
janitor. This high functionary had the 
authority under the ordinance to allow sev- 
eral denominations of Christians to use the 
hall for religious purposes. But the same 
denomination could not occupy it twice in 
the same month. The hall might also be 



N^ 




V. 




SITE OF FORT PIQUA— CONFLUENCE OF 
MIAMI AND LORAMIE RIVERS 
(Cross Shows Site of Foi-t) 



SOLDIERS' MONUMENT 
Forrest Hill Cemetery, Piqua 





MAIN STREET, PIQUA 
Looliing Nortli from Ash 



HIGH STREET, PIQUA 
Looking West from Hotel Plaza 





MAYS OPERA HOUSE, PIQUA 



PIQUA CLUB, PIQUA 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



137 



used by i^olitieal 2)arties, but some person 
had to be respousible to the marshal iu 
case of any damages arising to the build- 
ing from a too free discussion of political 
opinions. In those days, and for some time 
later, something more emphatic than ar- 
guments often took place at conventions 
held in this county and broken chairs, to 
say nothing of broken heads, sometimes re- 
sulted. Hence the wisdom of having some 
responsible person become surety for the 
safety of the town hall during political 
meetings. 

In 1826 an enumeration of Piqua was 
taken by William R. Barrington. It was 
found to have 450 inhabitants included in 
seventy-five families, an average of six to 
the family. The year before Piqua 's pop- 
ulation was 248, while Troy's was 283. At 
the Barrington census there were no col- 
ored people in Piqua. 

The city was incorporated in 1823, at 
which time an act of incorporation was 
granted by the General Assembly in which 
it was stated that "the householders in 
the town of Piqua in the county of Miami 
having complied with the provisions of the 
act of the General Assembly entitled : 
'An Act to provide for incorporation of 
towns' and being filed in the office of the 
secretary of state, the documents required 
by the above recited act, etc." This act 
of incorporation, which is now iu the pos- 
session of Mr. John A. Eaynor of Piqua, 
is signed by Jeremiah McLene, secretary 
of state, and has affixed to it the old seal 
of Ohio. In this important pajier Piqua 
is described as follows : 

"Situateil on tlip nestorn bank of tlie Groat Miami 
River, am] was originally laid out by John Manning 
auJ Matliew Caldwell and inrludes a part of Frai-tional 
Sections 17 and IS in Township No. (i east First Merid- 
ian, comprising one hundred and one lots and containing 
in said original plat fifty-tno acres, etc. The whole 



town as contained and represented by said plats is bound- 
ed by the Great Miami Kiver on the North, by the lands 
of Charles Murry and Manning on the east, and by the 
lands of John Campbell, Matliew Caldwell and John 
Kyte on the west, which said town was called Washing- 
ton, but afterwards by an act of the Legislature of this 
state changed to Piqua, by which name it is now known 
and called." 

Grown from its first inception in the 
wilderness of the Miami, Piqua had 
reached the dignity of an incorporated 
town. It had previously become a place 
of some importance. From its first deal- 
ings with the Indians trade had gradually 
turned into more profitable channels. The 
Ewings were the first traders or merchants 
of Piqua. They bartered largely with the 
Indians. In 1809 the famous Ewing tav- 
ern stood on Main Street. For some time 
it was the commercial center of Piqua. It 
was the first place sought by the new comer 
and the last one where he "wet his whis- 
tle" ere he bade adieu to the town. If a 
full record of the days and nights spent 
by the guests of this old hostelry could be 
found, an interesting chapter could be add- 
ed to this work. Ewing did a good busi- 
ness for the time, though it is said that 
now and then some guest left him in the 
lurch and went his waj', leaving behind 
the memories of an unpaid bill which the 
landlord charged against the profit and 
loss page in his ledger. 

In 1812 an Irishman named Nicholas 
Greenham dropped into Piqua. He had 
the odors of the "ould sod" upon him. 
Trade and barter looked out of his eyes 
and he proceeded to set up the first coun- 
try store in the Border City. He rented a 
room in Ewing 's tavern and what escaped 
the eye of this son of Erin is not worthy 
of record. He gathered in all sorts of 
country produce, for which he exchanged 
the contents of his shelves and some things 
that were not kept in sight. The sharp 



138 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Nicoias kept in full view the whiskey bot- 
tle aud a pitcher of water and every cus- 
tomer prospective aud actual was invited 
to "help himself" without stint, for whis- 
key was cheap those days and proverbially 
good. More than one Indian smacked his 
lips over the Irish merchant's bottle and 
when the said redskin became somewhat 
mellow aud thought the world his own, 
Mr. Greeuham bartered with him for his 
furs and usually came out best. 

By and by John McCorkle opened a 
store. The name McCorkle is an honored 
one to this day in Piqua. He represented 
Miami County in the Ohio Legislature and 
was one of the most ardent friends of the 
canal, which he did not live to see com- 
pleted. Among the other early merchants 
of Piqua were William Scott, Jolm M. 
Cheevers, Jacob and Abel Furrow, Byram 
Dayton, James Defrees, Young & Sons, 
David J. Jordan, William Keyt, L. R. 
Brownell, Demas Adams, William and 
Lewis Kirk. All these old merchants have 
passed away, but among the heirlooms to 
be found at this day among the families 
of the coimty are certain goods, household 
utensils, etc., which were purchased over 
their counters. Some of these old-fash- 
ioned wares were paid for in "sharp- 
skins," or the cut-money which came into 
use about the time of the second war with 
England. 

The history of every locality has closely 
identified with it men who became a part 
of it in various capacities. This is essen- 
tially true of Piqua. It has had for its 
citizens some of the foremost men of the 
country. Among these is the late Stephen 
Johnston. Major Johnston came of good 
Irish stock. His father, who came to Ohio 
in 1808, was killed by the Indians near 



Fort Wayne, Ind., during the War of 1812. 
The mother of Major Johnston was Mary 
Caldwell, a jDioneer woman who knew Dan- 
iel Boone and the famous backwoodsmen 
of the early day. She was acquainted also 
with several of the noted Indian chiefs, in- 
cludiug Tecumseh, the red cyclone of the 
border wars. Major Johnston was a sad- 
dler by trade and had the distinction of 
having drafted upon his bench the charter 
for the Columbus, Pic[ua & Indiana Rail- 
road company, now known as one of the 
component parts of the Pennsylvania Sys- 
tem. He was elected sheriff of Miami 
County, was a candidate for governor on 
the Greenback ticket in 1877, and previ- 
ously, 1864, an elector on the Lincoln 
ticket. Reaching a ripe old age he passed 
to his reward, having done much for the 
city which he helped to build up in connec- 
tion with his own sterling character. 

Another of Piqua 's prominent citizens 
was Godwin Volney Dorsey, M. D., who 
was born in 1812. He became treasurer of 
state, being elected during the exciting 
Brough-Vallandigham campaign of 1863, 
though his first elevation to that office took 
place in 1861. Dr. Dorsey was originally a 
Jeffersonian Democrat, but in 1849 he rep- 
resented Miami, Darke, and Shelby Coun- 
ties in the legislature as a Whig. From 
that time on, covering a period of many 
years, he filled various offices of trust. He 
was a man of comprehensive erudition 
and a profound scholar. He translated the 
best part of Horace, some Greek tragedies 
and a number of Latin mediteval hymns. 
In therapeutics and surgery Dr. Dorsey 
stood at the head of his profession and his 
death was a loss to the city which he had 
honored by his learning and presence. 

Major Johnston and Dr. Dorsey were 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



139 



but two of the mauy citizens who stimu- 
lated the growth of Piqua. Ainoug others 
in the profession of medicine stand Henry 
Chapeze, who came from Kentuckj^ and lo- 
cated in Piqua about 1813. Dr. John 
O'Ferrall followed him in 1820, and he 
was succeeded by Drs. Jackson, Teller, 
Jordan, Hendershot and AVorrell. These 
old practitioners, some of whom are still 
remembered by the older citizens of Piqua, 
gave way at last to others and with the 
"old guard" went the old practice of med- 
icine. 

When the Miami & Erie Canal was 
opened to Piqua the city became a minia- 
ture mart. Until then it had had but little 
intercourse with the outside world, save 
through the trafficking carried on by the 
flatboats and barges which navigated the 
rivers going as far South as New Orleans. 
Piqua for some time was at the head of 
canal navigation and therefore was a place 
much sought by the merchants and farm- 
ers of the surrounding country. The 
canal brought it much business and went 
far toward enriching a number of its citi- 
zens. The boats which cut the waters of 
the canal were manj" and "warious," as 
Mt. Wegg would say. There are extant 
to this day some of the old shii^ping bills 
of the late 30 's from Cincinnati firms to 
Ashton & Ewiug of Piqua. These ancient 
bills give the names of the boats with 
those of their captains who led the gaudily 
painted craft through the locks — Captains 
Prescott, Jordan, Clark, "Whistler, Ben- 
nett, Culbertson, Barton and Taylor, all 
names connected with the early water nav- 
igation in Miami County. Piqua grew 
with the canal, which probably accounts 
for the tenacity with which the city still 
battles for its retention as a water-wav. 



though much of its usefulness has de- 
parted. 

The coming of the railroad to Piqua 
opened up a new avenue to business pros- 
perity. The steam lines followed the canal 
and naturally took much business from it. 
Although steam is a swifter method of 
convej'ance than mule power, the canal was 
slow to relinquish its domain. Freight con- 
tinued to be hauled on the boats through 
Piqua and for years after the establish- 
ment of the steam roads canal traffic con- 
tinued to be great. Of late years, how- 
ever, this mode of shipment has dimin- 
ished, and, while the locks are still main- 
tained, the canal is no longer much of a 
business factor. The old system helped 
to build up Piqua, as well as other county 
towns along its route, and the early mer- 
chants found it an indispensable business 
agent. 

The Dayton & Michigan Railroad was 
formally chartered in March, 1851. It was 
completed to Piqua in 1856. This gave the 
city and the contiguous region a long de- 
sired outlet to the South. 

The railroad was hailed with delight by 
everyone. A new era had dawned, one of 
great promise to the commercial interests 
of the Border City. The same year that 
witnessed the entrance of the Dayton & 
Michigan Railroad in to Piqua (1856) saw 
the completion of the P. C. & St. L. Rail- 
road (Pennsylvania Line) to this city. 
iMajor Stephen Johnston had drafted the 
charter of this line on his saddler's bench. 
An eastern market was now opened up 
to Piqua and this, with the region tapped 
by the Dayton & Michigan Railroad, added 
to the prosperity of the place. These two 
roads with their various branches placed 
tlie citv in communication with the East 



140 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



and West. In later years and quite re- 
cently two prominent electric lines entered 
the city. The Dayton & Troy Electric 
Railway blazed the way for a trolley and 
the Dayton, Covington & Piqua Line came 
soon after. There is now electric com- 
munication with Cincinnati and Toledo, 
and, through the aid of branch lines, with 
nearly every part of Ohio and a large por- 
tion of Indiana. 

The need of hydraulic power by Piqua 
inaugurated a move in that direction as 
early as 1856 when the Legislature passed 
a bill looking to the enlargement of the 
Lewistown Eeservoir for hydraulic pur- 
poses. The "Miami Hydraulic and Manu- 
facturing Company" which was organized 
at this time, failed to successfully interest 
the citizens of Piqua and was abandoned. 
In 1865 the "Piqua Hydraulic Company" 
was incorporated and Dr. Dorsey became 
its first president, serving till 1868. After 
a vast amount of work and the expenditure 
of large sums of money, after numerous 
drawbacks which would have discouraged 
less energetic people than its projectors, 
the hydraulic canal was completed and in 
June, 1876, it was opened for test and dis- 
play. 

"Probably no event connected with the 
city since its foundation," says a writer, 
"was of so much importance to its people 
and should conduce more to its ultimate 
growth and development, than the comple- 
tion of the hydraulic canal, producing fine 
water power and thus creating the life 
artery of the city. A cheap and never- 
failing power, it thus provided for run- 
ning a great number of establishments re- 
quiring power. In addition to this use and 
operated by the hydraulic canal, there has 
been completed a system of waterworks, 



containing over seven miles of pipe and 
the necessary number of hydrants, fur- 
nishing an inexhaustible supply of water 
for domestic jjurposes, and, in connection 
with a well appointed fire department, giv- 
ing a better protection against loss by fire 
than is usually found in cities of its class." 

In 1890 the manufacturing and jobbing 
interest of Piqua amounted to over $7,000,- 
000 — figures which represent less than 
one-half of its actual business. In that 
year there was a grand total of 646 manu- 
facturing establishments, wholesale and 
retail houses and miscellaneous industries. 
Since then this total has been largely in- 
creased. In 1906 seventy-nine manufac- 
tures were rejjorted, with an annual pay- 
roll of $1,267,000. Upwards of two mil- 
lion dollars were invested in these indus- 
tries and the total value of goods produced 
or manufactured amounted to twice that 
sum. This is certainly an excellent show- 
ing for a city of 15,000 inhabitants, a city 
upon whose site less than a century ago 
stood the cabin of the settler and the wig- 
wam of the Indian. 

Retracing our steps a little, let us de- 
scribe the buildings of one of the famous 
public institutions of Picjua. About sixty- 
four years ago the city was interested in 
the erection of its town hall or coimcil 
house, as it was then called. This old 
building which is still the oflScial residence 
of the city, was commenced in 1843 and com- 
pleted the following year. The contractors 
were Spencer & Darnold. J. Reed Hilliard 
furnished the brick and lime. It was in 
the early days of the Miami & Erie Canal 
and the iron work and glass of the build- 
ing had to be transported from Cincinnati 
by water. Messrs. Reed, Hilliard and 
AValkup went to the Queen City to pur- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



141 



chase the material ou a boat nm by Law- 
tou and Baruett. After transacting their 
business the several agents found them- 
selves icebound by the freezing of the canal 
and were obliged to seek other means of 
returning home. Mr. AValkup engaged the 
only remaining seat in the north-bound 
stage coach, while the other members of 
the party concluded to walk home. They 
made the entire journey on foot while the 
purchased material had to wait till the 
Oldening of the canal, which did not take 
place till the following spring. "Work was 
then resumed on the council house and the 
"ornate structure," ornate for the time at 
least, was finally completed. 

In those days it was asserted that the 
public square was east on Main Street. 
On the west side of Main Street stood the 
old academy or seminary of John Vail, 
where some of the elder residents of Piqua 
finished their education. The academy was 
a long, low structure which disappeared 
many years ago. On the site of the post 
ofiSce stood the home of Martin Simpson, 
which in later years gave way for what is 
known as the Conover Opera House. About 
this time the population of Piqua amount- 
ed to 2,600. 

It is a far cry from the splendid school 
buildings of the. city of Piqua back to the 
educational beginnings. The first inhabit- 
ants, desirous of having their children well 
educated, built the first school house in 
1809. This building stood outside of the 
then limits of the town near the present 
corner of Main and Young Streets. The 
first teacher was John Hendershott. The 
interior furnishings of this "temple" of 
learning were of the simplest, the books 
the simple ones of early times. Hender- 



shott could teach the "three R's" and was 
an instructor of the old style. 

"A man severe he was and stern to view, 
They knew him well and every truant knew, 
Well had the boding tremblers learned to trace 
The day's disasters in his morniug face; 
Full well they laughed with counterfeited glee 
At all bis jokes, and many a joke had he; 
Full well the busy whisper circling round, 
Convoyed the dismal tidings when he frown'd 
Yet kind he was, or if severe in aught, 
The love he bore to learning was in fault; 
The village all declared how much he knew, 
'Twas certain he could write and cypher too, 
Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage, 
And e'en the story ran that he could gauge. 
In arg\iing too, the parson owned his skill. 
For e'en tho' vanquished he could argue still, 
While words of learned length and thundering sound 
Amazed the gazing rustics ranged around, 
And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew 
That one small head should carry all he knew." 

In 1818 the first schoolhouse gave way 
for a brick one and to this was given the 
loftier name of the Academy. Rev. J. P. 
Finley was the first insti'uctor in the new 
building. It was not until 1850 that the 
public schools were organized. The graded 
schools of Piqua came in 1854, when the 
site for the first high school was selected. 
Dr. G. Volney Dorsey and William Scott, 
members of the board of education, chose 
the site, and A. G. Chambers was made 
the first teacher and superintendent of the 
new structure. Since then Piqua has made 
rapid strides in the matter of education, 
until today she stands in the foremost rank 
in matters of this kind. Her schools have 
sent into public life men and women who 
have made their mark and who have re- 
flected honor and credit upon their Alma 
Mater. Every branch of education is 
taught in her high schools and her edu- 
cators have always been of the highest 
order. 

The religious institutions of the city 
have kept pace with its development along 
other lines. The United Presbyterians 
built the first log church in 1816. Before 



142 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



this time religious services were held in 
the homes of the early settlers and in the 
uml)rageous groves that surrounded the 
town. The Eev. Dyer Burgess was the 
first minister to call the people to worship 
and his convincing discourses were long 
cherished by those who sat under the drop- 
pings of the first sanctuary erected in 
Piqua. In 1837 Rev. James Porter pre- 
sided over a little flock in a neat brick 
building. The Methodists, after occupying 
the seminary on the public square, built a 
small brick church on Spring Street in 
1825, but this gave way to a larger church 
edifice which became known as the Green 
Street Church. The most celebrated pas- 
tor this church has known was the re- 
nowned Granville Moody, known as the 
"Fighting Parson," for when the Civil 
"War broke out he exchanged the pulpit for 
the tented field and was as si;ccessful as 
a conqueror of rebellion as he was as a 
conqueror of souls. It is asserted that dur- 
ing one of the fiercest battles of the war, 
overcome by military zeal and excitement, 
he instructed his conmiand to "Give them 
h — 1, boys!" But Colonel Moody always 
maintained that what he really did say 
was: "Give them Hail Columbia." 

Other churches now followed in rapid 
rotation. The Methodists erected another 
on Water Street, known as Grace Church, 
James Stevenson, pastor; the present Old 
School Presbyterian church arose on the 
corner of Wayne and Ash streets, the Sec- 
ond Presbyterian on Wayne Street, while 
the Baptist first worshiped on Ash Street 
but afterward (1848) on High, near 
AVayue. The remaining churches of Piqua 
are St. James Parish of the Protestant 
Episcopal Church, which was organized 
about 1820, the German Lutheran, the 



United Brethren, the German Episcopal 
Methodist, the Eoman Catholic. Of late 
years some of these old churches have 
given place to better houses of worship, 
until now the city is well housed religious- 
ly and the congregations are large and lib- 
eral. The congregations of Piqua will be 
further referred to in a separate chapter. 

"The Piqua Female Bible Society" came 
into existence in 1817. This society fol- 
lowed the establishment of the American 
Bible Society by only one year. Its first 
president was Mrs. Rachel Johnston, who 
held the office continuously till her death 
in 1840, when Mrs. Eliza Petit became 
president. She was succeeded by Mrs. M. 
H. Jones, who conducted the affairs of the 
society until her death, which occurred in 
recent years. 

It is not generally known by those out- 
side the limits of Piqua that within her 
borders are nmnerous tumuli which indi- 
cate the residence of the Mound Builders. 
These first denizens of that part of the 
county covered by that city and its en- 
virons have left behind them traces of 
their abode. In some of these mounds 
have been found skeletons and various im- 
plements which attest the former presence 
of this vanished race. Mr. J. A. Rayner 
recently unearthed the complete skeleton 
of a moimd builder along with some curi- 
ous imijlements. In many parts of Piqua 
have been found numerous utensils, wea- 
pons, etc., used by the Indians and the 
Johnston farm near by has been discov- 
ered to be rich in such "finds." 

AVhile the history of the regimental or- 
ganizations of the county which took part 
in the sui^pression of the Rebellion in 1861- 
1865 is treated in another chapter, refer- 
ence must be made here to the patriotic 






ST. PAUL'S EVANGELICAL PROTESTANT 
CHURCH (GERMAN), PIQUA 



PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, PIQUA 








M. E. CHURCH. PIQU.V 



ST. liOMFACK CATHOLIC CHURCH, PIQUA 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



145 



spirit that stirred the people of Piqua dur- 
ing that momentous period. It is but fair 
to say that the scenes were duplicated in 
other parts of the county. With the first 
enlistments which followed the memorable 
attack upon Fort Sumter in Charleston 
Harbor, the loyal citizens of the Border 
City came forward with aid societies and 
kindred organizations which did much to 
keep up the spirit of ijatriotism. The first 
soldiers had hardly left the city with their 
faces turned toward the disloyal South 
ere the first Soldiers' Aid Society sprang 
into existence. The drum was still sound- 
ing in the ears of those left behind and the 
sun threw back from the sabres the first 
glints of war. 

The first Piqua Aid Society was organ- 
ized with Mrs. Henry Kitchen as presi- 
dent, Mrs. Preston Defrees, vice-president, 
Mrs. J. F. McKinney, secretary, and Mrs. 
James Starrett, treasurer. A quartette 
of women more loyal to the cause of the 
Union was not to be found in the country. 
The Green Street Methodist Church was 
the scene of the organization of the So- 
ciety, and Mrs. Rachel Davis gave up a 
portion of her house for the work. Once a 
week the members of the Society came to- 
gether. During the entire period of the 
war the ladies remained at their post of 
duty. They rolled bandages, scraped lint, 
knitted stockings and mittens for use at 
the front. Everything that could add to 
the comfort of the men who were fighting 
the battles of the Nation was done. Box 
after box of remembrances of home was 
filled and dispatched to the various camps 
where the soldiers of Miami County were 
to be found. It was a labor of love and 
duty. Not only were the men of the county 
remembered, but soldiers passing through 



Piqua were intercepted by the untiring 
workers and supplied with the comforts 
of life. 

Not only this, but soldiers returning 
from the front, sick and wounded, found 
tender nurses in the women of Piqua. 
Nothing discouraged this patriotic organi- 
zation, not even the disasters of Bull Run, 
Fred e r i c k s b u r g, Chancellorsville and 
Chickamauga. In the hearts of Piqua 's 
loyal women was an abiding faith in the 
final outcome of the struggle. The last 
winding-sheet of many a Piqua boy was 
folded by tender hands and his grave was 
strewn with flowers by the women of the 
Aid Society. Night and day they labored, 
some in mourning for those slain, and 
others in fear of what the next battle news 
would bring them. When the end came 
and the perpetuity of the Union had been 
established, the society held its last meet- 
ing and disbanded. Its work had been well 
done and the City of Piqua to-day is proud 
of the women who bound the warrior's 
sash and told him to come back with his 
shield or upon it, like the Spartan ma- 
trons of old. 

On the 14th of June, 1899, the D. A. R. 
Chapter of Piqua set up a memorial stone 
on the site of the last battle fought in 
the French and Indian War. This spot is 
near the city. The addresses made on that 
occasion were as follows: By Rev. A. 
Ramsey on "The Glories of War," by 
Judge John C. Geyer in behalf of the sons 
of the American Revolution, by Dr. C. W. 
Bennett, who represented the Grand Army 
of the Republic. C. B. Jamison read an 
historical paper and James Ward Keyt 
a pa]ier written for the occasion by the 
com])iIor of this work. Again, on Flag 
day (June 14) 1906 the same society placed 



146 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



a bronze tablet ou the west end of the 
famous Col. John Johnston house with ap- 
propriate ceremonies. This old house is 
situated at Upper Piqua and during the 
War of 1812 was inhabited by Col. John- 
ston and his family. It was here that he 
kept a great many Indians from taking 
part in the contest and thereby saved the 
unprotected frontiers much bloodshed. 

AVhen a postoffice was established at Pi- 
qua, Arthur Brandon was made postmas- 
ter, receiving his commission from Presi- 
dent Madison. I have been unable to se- 
cure a complete list of his successors, but 
from 182-4 to the present time they have 
been as follows: James Defrees, John 
Carson, John W. Gordon, Joseph Housum, 
Henry C. Landis, John Marshall, Jonas 
Ward, Andrew J. Roe, Joseph M. Patter- 
son, La Roy S. Jordan, J. R. Thome, 
Henry C. Graflin, J. W. Shipley, John W. 
Morris, Joshua W. Orr. Edward N. Wil- 
bee served as postmaster during a va- 
cancy. The present roster of the postoffice 
is as follows: Postmaster, J. W. Orr; 
assistant, William H. Flach ; money order 
and registry clerk, Arthur L. Redman; 
general delivery and stamp clerk, Lee F. 
Rayner; mailing clerks. Forest B. Hunter, 
Charles H. Folk, 0. W. Scudder, Emmet 
Shane ; special delivery messenger, George 
A. Reamer ; city carriers, Charles C. Fish- 
er, William M. Fleming, Louis Gabel, 
Charles H. Gram, H. W. McCabe, James 
V. Offenbach, Ray R. Shipley, J. M. Stump, 
Theodore Von Bargen; rural carriers, 
Harvey Anderson, Frank E. Craft, Charles 
Heitzman, Clyde DeWeese, William Ship- 
ley, John P. Wood. The Piqua postoffice 
is situated in the Conover Building and is 
one of the best appointed offices in the 
county. 



The present efficient Fire Department of 
Piqua is the outgrowth of the one organ- 
ized in 1843. At that time, as recalled by 
Capt. F. A. Hardy, who is one of the sur- 
viving firemen of the old days, the equip- 
ment consisted of an engine called "The 
Old Row Boat," which was very primitive 
in build and operation. "The firemen were 
seated on the top of the machine in two 
lines with their feet placed together, pul- 
ling on the brakes as though they were 
rowing a boat." A "bucket brigade" 
worked in conjunction with the old fire 
service, and the old leather buckets used 
by the men were laboriously but effective- 
ly handled on many occasions. 

The city goveimment of to-day has the 
following roster: Mayor, J. C. Hughes; 
president of council, J. H. Clark; auditor, 
Bert A. Reed; treasurer, George H. Run- 
del; solicitor, E. M. Bell. Members of 
council — John E. Anderson, A. M. Bow- 
dell, George M. Peffer, Conrad Kalbfleisch, 
Michael Kerrigan, A. J. Licklider, Anson 
Mote; board of public service — Bland S. 
Levering, John G. Hagan, W. F. Robbins ; 
board of public safety — W. K. Leonard, 
Dr. J. W. Prince; board of review — Will- 
iam Suff, Otto Simon; sinking fund and 
tax commissioners — Albion Thoma, John 
H. Young, W. L. Catterlin, George W. 
Berry; board of health— Dr. R. M. Shan- 
non, W. W. Buchanan, W. T. Caldwell, Dr. 
J. H. Lowe, H. T. Dettman ; board of edu- 
cation — Oscar Fisher, Dr. W. J. Prince, 
Charles C. Jelleff, Mrs. Frances Orr, E. P. 
Brotherton, Otto Von Bargen ; chief of po- 
lice, Frank Gehle ; chief of fire department, 
P. J. Caulfield; city engineer, H. E. Whit- 
lock. 

In other chapters will be found mention 
of the banks, schools, churches, the press, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



147 



fraternal orders aud the several industries 
of the city. I realize that the i:)resent chap- 
ter does not fully cover the history of the 
City of Piqua, but its salient features have 
been given with all the accuracy attainable 
and is thus submitted to the reader. P"'or 
a city that came out of the backwoods a 
century ago, Piqua has made a commend- 
able growth in all lines, reaching out in 
every direction, having within her borders 



handsome ]iublic libraries, a complete 
Memorial Hospital, commodious banks, 
churches, schools, and other public insti- 
tutions. It does not require the wisdom 
of a seer to predict still further advance- 
ment, nor to place the "Border City" on 
the banks of the Miami in the front rank 
of the growing municipalities of the Union. 
Piqua has a fame distinctly her own. 



CHAPTER X. 



MIAMI IN THE WARS 



The War of 1812 — Employment of the Indians hy England — Battle of Tippecanoe — Te- 
cumseh — Services of Col. John Johnston — Results of Perry's Victory on Lake 
Erie — Miami Heroes of the War — The War of the Rebellion — Prompt Enlistments 
— The Gravity of the Struggle Realised — Miami Soldiers on Many Battlefields — 
Eleventh Ohio Volunteers — Forty-Fourth Infantry and Eighth Cavalry — The Sev- 
enty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry — Ninety-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry — One 
Hundred and Tenth 0. V. I. — The One -Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment — 
Spanish-American War Volunteers — Roster of Veterans. 



Oh! once was felt the storm of war, 

It hail an earthquake's roar, 
It flashed upon the mountain height 

And smoked along the shore; 
It thundered in a dreaming ear. 

And up the farmer sprang. 
It muttered in a true bold heart 

And a warrior's harness rang. 

Brainard. 

The part taken by the people of Miami 
county in the War of 1812 was one of ex- 
citement. While no battles were fought 
within its limits, its patriotic citizens 
sprang to the call of arms and performed 
their allotted duties in an earnest manner. 
This war, brought on by the aggressive 
and tyrannic policies of England, was des- 
tined to blacken the frontiers with all man- 
ner of crimes. Its inhumanities were ac- 
centuated by the employment of Indians 
who, tiger-like, in their hunt for white 
victims, swept down upon the settlements 
of Ohio and left behind them a trail of 
fire and blood. The boasted fame of Eng- 
land received a blot which has never been 



wiped out. Those who steered the Georgian 
monarchy through that struggle covered 
themselves with disgrace which remains to 
this day. Not content with meeting the 
armed forces of the young Eepublic in the 
field, the British ministry connived at the 
brutalities perpetrated by the Indians. 
Some of the red captains were made com- 
missioned officers by the King and actually 
wore the uniforms of his generals. 

I shall not discuss the causes which led 
up to the War of 1812. It was not until 
1813 that the Miami border felt the shock 
of war. The siege of Fort Meigs, which 
took place that year, was the incentive 
that turned Tecmnseh and his warriors 
upon this fair region, which had just be- 
gun to blossom under the influences of civ- 
ilization. The late Dr. Coleman, Sr., in 
his interesting reminiscences writes : ' ' Ru- 
mors were in circulation of combinations 
among the various tribes of the Northwest 



148 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



149 



and South, under the leadership of Tecum- 
seh and his brother, the Prophet, backed 
by British influence. Our Government 
wanted more of their lands, but they re- 
fused to sell. "With a view to bring them 
to terms, an expedition was fitted out in 
1811. It was organized at the Falls of the 
Oliio and consisted of the Fourth United 
States Infantry and some two or three 
regiments of mounted Kentucky volun- 
teers, all under the command of Gov. Har- 
rison of Indian Territory. They proceed- 
ed into the Indian country in a northwest- 
erly direction, striking the Wabash River 
near the present site of Lafayette, the In- 
dians falling back and accumulating their 
forces, but still declining to treat. "While 
in camp six miles north of Lafayette, the 
Indians made a night attack, attempting 
to storm the camp, but were finally re- 
pulsed after a most desperate hand-to- 
hand fight with tomahawk and bayonet." 

This engagement is known as the battle 
of Tippecanoe, and it was the defeat of 
the Indians on this occasion which sent the 
storm of savage warfare hurtling through 
the forests of Ohio. Tecumseh, who led 
the Indians in this battle, chafed imder 
his overthrow and resolved to deluge the 
whole frontier in blood. Of this scarlet 
chieftain, perhaps one of the greatest that 
ever wielded a tomahawk, much has been 
written, and since some of his warriors 
entered Miami County and shed some of 
her settlers' blood, I may be pardoned for 
giving some of his history here. 

It has been asserted that both the 
Anglo-Saxon and Creek blood ran in the 
veins of Tecumseh, but the better opinion 
seems to be that he was wholly a Shawnee. 
Col. Johnston, the Indian agent at Piqua, 
and Stephen Euddell, of Kentucky, who 



for nearly twenty years was a prisoner 
among the Shawnees, possessed ample op- 
portunities for knowing the lineage of Te- 
cumseh. They both assert that his father 
was Puckeshinwa, a member of the Kisco- 
poke and Methoataske, his mother being 
of the Turtle tribe of the Shawnee nation. 
The loarents of Tecumseh came from Flor- 
ida to the north side of the Oliio about 
the middle of the eighteenth century. The 
father was killed in the Battle of Kanawha 
in 1771, leaving six stalwart sons and one 
daughter. Tecumseh was the fourth son. 
His name means "the Shooting Star," and 
he certainly was a swift meteor of destruc- 
tion. 

Some diversity of opinion has i^revailed 
as to tlie birthplace of Tecumseh, but it 
has been established that he was born in 
the valley of the Miamis on the banks of 
^lad River, a few miles below Springfield, 
and within the limits of Clark County. 
Ruddell says that the chief was born in 
1768, which probably is correct, which 
would make him forty-three years of age 
at the beginning of the "\i\'ar of 1812, when 
he was in the full prime of savage man- 
hood. He is supposed, though little more 
than a boy, to have taken part in the re- 
sistance offered to General Clark during 
that officer's campaign against the Indians 
in this coimty in 1782. 

Early in life Tecumseh conceived the 
greatest plan that ever entered into the 
brain of an Indian. In this he was ably 
seconded by his brother, the Prophet, who 
was a gigantic fraud, but whose de\'ilish 
incantations and wild sorcery gave him 
great control over the superstitious sav- 
ages. Tecumseh 's scheme was to unite 
all the red tribes against the whites; if he 
could accomplish his pui'pose he would 



150 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



bring iuto the field an army of warriors 
that would prove irresistible, and he 
proudly hoped that this tremendous force, 
sweeping forward as a unit, would put an 
end to American domination in the West. 
To this end he and his one-eyed brother 
visited all the tribes, going as far south 
as Alabama, Tecumseh stirring them up 
with his native eloquence and the Prophet 
filling their hearts with his boasted proph- 
ecies direct from the Great Father. The 
consi^iracy was worthy the brains of its 
inventors. But it was not to succeed. 

Tecumseh was stricken down at the 
height of his fame at the battle of the 
Thames in Canada, October 5, 1813, and 
with him died all hopes of a great Indian 
confederacy. His body was not found 
after the battle. The accepted story that 
this great warrior was slain by Col. Richard 
M. Johnson is based on fiction, as it is not 
known at whose hands he fell. The one 
bright spot in Tecumseh 's life is his hu- 
mane treatment of white captives, but in 
spite of this he is largely responsible for 
the deluge of blood that overwhelmed the 
frontiers during the AVar of 1812. 

The personal appearance of this re- 
markable man was uncommonly fine. His 
height was five feet nine inches. His face 
was oval, his nose handsome and straight, 
his mouth beautifully formed like that of 
Nai:)oleon I., his eyes clear, transjiarent 
hazel, with a mild expression when in re- 
pose or in conversation; but when excited 
in his orations, or by the enthusiasm of 
conflict, or when in anger, they appeared 
like balls of fire; his teeth were beautifully 
white, his complexion a light brown or 
tan. He always stood very erect and 
walked with a brisk, elastic step. He al- 
wavs dressed in Indian-tanned buckskin, 



wore a frock reaching to the knee, a belt of 
buckskin, in wliich were his silver-mounted 
tomahawk and knife, short pantaloons con- 
nected with leggings and moccasins, with 
a mantle thrown over his left shoulder. He 
was a general in the British army and one 
of the finest looking Indians that ever 
lifted a hatchet. Such, in brief, was the 
man feared by the early settlers of Miami 
County. 

A number of our early settlers volun- 
teered for service in the war. The border 
was in a state of suspense and fear, espe- 
cially so after the murder of the Dilbones, 
an event already described. But for the 
efforts made by Col. Johnston in keeping 
the neutral Indians at Piqua during hostil- 
ities, the county might have been the scene 
of more than one massacre. At one time 
he had four thousand at his place and such 
was his power over them that they were 
prevented from taking the warpath. 

Perry's victory on Lake Erie practically 
put an end to the war in the West and 
peace soon came back to the Miami set- 
tlements. The settler felt safe when he 
could place his rifle on its pins above the 
door and cultivate his fields without hav- 
ing to guard against Indian surprise. 

Captain James Blue and Charles Wol- 
verton were among the first citizens of the 
county to lead men toward the seat of 
war. Wolverton, hearing of the murder 
by the Indians of a man named Rush, 
marched after the savages, came upon 
their camp near Greenville and killed a 
few, including some squaws. The whites 
scalped their victims. A Covington com- 
l)any forayed along the Stillwater, but did 
not come to an engagement with the ene- 
my. A few other forays were undertaken 
bv the wliites, but none of them were killed. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



151 



Amoug the mem of this county who served 
iu tliis locality duriug the war were Cap- 
tains Reuben Westfall, E. Kirtly, William 
Barbee, Sr., Charles Wolverton, Jacob 
Mann, AVilliam Luce, Gardner Bobo, 
Charles Ililliard, John Williams, Conrad 
Flesher, Robert Reed, Moses Patterson, 
James Patterson, Timothy Titus and John 
Johnson. The roll of the privates includ- 
ed Joseph Marshall, Joseph Culbertson, 
William and James Shackelford, Aaron 
and John G. Telford, AVilliam Barbee, Jr., 
David McClimg, James Youart, Aaron 
Tullis, Andrew Thompson, James Brown 
and Samuel Mackey. 

These men, with a host of associates 
equally brave, stood between the scattered 
homes and Indian invasion duriug the 
whole period of the war. They were ready 
at all times for the most exacting and 
hazardous duty. But for them, roving 
bands of Indians might have swept across 
the county carrying destruction in their 
wake. The cemeteries of the county, to- 
day, hold the remains of these defenders. 
They are gone, but their deeds are not for- 
gotten. Fortunately for the inhabitants 
of the county, the seat of hostilities was 
beyond her borders, but this does not de- 
tract from the services of her patriotic 
volunteers. 

THE MEXICAN WAR. 

The part played by this county in the 
War with Mexico was very small. Not 
over five men enlisted from within her bor- 
ders. No regular command was raised 
here. The few who went served in a com- 
mand raised at Dayton. This command 
did not see much real fighting in the Land 
of the Montezumas, but did some hard 
marching and took part in various side 
campaigns. One of the survivors of this 



little group of Miamians is the venerable 
Cai)taiu Frank Hardy, of Picpia, who has 
reached his ninetieth year. Captain Hardy 
is also a veteran of the Civil War, but his 
memory is bright and he relates with much 
vim some recollections connected with his 
service in Mexico. The Mexican War, 
owing to the slavery question, was not 
popular in this county, which fact no doubt 
discredited enlistments here. 

THE WAE OF THE KEBELLION. 

In no county of the state were the por- 
tentous events that preceded the War of 
the Rebellion watched with more interest 
than in Miami. In the first i)lace the peo- 
ple were opposed to human slavery. In 
early days a part of the "underground 
railroad" was operated in the county and 
more than one slave escaping from inhu- 
man masters was concealed and steered to 
freedom. Therefore, when the South 
sought as a pretext for dismemberment the 
election of Al)raham Lincoln, the people of 
Miami County prepared for what they re- 
garded as inevitable. The first shot di- 
rected against Fort Sumter had hardly 
ceased to echo in the North before enlist- 
ments began within the county. Men of 
every walk in life came forward and of- 
fered their services to the National Gov- 
ernment. Tliere was no hesitation. Deep 
seated in the minds of all was the convic- 
tion that Secretary Seward's "breakfast 
spell" was to become at least an all day's 
jol). The mettle of the South was well 
known. ^leu who luid worsliiped for years 
at the shrine of Calhoun, Yancey and 
Toombs, who had conspired in the shadow 
of the Capitol, were not embarking in war 
as child's jilay. It was to be a death grap- 
ple between Puritan and Cavalier, between 



152 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



1 



the men of the Xorth aud the men of the 
South, xVmericau.s all, aud brothers of the 
same blood. 

Parts of six regimeuts vreve raised in 
Miami County during the war. These were 
the Eleventh, the Forty-fourth, the Sev- 
enty-first, the Ninety-fourth and the One 
Hundred and Tenth and One Hundred and 
Forty-seventh commands. Apart from 
these, organizations of men from this 
county enlisted in other regiments, while 
not a few took service in the navy. The 
story of the soldiers of the county is al- 
most the story of the war. They proved 
their valor on some of the most hard- 
fought fields of the Eebellion — at South 
Mountain, Antietam, the "Wilderness, 
Spottsylvauia, Cold Harbor, Monocacy, 
Petersburg, Winchester, Cedar Creek, 
Stone Elver, Shiloh, Chickamauga, Chat- 
tanooga, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta, Res- 
aca, Kenesaw Mountain, Nashville and 
other places, witnessing at last the glories 
of Appomattox. 

I shall give in detail the services of these 
regiments, beginning with 

The Elev'enth 0. V. I. 

The Eleventh Ohio Volunteers was first 
enlisted for three months, pursuant to 
President Lincoln's first call for troops 
for the suppression of the Eebellion. It 
was mustered into the three years' service 
June 20, 1861. Miami County furnished 
five full companies — B and F from Piqua, 
I), H and E from Troy. The men were in 
the full vigor of early manhood, types of 
western strength, patriotism and intelli- 
gence. The regiment first rendezvoused 
at Columbus and then proceeded to Camp 
Denison. It remained in its second quar- 
ters till July 7, when it received orders 
to pack up and move towards the seat of 



war. Its colonel was Charles A. DeVil- 
liers, who soon afterward left the service. 
Crossing Ohio, the Eleventh reached Point 
Pleasant. It made a night march over 
Sugar Loaf Mountain and had some ex- 
perience in picket duty on the sacred soil 
of Virginia. August 18, 1862, it moved to 
Parkersburg, and thence to Alexandria, 
near AVashington, D. C, where it en- 
camped. August 27th it was thrown for- 
ward to Manassas, where the Confederates 
had taken position. Previous to this, how- 
ever, the Eleventh had seen some excit- 
ing service in West Virginia, where it had 
encountered the enemy at Hawk's Nest, 
Cotton Hill aud Gauley Bridge. These 
minor engagements had to a degree tested 
the mettle of the men and they were ready 
for the gTeater events in store for them. 

At Manassas the regiment crossed Bull 
Eun and checked the enemy, who had driv- 
en back Taylor's New Jersey troojDS, but 
the Confederates, advancing in heavy 
force, forced the Unionists toward Fair- 
fax. During the retreat the Eleventh act- 
ed as the rear giiard. Bemaining a short 
time within the lines at Washington, on 
the 29th of August the regiment occupied 
Munson's Hill, and on the 6th of Septem- 
ber it took up its march for Maryland in 
pursuit of Lee, who had crossed the Poto- 
mac with his aiTuy. On the 12th the enemy 
was foimd holding a bridge over the Mo- 
nocacy near Frederick. Three Union col- 
muns were formed, with the Eleventh in 
the center. The enemy was driven back 
and the bridge taken and two pieces of 
artillery were lost. Led by Col. Coleman, 
the regiment marched forward, recaptured 
the cannon and hurled the Confederates 
from their position. After a night at Mo- 
nocacy the Eleventh crossed a spur of the 



AND EEPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



153 



Blue Eidge, clebouehed iuto Middletowu 
\'alley aud on the 14tli advanced up the 
slopes of South Mountain, occupied by 
Garnett's division of General Lee's army. 
Ou this day was fought the battle of South 
Mountain, the jirelude to Antietam. 

The principal fighting done by the 
Eleventh on this memorable occasion took 
place on the summit of the mountain at 
a place since known as AVise's Field. Their 
advance was met by a tire from all sides. 
The regiment was surrounded by a growth 
of mountain laurel and the enemy was pro- 
tected by a stone fence and was hard to 
dislodge. The regiment, after some des- 
Ijerate work, advanced on a charge, drove 
the Confederates from their position and 
held the ground. Many acts of individual 
bravery occurred among the ranks of the 
Eleventh on that day. Night put an end 
to the lighting, and Lee, failing to hold 
his position, fell back upon Sharpsburg, 
where he and McClellan were to meet in 
the bloodiest one-day's battle of the whole 
war. 

The Eleventh was attached to the Ka- 
nawha Division, Second Brigade. On the 
morning of the 17th of September, 1862, 
Company F was sent out on the skirmish 
line with instructions to keep a close watch 
on the enemy. Captain Teverbaugh had 
hardly issued his instructions when the 
enemy, from his works below the bridge, 
on Antietam Creek, opened a lively fire. 
Company F was ordered to withdraw and 
moved to the right to act as a reserve to 
Company C. The bridge across the creek 
being an important point, General Burn- 
side, who commanded that wing of the 
army, was ordered to carry it. The bridge 
was a stone structure, twelve feet wide and 
one hundred and fifty feet long, with three 



arches. Six thousand Confederates were 
in position across the stream, and the 
bridge was swept by their artillery. Skir- 
mishers were thrown out and the Eleventh 
moved forward. Simmons aud McMullins' 
batteries were raining their deadly mis- 
siles among the Southern ranks, who, in 
turn sent volley after volley from their 
muskets and artillery in the faces of our 
advancing troops. Bravely the men strug- 
gled forward, but in vain. The steady 
stream of cannister poured from the rebel 
cannon forced the line to waver and finally 
fall back. In this forward movement Col. 
Augustus H. Coleman, of Troy, received 
a wound which caused his death in a few 
hours. In advance of his men, cheering 
them on and closing up their broken ranks, 
he fell with his face to the foe. 

Colonel Coleman was one of the bravest 
men in the Union Army. He was the sou 
of Dr. Asa Coleman, one of the early pio- 
neers of the county. He received his mili- 
tary education at "West Point, and at the 
opening of the war was engaged in agi'i- 
cultural pursuits. He recruited a company 
of men within forty-eight hours and pro- 
ceeded to Columbus with them April 26, 

1861. At the reorganization of the Elev- 
enth for the three years sei'vice he was 
elected major of the regiment and was pro- 
moted to lieutenant colonel January 9, 

1862. A fine disciplinarian, he was the 
man of the hour and was a favorite with 
his troops. In his heroic death at An- 
tietam the country lost a true soldier and a 
useful patriot. 

The failure to carry the bridge across 
Antietam Creek forced Burnside to call 
for reinforcements, but none were sent. 
The order was repeated to carry the bridge 
at all hazards. The lines were reformed 



154 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



for another assault. The Eleventh re- 
sponded nobly. They had replenished their 
empty cartridge boxes and moved forward 
again. It was to be death or the bridge. 
Despite the rain of missiles from the rebel 
gunners, the Unionists rushed on, reached 
the bridge and heroically gained the prize. 
In these desperate assaults the regiment 
took a prominent part. There was no bet- 
ter set of fighting men in McClellan's 
army. After taking the bridge the regi- 
ment advanced along the slope. Lee at- 
temjited to cut Burnside off and Burnside 
told McClellan that he must have more 
men and guns. McClellan said he had 
none to spare and the troops were com- 
pelled to fall back to the bridge. The hard- 
est work done that day at Antietam was 
performed by the Kanawha Division. 
Burnside 's bridge was the key to the whole 
affair. To lose it was to imperil Lee's 
whole army, and it is to the glory of the 
Eleventh that it did much to make victory 
on that part of the field certain. 

After the battle of Antietam the Elev- 
enth returned to West Virginia. It took 
post at Summerville, where it remained 
until January 17, 1863, when it moved to 
Gauley, joining General Crook and imme- 
diately embarking on the Kanawha Eiver, 
this time for the Army of the Cmnberland. 
It was on board of boats during the second 
fight at Fort Douelson. From the time of 
its transfer to the west the regiment served 
with the Army of the Cumberland till its 
muster out. Its loss at the taking of Burn- 
side's Bridge was one officer and three men 
killed, one officer and eleven men woimded 
and five men missing. 

There was still a lot of hard fighting in 
store for the Eleventh. On the 13th of 
April, 1863, the regiment had an engage- 



ment with the enemy at McMinnville, 
Term., and on the 23d it joined General 
Reynolds in a move against Wheeler and 
Forrest's cavalry. June 24th the Eleventh 
engaged the foe at Hoover's Gap and led 
the advance into Manchester. On the 29th 
the command moved on the TuUahoma 
Road and drove the enemy back. At Dech- 
erd Station, Tenn., General Turchin as- 
sumed command of the Second Brigade. 

The month of September, 1863, wit- 
nessed the sanguinary conflict at Chicka- 
mauga. In this battle the fighting Elev- 
enth bore a conspicuous part. It was the 
great grapple between Rosecrans and 
Bragg. During the forenoon of the 18th 
the Eleventh changed position several 
times, and about daylight on the following 
day went into line of battle near Lee and 
Gordon's Mill. Chaplain Lyle rode to the 
center of the line, and with Colonel Lane's 
consent addressed the regiment in words 
of comfort and encouragement and asked 
the men to join with him in prayer. In- 
stantly every head was ])owed and every 
hand clasped devoutly on the gleaming 
muskets. The old colors, pierced and rent 
on many battlefields, were drooped and 
amid the rattle of musketry the voice of 
prayer was heard. 

The sacred ceremony ended, the regi- 
ment moved to the front line. Not a man 
faltered. It was a day of hard work for 
the boys of Miami County. Charge after 
charge was made through the death-struck 
woods. Sergeant Peck went down with the 
colors, but they were picked up again and 
pushed forward. When the enemy hurled 
his legions against the division Turchin 
changed front and charged. The next day 
the Eleventh took position on a slight ele- 
vation behind a breastwork of logs and 





Y. M. C. A., BRADFORD 



COVINGTON WOOLEN MULLS, COVLXGTON 




ill 



i 



'^SlIlA 



RESIDENCE OF JOHN SCHRAM, NE\\'TON 
TOWNSHIP 




TROY CARRIAGE SUN SHADE CO., TROY 





MOTHER'S SPINNIXGWHEEL 
(From Painting Ijy Horace J. Rollin) 



FIREPLACE IN HOME OF HORACE .1. ROLLIN, 
STAUNTON TOWNSHIP 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



157 



stones, where it was subjected to a galling 
fire. The breastworks caught fire several 
times. In the afternoon the rebels, push- 
ing through a gap in the Union lines, 
poured a heavy cross-fire upon the regi- 
ment. It was more than the men could 
stand. The brigade chai'ged and drove the 
enemy back. That night the regiment 
withdrew to Rossville, having covered 
itself with glory in the bloody woods of 
Chickamauga. 

The regiment remained coojied up in 
Chattanooga until the advance on Mission 
Ridge, November 24th. In this assaiilt it 
fought splendidly and bore a prominent 
part in that memorable battle. One color 
bearer was struck seven times, and when 
he (Sergeant Bell) went down they were 
picked up by Lieutenant Peck, who fell 
mortally wounded. The Eleventh pursued 
the flying enemy towards Ringgold, Ga., 
and after fighting at Ringgold returned to 
Chattanooga. George Green, of Company 
H, received a medal for conspicuous brav- 
ery in the assault on the Ridge. In Feb- 
ruary, 1864, the regiment was paraded to 
receive a new stand of colors i)resented by 
the ladies of Troy. The next forward 
move of the regiment resulted in its con- 
flict at Buzzard's Roost, after which came 
some hot work at Resaca. In all these en- 
gagements the regiment bore an honorable 
part. 

Its teiin of service having expired, the 
Eleventh was mustered out at Camp Deni- 
son, June 21, 1864. Two companies whose 
time had not expired and the veterans of 
the regiment were recognized as the Elev- 
enth Ohio Battalion and as such took part 
in the battles of the Atlanta Campaign 
and the march to the sea. During its 
whole service the Eleventh Ohio Regiment 



proved its worth as a military organiza- 
tion and reflected credit on the State on 
many a hard-fought field. During its three 
years' term it lost 152 men, many on the 
field of battle and others in the infernal 
I)rison hells of the South. The princiijal 
engagements in which the regiment took 
part ai'e as follows: 

Hawk's Nest, Gauley Bridge, Princeton, 
Bull Run Bridge, Frederick, South Moun- 
tain, Antietam, Hoover's Gap, Tullahoma, 
Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mission 
Ridge, Ringgold, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca 
— a list of which the Caesarian legion might 
be proud. It can be said of the Eleventh 
that it shirked no duty ; it performed nobly 
every service demanded at its hands, and 
to-day its survivors are among the best 
citizens of the Union. 

THE FORTY-FOURTH INFANTRY AND EIGHTH 
CAVALRY. 

The Forty-fourth Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry, known after veteranizing as the 
Eighth Cavalry, was organized at Spring- 
field from September 12th to October 14th, 
1861, to serve three years, and was mus- 
tered in at Camp Clark by J. II. Young, 
Captain Fifteenth Infantry, U. S. A. Its 
colonel was Samuel A. Gilbert, who re- 
signed in April, 1864. After its muster 
the regiment moved to Camp Piatt, W. 
Va. Several companies of this regiment 
were recruited in Miami County. Shortly 
after the regiment's arrival at Camp Piatt, 
five companies were oi'dered to Gauley 
Bridge, where they assi.sted in driving the 
rebel general, Floyd, from his camji. Two 
other comjtanies were sent to Platona, 
which place they captured, and then 
moved against Colonel Jenkins at Logan 
Court House, but the wil y colonel fled at 



158 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



tlieii" approach. Having passed the win- 
ter in comfortable quarters, the 1st of 
May, 1862, found the command again at 
Gauley Bridge, where it was brigaded 
with the Thirty-sixth and Forty-seventh 
O. V. I. under Col. George Crook. 

The brigade moved to Lewisburg and 
from there the Forty-fourth penetrated to 
Dublin Depot and destroyed a portion of 
the railroad track. Eeturning hastily to 
Lewisburg, the enemy was met in full 
force and a lively battle followed. Great 
gallantry was displayed by the regiment 
on this occasion. It charged upon and 
captured a four-gun battery, took a num- 
ber of prisoners and contributed greatly 
to the rout of the rebels. Falling back 
from before a force of 6,000 rebels, the 
regiment, with the brigade, reached 
Meadow Bluffs. On this occasion the 
Forty-fourth guarded the rear. The regi- 
ment was attacked, but fell back fighting 
to the Gauley, where the retreat was be- 
gun in earnest. All day and far into the 
night the regiment guarded the rear in a 
creditable manner. On September 13th 
the rebels appeared at Charleston and at- 
tacked. Another spirited contest ensued. 
The enemy was firmly met and held at bay 
for some time, but his overwhelming num- 
bers forced the Unionists back, though 
every inch of ground was hotly contested. 
The brigade withdrew across a deejj trib- 
utary of the Kanawha, severed the haw- 
sers that held the suspension bridge, and 
retreated safely to Bacine, on the Ohio, 
from which place it was conveyed by 
steamer to Point Pleasant. 

The next campaign of the regiment was 
on Kentucky soil. For some time it was 
engaged in watching the movements of 
Kirby Smith, whom it pursued as far as 



Lexington, where it was assigned to the 
Second Brigade, Second Division, Army 
of Kentucky, commanded by General Gor- 
don Granger. It returned to Frankfort 
December 20th, where it was mounted and 
did some effective work against the rebels. 
The men from now on lived almost con- 
stantly in the saddle, and engaged in many 
hot skirmishes with the enemy. At Dun- 
stan's or Dutton's Hill it gallantly 
charged the rebel position and contributed 
materially to their rout. 

Upon Burnside's advance into Tennes- 
see the Forty-fourth was dismounted and 
accompanied him. The regiment bore an 
honorable part in all that took place in this 
movement. It pursued the enemy with 
vigor on many occasions and finally went 
into camp at Strawberry Plains, January 
1, 186-}-; the i^roposal to re-enlist was made 
with a proposition that the regiment 
should be mounted, and nearly the whole 
six hundred accepted. On the 7th the 
Forty-fourth marched for Camp Nelson, 
Kentucky, thence to Cincinnati, where it 
waited for its muster rolls, after which 
it went to Springfield, where the men were 
paid off. This last act terminated the ca- 
reer of the regiment, after which it be- 
came the Eighth Ohio Cavalry. 

The new organization reported for serv- 
ice at Camp Denison, March 28, 1864. Cin- 
cinnati was left behind May 10, and 
Charleston was reached on the 14th, the 
men having ridden thither bare-backed. On 
the 29th the Eighth marched to Lewisburg, 
and June 1st started with Averill on the 
disastrous Lynchburg raid. Staunton was 
reached on the 9th, where a junction was 
formed with Hunter. The whole com- 
mand now proceeded toward Lynchburg. 
The enemy prevented the capture of the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



159 



city by heavy reinforcements and after 
tlie close of a sharp light the Unionists 
were obliged to retreat. It was an excit- 
ing episode in the history of the Eighth 
Cavalry. There was fighting much of the 
way. Tlie Eighth was ordered to strength- 
en the rear guard, which service it did in 
an excellent manner. Fighting at one 
time a brigade of the enemy, it lost sev- 
enty-one in killed, wounded and prisoners. 

Upon reaching White Sulphur Springs 
the regiment was divided and a part sent 
to Beverly. On the 23d of August three 
companies of the Eighth were surprised 
at Huttonville and captured. Later on 
Company A shared the same fate. Octo- 
ber 29th three hundred rebels dashed into 
the camp of the regiment and some des- 
perate fighting took place. On the 1st 
of December Col. Moore joined the regi- 
ment with his detachment from the Shen- 
andoah. The veterans of the Eighth were 
almost constantly in the saddle for six 
weeks previous to the l)attle of AYinclies- 
ter. It made a charge upon the rebel for- 
tifications at that place, fought bravely 
at Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek and fol- 
lowed Early in his retreat up the Valley. 
Its work in the A'alley elicited the ])raise 
of the commanding generals. 

At Philippi a part of the regiment was 
sui-prised and cajjtured, the prisoners be- 
ing compelled to march afoot through the 
snow, then were loaded into stock cars at 
Staunton at the rate of seventy to a car and 
taken to Richmond. After suffering in the 
rebel prison till February 15th, the pris- 
oners were sent to Annapolis for exchange 
and thence to Columbus, Ohio. In August, 
186.'), the regiment was once more ordered 
to Camp Denison, where it was mustered 
out of the service. The ])atriotic service 



of the Eighth Cavalry was highly credit- 
able to its meml)ers. It endured many 
hardships, fought gallantly and sustained 
to the very last the honor of the Ohio sol- 
diery. "Whether under Hunter, Averill or 
Sheridan, the regiment made its mark 
wherever it served. 

The Seventy-first 0. V. I. 

The Seventy-first Ohio Volunteers was 
recruited in part in ]\Iiami County, which 
furnished companies F, C and E. It was 
a fighting regiment and covered during its 
term of service more groimd than any one 
similar command in the Union annies. It 
was recruited under the superintendency 
of Barton S. Kyle and G. W. Andrews. In 
the latter part of October, 1861, the regi- 
ment rendezvoused on the Old Fair 
Grounds at Troy, and reached Camp Tod 
at Columbus February 10, 1862. 

It received its baptism of fire at Shiloh 
on the memorable 6th of April. The regi- 
ment was unfortunate in the choice of its 
colonel, who was Rodney Mason, of 
Springfield, a man boastful when there 
was no enemy in sight, but not so brave 
in actual combat. On the fatal morning of 
the 6th the regiment, fresh from the com- 
forts of home, was hastily formed in line 
of battle. I cannot better describe the 
part taken by the Seventy-first on the 6th 
of April than in the words of the late Cap- 
tain E. S. Williams, who was a member 
of the regiment and an active participant 
in the scenes. 

"We were formed," he saj's, "under the 
guns of a rebel battery and in a trap sur- 
rounded by the advancing lines of seven 
rebel regiments, and when, to save the 
regiment from capture, our colonel, in- 
stead of having us fall back in line as a 
regiment, led us back at will with the 



160 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



motto, 'Every man for himself and the 
devil take the hindmost.' We fell back 
about three hundred yards and formed on 
the crest of a wooded hill, 250 strong and 
for two tierce hours we fought, the rebels 
to gain, we to hold that position, with no 
reserve, no cannon, deserted by our colonel 
early in the fight. For two long hours we 
fought three times our number with that 
stubborn native valor which was so emi- 
nently displayed by the army on that ill- 
fated day. In our front were men who 
knew how to die, but not how to retreat. 
Bullets were falling like hailstones and 
cannon balls were sweeping through our 
ranks. It was there that Col. Barton S. 
Kyle, of Troy, received his death wound. 

"I remember how we dragged the 
wounded from the front line, and how we 
fought by the side of the dead and dying 
until every regiment of our brigade had 
retreated and left us to contend alone and 
single-handed with the rebel brigade. 
Three times that reliel brigade formed in 
line of battle and advanced to the charge 
and were compelled to fall back under our 
withering, deadly fire, yet with the battle 
cry of 'Hell or Home,' those brave Tennes- 
see regiments rallied again and charged. 
We fell back only when we were literally 
surrounded by the rebels." 

Such was the heroism of the Seventy- 
first at Shiloh, a battle in which the regi- 
ment lost 130 men on Monday. It was a 
stand worthy the patriotism of Leonidas 
and his Spartans. Colonel Kyle, who was 
killed in Monday's battle, was one of the 
prominent citizens of Troy. He was born 
within the county in 1825. For six years 
he served as auditor of the county, and 
was elected as clerk of the common pleas 
court in 1859. He was a member of the 



National Convention which nominated 
Fremont for the presidency. Full of pa- 
triotism, he helped to recruit the Seventy- 
first and took the field with it. He was a 
vigilant and popular officer and beloved by 
his men, and his death was lamented by 
every man in the regiment. Fearless of 
danger, he fell at the post of duty as the 
true hero falls, and well deserved the eulo- 
gism of Whitelaw Reid, who said of him 
at Shiloh: "Ohio lost no truer, braver 
man that day than Barton S. Kyle." 

After its terrible experience at Shiloh 
the Seventy-first was ordered to the Cum- 
berland Eiver to hold the posts of Fort 
Donelson and Clarksville. Sis companies 
of the regiment were taken prisoners at 
the latter place August 18th. A gallant 
fight was made at Donelson. In Carthage, 
Tenn., three companies of the regiment 
were stationed and while there they en- 
countered the rebel guerrillas in numerous 
bitter fights. It was at Clarksville that 
Col. Mason cowardly surrendered a part 
of the regiment when he could have routed 
the enemy. For this act Mason was cash- 
iered. 

The Seventy-first after its exchange had 
a varied and exciting history. In the 
spring of 1864 it moved south and did ef- 
fective work at Jonesboro, Lovejoy Sta- 
tion and Atlanta. When Hood swung 
northward, leaving Sherman to sweep to- 
wards the sea, the Seventy-first was among 
the commands that started on the race for 
Nashville. It was now a part of Stanley's 
Corps. At Spring Hill it narrowly es- 
caped capture by Hood, who blundered 
there and brought on the bloody engage- 
ment at Franklin, in which the regiment 
took no active part. But it was in the bat- 
tle of Nashville, a battle which destroyed 



AND REPRESENTATIA^E CITIZENS 



161 



Hood's army, that the regiment was again 
to show its fighting qualities. 

Under the leadership of Colonel Hart 
the Seventy-first dashed np the steep as- 
cent of Overton's Hill amid a tempest of 
lead and iron and gallantly carried the 
rebel position. It was a desperate assault 
and grandly executed. It placed a new 
crown on the heads of the men from 
Miami. In the battle of Nashville the regi- 
ment lost one-third of its numbers in killed 
and wounded, including several excellent 
officers. Nashville was fought December 
15, 1864, when the Confederacy was tot- 
tering to its fall. 

After this battle the regiment saw no 
more active fighting. It had enlisted for 
the war, but expected that with the sur- 
render of the rebel armies and the col- 
lapse of the rebellion it would be mustered 
out. Such, however, was not the case. 
It was ordered to the Texas frontier un- 
der Sheridan to keep watch on the French 
in Mexico. The regiment, much decimated 
by its long and active service, its heavy 
loss in battle and prison, remained on 
Texas soil until long after the close of 
the war, when it was finally mustered out 
of the service. Its original strength was 
879 men; when mustered out it numbered 
only 377. It was mustered out at San An- 
tonio, Texas, and discharged at Camp 
Chase. Among the battles fought by this 
heroic regiment I find Shiloh, Clarksville, 
Hartsville, Fort Donelson, Cumberland 
Iron Works, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station, 
Columbia and Nashville. 

For some time the paltroonry of its 
colonel affected the reputation of the regi- 
ment and caused it to be considered as an 
"unlucky command," but all this was 
wiped out on the field of Nashville and the 



bloody slopes of Overton's Hill. The Sev- 
enty-first came home with honor and fur- 
nished mox-e men in prominent positions in 
public life after the war than any regi- 
ment that left the county. Two of its 
members, Capt. E. S. Williams and 
Charles M. Anderson, became members of 
Congress, and other members made their 
mark in official capacities. The regiment 
was among the last to turn northward 
after the war, proud of its record on some 
of the hardest fought fields of that terrible 
struggle and having in its ranks some of 
the bravest men that ever shouldered a 
musket or drew a sword. 

THE NINETY-FOUKTH 0. V. I. 

Camp Piqua witnessed during the stir- 
ring events of 1862 the formation of two 
fighting regiments. One of them was the 
Ninety- fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, un- 
der the supervision of Col. J. W. Frizell. 
Recruiting proceeded so rapidly that in 
one month one thousand and ten men were 
mustered into the service of the United 
States. The mustering took place August 
24th. No time was given the regiment for 
drilling, for Kirby Smith had invaded 
Kentucky and troops were needed at the 
front. So the men of Miami were rushed 
from Camp Piqua to Cincinnati and thence 
to Lexington. Only three rounds of cart- 
ridges could be found for the men. The 
Ninety-fourth reached Lexington and 
learned of the Union defeat at Richmond 
a few miles distant. Matters had a gloomy 
aspect, and the regiment was ordered to 
Tate's Ford, on the Kentucky River, fif- 
teen miles east of Lexington. It was the 
first marching experience for the men, and 
an exhaustive one it was. 

On this occasion the regiment first met 



162 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the enemy and proved that it was to 
gather fame as it went on. Veterans could 
not have behaved better. The night was 
dark, the men lying down, when the rebel 
volley burst upon them. Hungry and al- 
most withoiit ammunition, a God-send 
came with some wagons which put an end 
to their needs for the present. During 
breakfast a rebel battery opened on the 
troops, but Col. Frizell succeeded in safely 
withdrawing his command. 

Back to Lexington went the regiment, 
and thence to Louisville. Bragg and Buell 
were facing each other on Kentucky soil, 
and their maneuvers brought on the des- 
perate battle of Perrj^ville, October 8th. 
In this engagement the regiment bore an 
active part, being in the thick of the fight 
and acquitting itself with the credit of an 
experienced command. Perryville, for the 
numbers engaged, was one of the most 
sanguinary battlers of the war. The Ninety- 
fourth suffered a loss of officers and men, 
among the former being Captain John C. 
Drury, of Troy. 

Captain Drury was a Massachusetts 
man by birth. Coming to Ohio, he en- 
gaged in the mercantile business, and 
when the war broke out, being of an in- 
tense patriotic nature, he recruited a com- 
pany for the Eleventh Ohio, in 1861, but 
afterwards took a captaincy in the Ninety- 
fourth. He was a good officer, much be- 
loved by his men, and if his career had not 
been cut short at Perrj"S'ille would un- 
doubtedly have reached a much higher 
command. He fell at the head of his com- 
pany during the crisis of the battle. Well 
may it be said of him : 

"A soldier true, a patriot tried. 
Beneath his country's fiag he died." 

There was no further fighting for the 



Ninety-fourth till it was called on to face 
the foe at Stone River. It had been Bragg 
and Buell in Kentucky; it was Bragg and 
Eosecrans in Tennessee. At Murfeesboro, 
or Stone River, the regiment maintained 
its reputation as a gallant body of men. 
Cast into the whirlpool of that desperate 
engagement, the regiment had some of the 
fiercest fighting that fell to its lot during 
its term of service. It was repeatedly 
struck by the advancing and exultant reb- 
els and it gave the enemy as good as he 
sent, contesting every foot of the ground 
with great heroism. The battle of Stone 
River was fought during the closing days 
of '62 and the first of '63. It resulted in 
what might be termed a Union victory, 
since Eosecrans held the field and Bragg 
was forced to withdraw his army. 

During the Tullahoma campaign the 
Ninety-fourth was in the advance and 
went gallantly into the fight at Hoover's 
Gap in June, 1863. After a brisk little 
affair at Dug Gap came the memorable 
battle of Chickamauga. The regiment be- 
longed to the First Di^^sion, Fourteenth 
Army Corps, during the fighting around 
Chattanooga. Its colonel was Rue P. 
Hutehins, its brigade Scribner's, its divi- 
sion Baird's, Thomas' Corps. Crossing 
the Tennessee at Bridgeport, Ala., the 
Ninety-fourth marched to Trenton Valley, 
and, after Dug Gap, remained in McLe- 
moi'e's Cove till September 18th, when it 
faced about for Chickamauga. It reached 
Kelley's farm on the Lafayette Eoad at 
daylight on the 19th. The regiment en- 
countered the enemy a short distance east 
of Kelley's field and pushed him back. 
From that time on the fighting was fierce. 
A part of Cheathan's rebel division at- 
tacked Scribner's front and right, and the 



I 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



163 



brigade was forced back, losing lieavily. 
In this hot work the Ninety-fourth be- 
haved splendidly. 

On the morning of the 20th the regi- 
ment occupied a position in the front line 
of the brigade. Barricades of logs and 
rails were hastily thrown up. At 9:30 
Held's brigade assaulted this part of the 
line and the Ninety-fourth assisted in hurl- 
ing him back. Again and again the regi- 
ment was called npon to meet the fierce as- 
saults of the enemy. Colquit and Walt- 
hall led their men in gray against the bri- 
gade, had but to retire. The Ninety-fourth 
held its position all day and until the gen- 
eral order to retire Avas given in the eve- 
ning. The command retired rapidly 
through the woods, and, avoiding capture, 
withdrew wth the whole army to Rossville. 
Such, in part, was the work of the Ninety- 
fourth in the battle forest of Chicka- 
mauga. 

On the 23d of November the regiment 
took part in the assault and capture of 
Lookout Mountain, and followed up its 
success by the heroic scaling of Mission 
Ridge, where Bragg was defeated. In 
both these engagements the regiment sus- 
tained its reputation as a fighting com- 
mand and added to its laurels. Its charge 
up Mission Ridge is one of the most gallant 
feats of the war. This battle preceded the 
memorable campaign of Atlanta by Sher- 
man, in which the Ninety-fourth took part. 
It was under fire for one hundred days 
and fought in numerous pitched battles. 
When Sherman set out upon his famous 
march to the sea the Ninety-Fourth was 
well in the advance. It crossed Georgia, 
and turned toward the Carolinas, partici- 
pating in the battle of Bentonville, one of 
the last of the war. It was the first infan- 



try regiment to enter the capital of North 
Carolina, soon after which it beheld the 
surrender of Johnston and marched to 
AVashington, where it took part in the mag- 
nificent review which followed the close of 
the war. Of the thousand and ten young 
men who marched out of Camp Piqua in 
1862 but three hundred and thirty-eight 
marched uj) Pennsylvania Avenue on that 
occasion. Of the others many had died in 
battle or from wounds and disease, includ- 
ing not a few who perished from starvation 
in rebel prisons. The battles of the Ninety- 
fourth included Tate's Ferry, Perry ville, 
Stone's River, Tullahonia, Dug Gap, Chick- 
amauga. Lookout ^lountain, IMission 
Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, 
Chattahoochie River, Peach Tree Creek, 
Atlanta, Jonesboro, Bentonville. The regi- 
ment is represented by monuments and 
tablets at Chickamauga and Mission Ridge, 
but these do not fully tell the story of its 
service in defense of the Union. This serv- 
ice given freely is the. Ninety-fourth's 
guerdon of fame and succeeding genera- 
tions can point with pride to the heroic 
manner in which it sustained the honor of 
the Nation, State and County. 

THE ONE HUNDRED AND TENTH O. V. I. 

Almost simultaneously with the organ- 
ization and departure of the Ninety-fourth 
regiment the One Hundred and Tenth ren- 
dezvoused at Camp Pi([ua. Its colonel was 
J. Warren Keifer, afterward major gen- 
eral and si:»eaker of the Lower House of 
Congress. Companies A, E, and G came 
from ]\Iiami County. The regiment upon 
its departure from Camp Piqua was or- 
dered to A'irginia, where it did guard and 
picket duty for some months. Reaching 
Winchester, it was assigned to the First 



164 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Brigade, Second Division, Eighth Army 
Corps. 

June 13tb, 18G3, it fought its first pitched 
battle with the rebels at Kernstown. Here 
the One Hundred and Tenth gave proof of 
its metal. At Kernstown the regiment en- 
countered Lee's advance and disputed 
every inch of ground with the enemy. The 
next day twenty-six pieces of artillery 
were trained on the regiment's position 
and its works were assaulted. The boys 
held their works till forced out at the point 
of the bayonet and retired fighting. They 
fought their way to Harper's Ferry, where 
they occupied Maryland Heights for a 
time, moving next to the Capital. 

Later on the One Hundred and Tenth 
moved to Governor's Island, where it re- 
mained until sent forward to the front. In 
November, 1863, it again encountered the 
enemy at Brandy Station, where it was 
severely shelled and was the first command 
to occupy the rebel works. It went into 
winter quarters at Brandy Station, and 
May 4th, 1864, it crossed the Eapidan as 
a part of Grant's grand army destined for 
the conquest of Richmond. The next day 
the command found itself amid the wild 
tangle of the Wilderness and the great 
game of war opened once more. The bat- 
tle of the "Wilderness cannot be fully de- 
scribed. There was none other like it dur- 
ing the war. In the series of encounters 
that took place on this bloody ground the 
regiment bore an heroic part. It charged 
and was charged in return ; it had to face 
about and fight the enemy from every quar- 
ter. It is no wonder that it lost one hun- 
dred men in that dense forest. The rebels 
protected by the tangle of trees and bushes 
assaulted from every side 



"Aud then thero rose so ■nilil a j^ell 
Within that dark and gloomy dell 
As if the very fiends that fell 
Had pealetl the battle cry of hell." 

On the 7th the regiment fell back to 
Si)ottsylvania Court House, where it again 
met the enemy, losing heavily in that strug- 
gle. Skirmishing and fighting till the 14th, 
the regiment waded the Nye and occupied 
the rebel works. June 3d it was in the 
front line at the battle of Cold Harbor, 
which was one of the slaughter pens of the 
war. All day it was exposed to a heavy 
fire, losing some officers and men and on 
the 14th it crossed the Chickahominy and 
moved by water and land to Bermuda Hun- 
dred. On June 20th it charged the rebel 
works near Petersburg, where it remained 
facing the enemy until a few days later, 
when it was sent north to assist in repell- 
ing Early, who threatened AVashington. 

On the 9th of July, 1864, it took part in 
the desperate battle of Monocacy, where it 
fought till, hard i^ressed by a crush of 1 
numbers, it was obliged to fall back. At 
Monocacy it lost one hundred men. After 
a round of varied services it helped to 
fight the battle of Cedar Creek, September 
19. It was now a part of the Sixth Corps, 
commanded by "Wright, with Otho H. Bink- 
ley at the head of the regiment. Surprised 
by the rebels at Cedar Creek, the LTnion 
army was driven back till reformed by the 
opportune arrival of Sheridan from Win- 
chester. In this battle the regiment per- 
formed prodigies of valor and its loss was 
again heavy. 

After Cedar Creek the One Hundred and 
Tenth retired to Petersburg, where it re- 
mained all winter. On the 25th of March, 
1865, the brigade of which the regiment 
was a part, assaulted and carried some 
rebel lines, capturing many prisoners. Lee 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



165 



now evacuated Petersburg aud was hotly 
pursued by Grant's forces. At Sailor's 
Creek the One Hundred and Tenth fought 
its last pitched battle. In this battle it 
showed its old time gallantry. March 17th, 
at the presentation of captured flags to 
Major General Meade, the command, hav- 
ing captured more flags than any other 
regiment in the corps, was chosen as a 
guard of honor to escort the trophies to 
General IMeade's headc^uarters. Continu- 
ing the pursuit of Lee, the regiment took 
l)art in the surrender at Appomattox Court 
House, the glorious consummation of the 
war, and afterward marched in the Grand 
Eeview at Washington in the presence of 
the President, General Grant and assem- 
bled thousands. 

The record of the One Hundred and 
Tenth is one to be proud of. It had more 
men killed, wounded and missing than any 
one regiment during the war. Of the 1,000 
men who marched in its ranks from Camp 
Piqua almost 800 had fallen from its ranks 
by the hand of war. It fought in twenty- 
one battles, among which we find : Union 
Mills, Winchester, Stephenson's Depot, 
Wapping Heights, Brandy Station, Mine 
Run, AVilderness, Spottsylvania, Nye Riv- 
er, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Ream's Sta- 
tion, Monocacy, Snicker's Gap, Charles- 
town, Halltown, Smithfield, Opequan, Fish- 
er's Hill, Cedar Creek, Cedar Springs, 
Jutersville, Sailor's Creek, Appomattox. 
It came home with depleted ranks and tat- 
tered banners, a glorious part of that 
heroic armj^ which by four years of war 
maintained the supremacy of the Amer- 
ican Union. 

THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVENTH. 

This regiment was raised wholly within 



the boundaries of the county. It was 
called out for one hundred days to relieve 
veteran regiments that were needed at the 
front. It performed its duties in an able 
manner. It was mustered into service at 
Camp Dennison ]\Iay 16, 1804, aud pro- 
ceeded to Washington. First ordered to 
Fort Ethan Allen, it afterward moved to 
Fort Strong, where a part of it was sta- 
tioned, the rest being sent to Fort Marcy. 
It was commanded by Col. B. F. Rosson, 
of Troy. At midnight, June lltli, the regi- 
ment was ordered to Fort Reno, where for 
a time it was exposed to a brisk fire from 
the rebels. At Crystal Springs it sup- 
ported the 1st Maine and 1st Ohio Batter- 
ies until the repulse of Early's forces. Had 
the One Hundred and Forty-seventh been 
actively engaged there is no doubt that it 
would have reflected credit on the cause 
of the Union. Upon its return to Wash- 
ington, the regiment was personally 
thanked by President Lincoln for its serv- 
ices, after which it returned home. 

Such briefly were the services of the 
Miami regiments in the field during the 
war. Other soldiers from the county 
served in the Forty-second Ohio, Gar- 
field's regiment, some in the First Ohio 
Infantry, the First Cavalry, in several 
Oliio batteries, and in the navy. All made 
splendid soldiers and upheld the patriotic 
standard of the county. All deserve praise 
alike. 

During the war with Spain a large num- 
ber of the youth of the county went to 
the front and, so far as opportunity af- 
forded, emulated the services of the heroes 
of the War of the Rebellion. TJie Span- 
ish-American volunteers demonstrated 
that the spirit of patriotism was not dead 
in Miami. 



166 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



The dead of Miami County lie all over 
the South. They fell with their faces to 
the enemy or suffered death and worse in 
the prison pens which are a lasting dis- 
grace to that fair portion of our country. 
On nearly every battlefield of the rebellion 
the soldiers of Miami fell for the per- 
petuity of the Union, giving up their lives 
for the flag. 

They lie on many a wellworn hill, they camp on many a 
plain, 

They dream where once the battle-ships with iron cut 
the main, 

The roses of Virginia bloom above a missing host, 

Their graves are mile-stones all the way from Nashville 
to the coast; 

Thev're touching elbows yet, I know, where once they 
, iovefl to stand, 

Where flows the Rappahannock and where rolls the Cum- 
berland; 

The lilies of the golden West their snowy petals shed 

Upon the dewy pillows of Miami's soldier dead. 

To the stars that shine at oven there is not one missing 
grave. 

Their golden light fails softly on the loved and absent 
brave. 

And He who sees a sparrow's fall has marked the holy 
spots. 

And angel hands have planted there His own forget-me- 
nots; 

We've left them to His keeping, for we know He'll keep 
them well, 

Tho" lost they are to us today in wilderness and dell. 

And tho" we nevermore shall hear their gay and gallant 
tread, 

We know God's bugles will awake iliami's soldier dead. 

They endured the hardships of camp, bat- 
tle and prison pen with a heroism worthy 
their American manhood. Their fame is 
everlasting; their glory is the Nation they 
saved from dissolution. Their deeds of 
valor will never be forgotten. All hail 
the patriotic soldiers of Miami County ! 

VETERANS OF THE WAR OF THE REBELLION AND 

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR NOW RESIDING 

IN MIAMI COUNTY. 

Troy — Isaac Allen, H. H. Bear, John Bagford, .John 
Barnhart. Chas. B. Bayman, Charles Beanblossom, Silas 
A. Beanblossom, John Boone, Cornelius Bowne, Charles 
N. Burns, Morris Burns. .Tesse Burkctt, .1. C. Bvrkett, 
N. W. Cady, S. A, Cairns, T. M. Campbell, .J.- M. Camp- 
bell, Elijah H. Carman, S. S. Carncs, William A. Carver, 



James Chappell, Abbot Childs, Joseph E. Chipley, 
Thomas Chipley, William Coffinger, Joshua Couch, Jl. F. 
Counts, L. F. Counts, Dallas Craver, Gustave Croner, 
Hiram Gushing, William I. Dailey, Emanuel Deeter, 
Gust Ueihl, David Deweese, M. Lafayette Deweese, Silas 
Dolison, William Dorsey, Sylvester Dye, Henry H. Ear- 
hart, \V. W. Edge, George H. Edmonds, John Edwards, 
Daniel Ehle, Charles Eidemiller, Christ Eidemiller, Will- 
iam W. Elliott, Anilrew Emrael, David Emmel, Henry 
Emrich, Will A. Evans, S. Ferguson, Thomas D. Fitch, 
Jacob Frank, S. D. Frank, Henry Franton, John S. 
Forgy, Solomon Funderburg, E. O. Furrow, Johnston B. 
Geisinger, William Gibson, Steplien E. Giffin, Robert 
Gordon, John A. Gorman, William W. Green, Wilber 
Gussman, A. M. Heywood, John V. Higgins, Henry H. 
Hill, Frank Homan, Wilson 8. Hoover, William Hunt, 
Henry B. Jamison, Andrew F. .Johnson, Calvin Johnson, 
Alvin Jones, James Jones, George Kempfield, George 
Kennedy, John Kessler, Benjamin Knapp, Walter 
Knapp, Thompson Kendall, Isaac Knick, M. K. Knoop, 
J. T. Knoop, James Knox, Charles Layton, Aaron 
Landry, D. L. Lee, Jacob Leeb, Joseph Lewis, Henry 
Loyd, ilinerd Lump, W. R. Marsh, Stafford ilaxwell, 
L. A. Meredith, .Michael H. Millard, Reuben Jliller, Jo- 
seph Miller, James T. iloorehead, Moses Monday, John 
W. ilorris, Joseph Moton, P. H. Moyer, William Mc- 
Clure, John M. McCrossin, John A. McCurdv, Charles 
H. MeCullough, John A. McMasters, William R. Mc- 
Kee, Jasper McDowell, Leamler McDonald, A. M. Mc- 
Kinley, Frederick B. MeXeal, George Xiswouger, J. W. 
Oblinger, Charles W. Owen, Charles M. Patty, John M. 
Pearson, Isaac Peck, George W. Peckham, David C. 
Pierce, D. C. Rager, George W. Reeder, John W. Riley, 
Erastus Robins, Madison Robins, Samuel L. Robbins, 
John C. Rodgers, Howard Rollins, W. R. Russell, Dillars 
Shatt'er, Ira Shellabarger, Charles R. Shilling, T. C. 
Shilling, Levi Sommers, H. C. Somerville, Richard South- 
erland, Samuel Spain, Lewis L. Speagh, William Stith, 
Thomas Stewart, Enoch Stoglin, Henry Stouts, Frank 
JI. Sterrett, David Stanup, Robert Smith, Thomas Stew- 
art, John W. Smitley, E. .M. Tannehill, W. I. Tennev, 
John Thomas, Robert Trimbur, Francis M. Wall, Will- 
iam Weddle, John D. Weatherhead, Henry P. Weather- 
head, Henry Wesco, J. L. Williamson, John C. Wright. 
George Williams, D. D. Young, E. C. Zeigler. — 

PUjva — John Bradley, Henry Brokaw, John Cox, 
James L. Rich, Herman Seibt, Wm. D. Snyder, E. D. 
Stevens, ,Iobn Winters, Harvey Weaver, Simon Wicks, 
David Wahmhoft', Samuel Wahmhoif, William White, 
Louis Alse.ver, James S. Bierley, David Brant, Daviil S. 
Bates. Charles F. f'larkson. Preston Covault, Christ 
Loeffler, Daniel McKce, Charles A. McClintock, Thomas 
McKinney, John W. Peterson, Xewton Hears, Walter 
Jloyer, Isaiah ililhouse, Charles Xoland, William Piper, 
Jerome Peoher, Fred Rhine, John H. Rain, Jesse Lock- 
lear, Samuel H. McClay, Jerry Morrow, Louis Miksola- 
jenski, .fohu ilcClure, James Jlichaels, Orie Michels, 
James Manning, .Tohu D. Mills, H. S. Xeal, Albert Pep- 
per, William Phillip, Clem Reid, H. P. Spencer, .Joseph 
Schneider, T. R. Thompson, Albin Thoma, Samuel 
Wright, Sebastian Wagner, N. il. Williamson, Lafe 
Baldock, George N. Brush, .lohn Baker, Oliver Bierley, 
Paul Crowder, Jlatthias Cole, Oscar Collins, Harry 
Daugherty, John Deitrick. .Tohn Ehlen, George Ewei, 
R. 6. Edwards, .Toseph Fisher, William Faulkner, Earl 
Gregory, .Joseph B. Hill, Harry Hemming. .John Hub- 
bard. '\Villiam C. Hall, William' H. Kendell, George W. 
Gustin, Louis Keifer, W. if. R. Luce, Ezra Longa- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



167 



nwker, Henry A. MeCabe, A. .1. .McFall. J. B. McFar- 
laiiil, David "Oblinger, W. P. Orr, C. W. Orr, Arthur 
0. hV'cd, Joshua W. Shipley, Conrad Sheeler, Louis 
Scniidt. J. W. Sullenberger, William H. Turk, O. C. 
Throckmorton, Lewis N. Thompson, William Van Horn, 
George Woods, Adam Chesney, George B. Caves, A. A. 
Dennian, William Deweese, James Frost, A. J. Furrow, 
■Joseph Farmer, James Gillard, Sylvester Keplinger, 
Daniel H. Lentz, G. T. Little, Harry Long, Madison 
Millhouse, George A. Reamer, John Scott, .Tohn Sowers, 
David E. Small, Henry Tobias, iiiehnel Tobias, P. H. 
Tracey, Peter Jones, George E. Lee, Martin McNeely, 
Benjamin Mattox, Joshua W. Orr, Judd L. Palmer, 
Harry L. Peterson, Henry Koegner, James Eees, John 
P. Smith, William H. H. Snyder, Samuel Zollinger, R. S. 
Anilerson, S. C. Bowman, C. W. Bennett, George W. 
Berry, George W. Cruse, Benj. I. Dubois, M. L. De 
Vinnie, Moses Flesh, A. B. Frame, A. M. Vaugh, Siilney 
Vicks, J. C. White, Beniamin H. Webster, Joseph S. 
Wiley, John W. Widney, 'W. H. H. Aspenall, Ross Ccd- 
lins, Charles Colmorgan, Edward J. Collins, Robert F. 
Graham, Henry Kontz, Frederick Meyer, Samuel K. 
Statler, Daniel Layton, Jlorris ,T. Stillwell, William Arm- 
strong, Daniel Ault, A\igustus Avers, Albert M. Brother- 
ton, John H. Bowman, William Mitchell, John T. Nigh, 
Nathaniel Nason, George N. Noland, James W. Williams, 
John N. Woodmanev, Thomas J. Wolfe, Enos P. Wright, 
Theodore D. Brooks, Charles Bane, Elbert il. Bell, An- 
thony jr. Carsim, Jacob Crapsey, Perry H. Deardaff, 
Wesley Eichelberger, William Freshour, Augustus C. F. 
Finek, Harrison Gear. David A. Gilmore, J. R. George, 
Gustavus Hunt, Sylvester L. Bell, Cliarles C. Barnett, 
William C. Blnnk'e, William Bond, William H. Blue, 
John C. Boyle, Lewis L, Babylon, William F. Bancroft, 
William R. Bowele, Oliver Elliott, Edward E. Green, 
Thomas W. Green. William Gerlacli. Lewis W, Garrett, 
Elias Mills, Augustus Morse, Harris Mayo, George N. 
Moats, Charles Carr, Harvey Craft. 

Pleasant EiU — R. W. Brandon, Daniel Brown, Allen 
H. C'oppock, Henry Coppock, John C. Cecil, D. W. 
DeBra, Henry Gilbert, .lames Hamiel, William Hahn, 
J. D. Iddings, M. S. Longanecker, Edward Laughman, 
Ejihraim Longanecker, H. W. Meyers, Henry Martin- 
dale, Valentine Minuich, Jasper ilarshall, Elihu Neves, 
L. H. North. Amos North. W. F. Patty, Allen Reibcr, 
Jacob Rciber, L. P. Stout, E. B. Stout," J. F. Shoe, Al- 
fred Shoe, N. B. Teeter, W. N. Tucker, Wesley Thomp- 
son, Judson Teeter, Henry Vannoy, G. N. Whitmer, 
W. H. Wroten. J. R. Whitaker, Clayton Walker, John 
Huffman. Arnold Helniick. S. W. Kiester, Noah Pear- 
son, Henry H. Shill, John VanKirk, Samuel Wallack, 
David Ward. 

Tippeanioe Cit)/ — John Athey, I/. H. Augsberger, John 
M. Barr, H. H. Bryant, Adam Boen, Theodore Boyee, 
Edmun Cheney, M. E. Crane, W. H. Clark, Daniel A. 
Cory, Lorenzo Clawson, William Collins, W. W. Davy, 
Jacob C. llavis, Uriah J. Favorite, Jacob E. Freet, 
David Frey. .Tacob Hanil. Sr., S. D. Hartman, George 
Hosier, Frederick Hogendobler, Jlezckiah E. Hawver, 
William JL .Tolmson, Lewis W. .Lacolis, Levi E. Jacobs, 
C. Krise, Jacot Lewis, A. A. Mitchell, A. W. Miles, 
.Tames Mahati'ey, John JIartindale, Christopher R. Moser, 
.J. E. Noland. .John Nunlist. .Joseph Pearson. H. .1. Rit- 
ter. Charles Schick. John Shafer. John W. Strader. Jacob 
Sinks. W. B. TenEick. J. C. Walton, Samuel Wells, T. B. 
Wells. Silas Westfall. Squire Wirt, C. D. Winters. Clin- 
ton Champlin, John Clark, Milton Evans, .John Ehrhart. 



Walter Gaines, Charles Johnson, Jacob Cress, Thomas 
J. Maey, Francis M. Prill, James H. Ertz, Henry Vore. 

Coiiiiijion — Andrew Babylon, Isaac Butterworth, 
Thomas Brandon, E. E. Brown, G. W. Butts, James A. 
Bradford, Edward Babylon, Elias Bixler, Eleazer Bitner, 
.John Branson, Benjamin F. Cain, 1. A. Corwin, T. F. 
Cami)bell, Byron Crampton, O. A. Cummings, H. H. 
Coppock, J. C. Dunham, E. C. Diltz, J. S. Dollinger, 
G. S. Dollinger, George Detrick, George Day, E. S. 
Dollinger. William D. DeBra, Daniel Deederm, William 
Davis, Ben Erisman, Joshua Furnas, C. B. Fletcher, 
Levi I'aulkner. G. E. Faulkner, G. C. Frey, Martin Fin- 
frock, Isaiah l*"infrock, Alonzo Fox, Harley W. Furnas, 
H. H. Furnas, Harrison Fisher, S. B. Freshour. W. H. 
Furnas. Joshua Grubb, Hiram Hardesty. John Hilliard, 
George Howalt, Benjamin Hollopeter, A. J. Hartle. I. D. 
Heckman. A. C. Hall, Isaac Hoover, William Ingle. Or- 
yille Ingle, John W. Jones, J. R. Kauffman. Madison 
Kendell, S. B. Kepner, William Kiser. Lewis Kendig, 
W. F. Long. Morgan Leonard, Luther Langston. Henry 
Langston. .lohn Jlarshall. G. W. Miller, David Minnich, 
.John ('. McAdam, I^ulher Ncth, Oliver Nicodemus, David 
Oblinger, Ejihraim Pearson, R. N. Porter. Isaac Penny, 
S. D. Palmer, A. M. Ruhl, F. M. Rankin, David Reese, 
J. R. Rench, Thomas Ross, Jacob Riley, Z. L. Ramsey, 
David B. Rankin, Jonas Smith. Charles Smith, Richard 
Scliilling, E. D. Simes. Conrad Shelbuch. Jackson Shade, 
Valentine Smith, J. H. Smith, D. C. Shellanberger, W. 
H. Sowers, Michael Shuman. L. D. Smith, H. P. Smith, 
James Smith, G. W. Swadener, Henry Shafer, Samuel 
Ullery, J. M. Wright, A. J. Wallace, John Weaver, 
Jacob Wagner. 

Bradford — Lawrence Addington, David Arnold, Will- 
iam Arnett, Samuel Bevington, George W. Belt, James 

B. Bell. Elias B. Coates, Benjamin A. Cole, Stephen 
Day, Israel L. Davis, George Ebbcrts, Martin Eller, 
Richard Esky, Leander E. Fisher, Calvin (ireen, George 
A. Gardner, William C. Heath, Clement Yost. Thomas 
R. Livingston, Charles B. Loomis. Harvey Midlam, Oliver 
ilarlin, Daniel W. Pickering, George H. Potter, Claude 

C. Smith. Jacob Sfubbs. W. M. Thompson, William C. 
Thompson. John Tinkler, George R. Wade, Aaron L. 
Wade, William Weaver, Clement Yost. 

Cn,ss<0!(H— Lewis Bane. Baryillai Dershem. Henry 
Fndicker. .John H. Ilarbaugh, George W. Howett, 
Charles C. Ilenslee. .Jonathan Howett. Samuel W. Hel- 
vie. Henry C. Knoop, David B. Knoop, Samuel Knoop, 
Charles '.\\. Harbaugh, .John C. Knoop, Samuel A. Mc- 
Ilheury. Benjamin F. Procter, George W. Rupert. .Josiah 
Routzhan. John W. Simions, James E. Webb, Michael 
Wilgus, David Warner. 

)JV.s« Milton — .Samuel Buffington, Lemuel Curtis, Jesse 
.Johnson, Frederich Harshberger, Daniel Mote. John 
AVorley, Theodore Zeller. 

Ludlow Fallt — Henry K. Arnett, Joseph Bond. Amos 
Clark. William D. Grove. John .M. Gillespie. Jackson 
Iddings. Henry Iddings. .Mark C. .Tones. John Layer, 
.Jacob Nealeigh. Lewis F. Niles, Enos Pemberton. Nathan 
Thompson, Cieorge W. Volger. 

Kcx.ilcr — Henry Beck, William G. Fox, Thomas J. 
Kessler. 

Laura — Elmer Cummings, Thomas M. Corey, John 
Falknor, .Jeremiah Fetters, .John W. Graham, .John C. 
Henderson, Albert Hart, Franklin Johnson. Harvey 
Klepinger. Chalmer Netzley, William H. Pearson. Fran- 
cis C. Tucker, Robert Wiiey, Jacob Fair, S. P. Miles, 
W. I. North. 



168 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Po(s(7<3»j— Aaron Ditmer, Abraham Fry, Harvey Ha- 
worth, John N. Hall, Lewis P. Hissong, Thomas W. Wis- 
singer, Charles Welbaum. 

/"/f?c;i(r— Horace Bileforil, Erastus Covault, Michael 
Duncan, Thomas Ford, G. W. Gilmore. W. D. Kiser 
Joseph Hetzler. I. N. Hall, J. S. Hill, William Lane^ 
CUnton C. .Motter, Cyrus Pogue, Andrew Ralston. Jonas 
Shellenbargcr, Martin Smith, George D. Starry, J. J. 
W. Wade, John C. Wones, Thomas Wilgus. 

Lena— William Buckels, Joseph S. Duer, Jacob Long 
F. M. Wert, B. B. Wheaton, Harrison Williams, Joshua 
White. 



CoJioier— J. K. Furrow, Maurice Frazier, Thomas 
Roberts, Silas Worthington, Brickner Williams. 

B(oomer— Frank Eoswell Green, Albert SI. Routson. 

,x7^!-';'','!^~'^'^° ''^- D*^aton, David A. Meredith, George 
W. Collins. ° 

Phonel on— George Brooker, William Dinsmore, David 
Shaeffer. 

Brandt— C. W. Fisher, John Harbaugh, James Par- 
sons^ J. C. Starry, Daniel Swallow, Benj. Shiel, Joseph 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE BENCH AND BAR, FAMOUS TRIALS, ETC. 



First Court Session, 1807 — First Grand Jury Impanelled — First Case Docketed — Early 
Laieyers — Manner of Holding Court in the Late Forties — Some Famous Cases — 
The Present Bench and Bar — Court Officers in 1908 — Amusing Incidents. 



Born of the backwoods and ourtured un- 
der difficult circumstances the bench and 
bar of Miami County have reached a j^rom- 
inence second to none in the State. Mem- 
bers of each have obtained a celebritj' that 
has extended far beyond our borders and 
at the present day these legal organiza- 
tions are noted for their judicial lore and 
forensic abilities. 

In the humble home of Peter Felix at 
Staunton the first session of court was held 
June 23, 1807, the year of the formation of 
the county. The sessions were held in 
Staunton till November, 1808, when Over- 
field's house in Troy was transformed into 
a temple of justice. The surroundings were 
simple, the first court room no elaborate 
affair, and the few attorneys present were 
clad in homespun. About the court 
stretched the forest, rich in the varied garb 
of nature and abounding in wild game. 
The bridgeless Miami flowed unvexed 
toward the Gulf and the craft that cut its 
waters were the flatboats of . the first 
traders. 

At the first regular session of the court 
Francis Dimlavy presided and John Ger- 



ard and John H. Crawford were sworn in 
as associate judges. Cornelius Westfall 
was duly appointed clerk pro tempore of 
the court, which proceeded at once to busi- 
ness. The first official act promulgated by 
the bench was the taking of a census of the 
white male inhabitants of the county and 
the listing of all taxable property. Stephen 
Dye was the first sheriff and Arthur St. 
Clair, prosecutor for the State. 

The impanelling of the first grand jury 
was a ceremony of considerable interest. 
Its i^ersonnel was as follows : James Blue, 
foreman, James L. McKinney, Henry Or- 
bison, Joseph McKorkle, Henry Robinson, 
Daniel Kuoop, Theodore Sanders, Michael 
Blue, John Huston, "William Miller, An- 
drew Dye, Jr. Matthew Caldwell, John 
"Wallace, John Jenkins, James Youart. 
Isaac Holt was constable. At the May 
term, 1808, "\^'illiam Barbee was added to 
the roll of associate judges and Isaac G. 
Burnett succeeded General St. Clair as 
State prosecutor. The first indictments 
found by the grand jury were against 
George Overpeck and Alonzo Shaw, both 
for assault and battery. 



169 



f 



170 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



At the first regular term iu September, 
1807, the first case docketed was Nathan 
Hathaway vs. John McKinney and was a 
case of trespass in which the defendant 
asked for $300 damages. E. S. Thomas 
stood for the plaiutift" and General St. 
Clair took charge of the defendant's inter- 
ests. This case was dismissed at the fol- 
lowing May term, each party paying half 
the costs. The launching of the first county 
court must have been an event of supreme 
importance to the people. It assured them 
that a new era had opened and that the 
new county had taken its place among in- 
ternal commonwealths. 

In course of time the number of attor- 
neys increased. There were tedious jour- 
neys over poor roads to the county seat 
and these were performed in all sorts of 
weather. Locomotion, therefore, was slow 
and the early lawyers had ample time to 
think over their cases. 

]Mr. M. H. Jones, who was admitted to 
practice in 1848, gives an interesting ac- 
count of his first journey to the county. 
After being formally admitted at Cincin- 
nati and having purchased a few law books, 
he took passage on one of the old-fash- 
ionel canal packets and arrived at Piqua 
without so much as a dollar in his pocket. 
In the Border City he hung out his shingle 
and became a full fledged member of the 
Miami County Bar. At that time there 
were then practicing in Piqua James H. 
Hart, S. S. McKinney and Gordon N. Mott. 
Esben Adams and AVilliam I. Thomas were 
the attorneys in Troy. Mr. Thomas came 
in 1819 and Daniel Grosvenor in 1822. 

Several years after the arrival of Mr. 
Jones in Piqua, J. F. McKinney and James 
T. Janvier came to the bar while George 
D. Burgess, Ebenezer Parsons, Harvey G. 



Sellers, Charles Morris, George H. Ayles- 
worth and Henry B. Smeltzer represented 
Troy's legal contingent. Wilson F. Eoss, 
one of the county's famous practitioners, 
followed soon after. Practicing at the 
bench of these times were some noted Day- 
ton lawyers, among them Eobert C. 
Schenck, Peter Odin, Joseph H. Crane, 
Daniel Haynes, E. W. Davis, John How- 
ard, AVilbur Conover and C. L. Vallan- 
dingham. 

The manner of holding court in the late 
forties was yet rather primitive. "On one 
occasion," M. H. Jones says, "the court 
came to Troy in their buggy in the evening 
and went to the court house and got all 
the papers in all the cases from the clerk, 
read them and considered them in their 
room at the hotel that night, decided them, 
l)utting a slip iu each package announcing 
their decision, took them back to the clerk 
before breakfast the next morning, called 
his attention to their decisions and told 
the clerk to tell all the lawyers when they 
came in, and after an early breakfast 
started in their buggy to "hold court" in 
the next county. You can imagine the 
pious ejaculations of the lawyers when 
they came into court to try their eases." 

In early times court terms were limited 
to two weeks and consequently the docket 
was always crowded. The system of plead- 
ing was under the old Common Law, the 
complications of which often tried the pa- 
tience of the early bar. Divorce cases were 
few and far between and not many crim- 
inal eases were docketed. 

Those were the days of meager fees; in 
fact, litigants as a rule were poor in this 
world's goods and therefore avoided liti- 
gation as much as possible. The first plead- 
ers before the Bench of Miami County 



AND EEPRESENTATR'E CITIZENS 



171 



were men of worth and ability. There 
were the McKinney brothers, Col. J. H. 
Hart, Gordou K. Mott, Judson Cotting- 
ham, Jonathan Vaile, General Robert 
Young, Seth H. "Wood, Benjamin Powers, 
R. P. Llewellyn Barber, Charles Morris, 
Harvey Sellers and Stephen Johnston. 
Conrtly in their manners, tliese old law- 
yers made for the Bar of Miami County a 
reputation which has been sustained by 
their successors. Many of these were men 
of much erudition. They knew literature 
as well as law; they were as familiar with 
Shakespeare as with Blackstone and elo- 
quence often flashed from them like sparks 
from a Toledo blade. It would be invidi- 
ous to discriminate. The old bar of the 
county has disappeared. The temple of 
justice which echoed long ago to its wit 
and eloquence has given place to a new 
structure, but the record left behind by 
the first lawyers has not been lost. The 
last of the old practitioners passed with 
Major Johnston and J. F. McKinney; and 
M. H. Jones, the Nestor of the present bar, 
loved and venerated by all, stands alone 
to represent the glories of the older day. 
There have come before the courts of 
^liami County several famous cases which 
deserve more than a passing notice. Per- 
haps the first of these was that of a man 
of the name of Armstrong, who was in- 
dicted for murder in 1816. The crime was 
committed near Piqua in a house which is 
still standing. The case, the particulars 
of which are lost, created a great deal of 
excitement and the accused was found 
guilty of murder in the first degree and 
sentenced to be hung, but afterward his 
sentence was commuted to a term of im- 
prisonment. In 1855 came the celebrated 
Ragan ease. 



This trial was one of the most sensa- 
tional ever held within the limits of the 
county. It was the first and last time a 
woman ever api^eared before the bar of 
our courts with an offense whose surround- 
ings were so heinous. Mrs. Jane Eliza- 
beth Ragan, or Riggin, as the name 
is sometimes spelled, was a young married 
woman of twenty-two who lived in Piqua. 
She was a person of some attractions and 
intelligence. She was under medium size, 
fair complexion, bordering on the bru- 
nette, regular features, dark forehead, 
rather low, gray-blue eyes, voluptuous lips 
and possessed an organization and expres- 
sion that indicated strong passions and 
great decision and energy. 

Despite the fact that she was married 
she formed an intrigue with one James T>. 
Mowry, who resided at Cowlesville, near 
Tippecanoe City. AVhether Ragan sus- 
pected his wife's infidelity or not, I do not 
know, but Mrs. Ragan detei-mined to make 
herself a widow without the sanction of 
the law. Mr. Ragan became ill and the 
services of a ]ihysician were secured. He 
grew rapidly worse and the circimi stances 
were suspicious. It was suspected that he 
was the victim of a slow jioison. When 
he was improving and gave assurances of 
regaining his health he was suddenly taken 
worse and died. In a short time Mrs. 
Ragan was arrested. The warrant was 
served by S. B. Garvey, constable, but as 
his time was about to expire his successor, 
yh: Goggin, completed the necessary de- 
tails. The arrest of Mrs. Ragan took place 
in April, 1855. 

The accused was brought to Troy and 
lodged in jail. At that time Judge R. S. 
Hart was on the bench and M. H. Jones 
was the iirosecuting attorney. The prose- 



172 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



cutor was assisted by Ebenezar Parsons, 
who afterward became judge. The defense 
was conducted by John A. Corwin, of Ur- 
bana, James S. Hart, and S. S. McKinney. 
The jury consisted of Kobert Johnson, 
Henry F. Zellers, Paul Pence, Menalcus 
Crew, Nathaniel Hollingsworth, Eli Pear- 
son, Erastus Covault, Jeremiah Furrow, 
Garland Bruce, Joseph Harland, Abner 
Jones and Jeremiah Thomas. 

James D. Mowry was arrested with Mrs. 
Ragan, but as there was no convicting evi- 
dence against him he was finally dismissed 
and the whole machinery of the law was 
put forth for the conviction of the woman. 
The trial, when it came up, was attended 
by great crowds from all parts of the 
county. The coldbloodedness of the crime 
commanded execration everj'ivhere, for 
there was no doubt of Mrs. Pagan's guilt. 
A chemist had found in Mr. Pagan's stom- 
ach a sufficient amount of arsenic to have 
killed half a dozen men. What made the 
case of the accused so black was the fact 
that she was a member of church and a 
teacher in the Sunday school, and it was 
very evident that she didn't practice what 
she preached. She was a woman who dis- 
missed for unholy love the religious tenets 
she professed and hesitated not to take 
her husband's life because he stood be- 
tween her and the real object of her affec- 
tions. 

There was not the slightest doubt of 
Mrs. Pagan's guilt. In fact she made a 
confession, but as it was made to an offi- 
cer it could not be used against her. While 
confined in the county jail a child was born 
to the accused woman and this offspring 
was nursed in court in order to secure for 
the guilty mother the sympathy of the jury. 
Never before had such a spectacle been 



witnessed in our courts. The trial was full 
of dramatic episodes. The case for the 
State was conducted in an able manner 
while all the elocjuence of the defending 
attorneys was put forth to save their client 
from the gallows. The charge of Judge 
Hart was able and impartial and every 
one looked for a verdict of guilty. The 
state had fully proven its case and the de- 
fense itself had little hopes of securing an 
acquittal. 

What, then, was the surprise when the 
jury filed solemnly into the court-room 
with a verdict of "Not guilty" falling from 
the lips of its foreman! It seemed as if' 
a bomb had fallen through the roof. There 
was nothing left now but to turn the 
woman loose. The trial had lasted thirty 
days and for the State had been time 
wasted in the end. Slowly Mrs. Ragan 
l^assed through the press of indignant 
spectators and went her way. She re- 
mained not long in Piqua but went west, 
where she afterwards died. A few years 
after the trial she was accosted in Indi- 
anapolis by a person who knew her, but 
she denied her identity until convinced that 
she was really known, when she asked the 
gentleman not to expose her past life. 
With the exception of M. H. Jones, who 
prosecuted Mrs. Ragan, every one con- 
nected with the trial of this celebrated case 
has i)assed to the Great Beyond, but the 
memory of the trial is yet one of the causes 
celeb re of the Miami Bar. 

THE HOBATTA CASE. 

It would seem from the outcome of the 
Ragan trial that the county had been af- 
flicted enough in the miscarriage of jus- 
tice. It was soon to have another trial 
none the less aggravating. In the summer 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



175 



of 1859 two young men reached Miami 
County on their way home from Califor- 
nia. One had been unsuccessful in his 
search for gold while the other had ac- 
cumulated, if not a competence, enough to 
give rein to the generous impulses of his 
heart. These young men were Michael 
Hobatta and one Manning. The latter 's 
home was in Kentucky, while Hobatta lived 
a few miles out of Piqua. They had been 
friends in the far west and Manning, tak- 
ing pity on his companion, had generously 
paid his fare home. "With the blackest in- 
tentions in his heart, Hobatta invited Man- 
ning to accompany him to the home of his 
( Hobatta 's) parents before proceeding to 
Kentucky. This invitation was accepted, 
Hobatta pledging Manning that his father 
would reimburse him for his kindness to 
his son. 

When the pair reached Picjua they start- 
ed afoot toward the Hobatta home. There 
were persons who saw them on the road 
and noted Manning's joyous nature. Little 
did he dream that he was being tolled to 
his death by one of the most despicable 
wretches that ever infested the county. 
There is no telling at what time the demon, 
Murder, took possession of Mike Hobatta 's 
heart. He not only coveted the wealth con- 
cealed on his companion's person, but he 
wanted also the very rings he wore. Al- 
most in sight of the Hobatta farmstead 
the body of Manning was found. A bullet 
from a revolver had taken his life and the 
body had been left on the scene of the 
crime. At once a hue and cry was raised 
and as circvmistances pointed in but one 
direction, the hands of vengeance were laid 
on Hobatta. Excitement became intense, 
and it is probable that the swift apprehen- 



sion of the murderer spared the county a 
lynching. 

The late Harrison Gale, of Troy, was 
constable at that time and he saw that the 
accused was promptly lodged in jail. Even 
then there were threats of an attack on 
that structure by the infuriated populace. 
After some legal delays the case came up 
for trial December 9th. Judge Ebenezer 
Parsons then occu2)ied the Common Pleas 
Bench and the late James T. Janvier was 
the prosecuting attorney. Mr. Janvier 
called James S. Hart, an able lawyer, to 
his assistance, while Samuel E. Browne 
took charge of the defense. Not for a mo- 
ment did the excitement over the case 
abate. Ithamar McDowell, a returned gold 
seeker who knew Manning, visited Hobatta 
in the county jail and identified a ring on 
the prisoner's finger as belonging to Man- 
ning. 

The jury selected to try Hobatta was as 
follows: J. H. Mitchell', John Wolcott, 
James Cable, J. C. Mitchell, Henry Cox, 
John H. Woodward, Rol)ert Buckels, Jo- 
seph Copi)ock, James K. White, Aaron JR. 
Murphey, Robert W. South and Levi Cof- 
field. 

It would seem from the evidence, which 
was circumstantial, but without a missing 
link, that death would surely be the doom 
of the accused. He demeaned himself both 
in jail and in the court-room as a merciless 
wretch, having little to say, owing perhaps 
to his nature. His attorney presented his 
case as best ho could and in an able man- 
ner. The state labored hard to convict the 
jirisoner, the prosecutor making an able 
argimient, in which he was seconded l)y the 
able Hart. All their efforts were, how- 
ever, in vain. The jury after some hours 
of discussion brought in a verdict of mur- 



176 



HISTORY OF MIAJII COUNTY 



der iu the second degree and Hobatta's 
life was saved. It is impossible to de- 
scribe the indignation that possessed the 
people of the county at this verdict. In 
Kentucky at Manning's home Hobatta was 
hung iu effigy and the excitement was in- 
tense. The jury was hotly censured. 

The prisoner was taken to the peniten- 
tiary at Columbus to begin his life sen- 
tence. He served a term of eleven years 
when he received the benefit of executive 
clemency and was set free. Although 
years had passed since his conviction Ho- 
batta was ostracised by his former friends 
and was driven from their presence when 
he attempted to take up his old life among 
them. Forsaking the scenes of his boy- 
hood, he went into an adjoining state, 
where perhaps the great crime of his life 
was unknown, and he eventually died in 
a strange community. It was not the end- 
ing that he deserved, for the death penalty 
should have been meted out to him for his 
atrocious crime. 

THE BROWN-BOLLMYEK CASE. 

During the days of the Civil War, a 
tragedy growing out of the animosities of 
politics took place in Dayton. A news- 
paper called "The Empire," antagonistic 
to the Government, was published there by 
a man named Bollmyer. Political feeling 
at that time was high.' It was the home of 
Vallandigham and his disloyal sentiments 
had embittered the Union people against 
what was then known as the Copperhead 
Party. In Dayton lived one Brown who 
kept a hat store and who was an ardent 
Union man. One evening the jiersonal and 
party quarrel between the two men ter- 
minated in blood. Brown went to Boll- 
myer 's house, and, calling him to the door. 



shot him dead on the sidewalk. This act 
stirred the city to its very foundations. 
Brown was placed in jail and a mob was 
formed among Bollmyer 's friends to take 
him out and lynch him. Brown was 
brought to the Miami Cormty jail for safe 
keeping and, a change of venue being se- 
cured, he was tried in the old court house 
in Troy. 

The bitter feelings engendered by the 
war made the trial a noted one. There 
was little question as to Brown's premedi- 
tation. The court house was filled to over- 
flowing during the trial, which lasted some 
days, and resulted in the prisoner's ac- 
quittal. It was thought for some time that 
his life was in danger by Bollmyer 's 
friends, but he was not molested and a few 
years later he was found dead in a field, 
his life having been taken by apoplexy. 

THE MITCHELL TEIAL. 

After this exciting case the Miami 
County Court room witnessed no stirring 
trial till the arrest of George Mitchell, col- 
ored, who was charged with the murder of 
his wife. The ^litchell case is celebrated 
from the fact that it terminated in the only 
legal execution ever held in the county. 
This case came to trial in 1880. Judge 
H. H. Williams presided and Moses B. 
Earnhart was prosecuting attorney. The 
late Daniel C. Miller was sheriff. Mitchell 
was a blacksmith, but was not considered 
vicious. Claiming that his wife was not 
faithful to him, he one day attacked her 
with a corn-cutting knife and inflicted 
wounds from which she died. After com- 
mitting the terrible deed Mitchell made 
his escape and was not apprehended till 
months afterward, when he was found at 
work in another county of the state. He 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS- 



177 



was arrested, bruuglit to Troy and placed 
in jail. Calvin D. Wright became his at- 
torney. Brought to the bar of the Common 
Pleas Court he entered a plea of not guilty 
and the trial began. 

The shocking details of the murder 
aroused puhlic interest and the court room 
was daily crowded. The jury brought in 
a verdict of murder in the first degree and 
Mitchell was sentenced to be hanged. The 
day for the execution was set, but Gov- 
ernor Charles Foster permitted a jjost- 
ponement while the attorneys labored hard 
for a commutation of sentence. Their ef- 
forts availed nought, however, and on the 
17th of Sejjtember the execution took place 
amid dramatic scenes in the jail yard at 
Troy. It was a day long to be remembered 
throughout the county. The county seat 
was thronged with people who came from 
every part of the county as well as from 
other parts of the state. The streets were 
patrolled by several companies of militia 
and scores of deputy sheriffs were sworn 
in to preserve order. Mitchell met his fate 
unflinchingly. After the execution the body 
was handed over to the family for burial 
and the first and last execution ever had 
in Miami County was at an end. 

THE SHANK TRIAX,. 

In 1893 Jefferson Shank was brought to 
trial for the murder of his wife. This 
case became one of the most noted ever 
tried at the criminal bar of the county. 
The hearing lasted three weeks. Judge 
Theodore Sullivan occupied the bench and 
Thomas B. Kyle was the prosecuting at- 
torney. He was assisted by ex-Judge Cal- 
vin D. Wright. II. H. Williams and Ellis 
Kerr defended the prisoner. The prom- 
inence of the prisoner's relatives added 



interest to the case. The evidence against 
Shank was altogether circumstantial and 
need not be related here. The verdict was 
"Guilty of murder in the second degree" 
and the prisoner was sentenced to the state 
penitentiary for life. A short time after 
his incarceration he became a "trusty" 
and eventually was the recipient of a 
pardon. 

The foregoing are some of the famous 
trials held within the county. There have 
been others, but they do not merit space 
at the hands of the historian. Many of 
them have been forgotten and the record 
of others are buried in the dust of time. 
It may be said that while Justice at times 
has been "side-tracked," her scales have 
been, on the whole, well balanced at the 
county bar and that the evil doer has gen- 
erally received his deserts. 

The present bench and bar of the county 
reflect credit upon all concerned. The men 
who compose it are lawyers of ability and 
citizens of worth. From Judge Jones 
down they are worthy successors of the 
legal lights who brought fame to the county 
in the years that have passed away. Of 
the judges who have filled the bench within 
the last thirty years, Calvin D. Wright, 
Theodore Sullivan and Walter D. Jones 
are living. Judge H. H. Williams died a 
few years ago in Florida. Judge Theodore 
Sullivan is now judge of the Circuit Court, 
Second Circuit, and Judge Jones is the 
present judge of the Common Pleas Court 
of ]\Iiami County. 

A century has passed since the first 
county court was convened. In that time 
the bench and l)ar of Miami have reached 
a place lofty in particular. It is noted for 
its learning and eloquence and celebrated 
for its legal lore. Its pcrsouiifl will com- 



178 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



pare favorably with the personnel of any 
similar body iu the laud. It can look back 
upon a history of which its members may 
feel proud, a history covering the stirring 
events of ten decades. It is no longer the 
era of the old circuit-riding judges and the 
lawyer of few books and fewer cases. It 
is the day of the scholarly barrister, the 
day of the law library, of the generous fee 
and the intelligent client. It is a far cry 
from the bench and bar of Peter Felix's 
time to the present organization which dis- 
jjenses and aids justice in the Temple of 
Justice, and when one casts a retrosi^ective 
look across the space that intervenes he is 
impressed with the advancement made by 
the courts of the county. That our bench 
and bar will maintain its high standard 
goes without saying. Its future is bright 
and the county is proud of it. 

Following is the present personnel of 
the Miami County Bar: 

Attorneys — Edward H. Allen, Alfred M. 
Brant, George A. Brooks, A. F. Broom- 
hall, C. N. Burns, A. C. Buchanan, E. M. 
Bell, G. W. Berry, A. B. Campbell T. M. 
Campbell, S. D. Croft, John V. Dagan- 
hardt, J. A. Davy, A. AV. DeWeese, U. G. 
Earnest, C. F. Faust, F. V. Flinn, J. S. 
Forgy, Charles E. Fox, J. C. Fullerton, 
Jr., Freshour & Freshour, M. K. Gantz, 
Gilbert & Shipmau, F. C. Goodrich, ^Y. A. 
Hains, L. 0. Harbaugh, J. C. Hughes, W. 
E. Harness, E. A. Hiatt, Nate Iddings, C. 
B. Jamison, M. H. Jones, W. S. Kessler, 
A. H. Kessler, Kerr & Kerr, E. H. & E. A. 
Kerr, James Ward Keyt, Lindsey & Lilley, 
George A. Long, Thomas B. Kyle. "William 
E. Lytle, J. H. Marlin, W. L. Martindale, 
Seth'McCullough, J. L. McKinney, J. W. 
Morris, M. H. Nill, O'Donnell & Billings- 
ley, Bert Reed, J. Harrison Smith, J. F. 



Spitler, L. E. St. John, Thomas & Thomas, 
AV. P. AYalker. 

Officers of the Court, 1908-9— Ron. Wal- 
ter D. Jones, judge; J. H. Landis, clerk; 
B. J. Johnson, Florence M. Fickes, deputy 
clerks; Eenna E. Spitler, stenographer; 
W. E. Lytle, prosecuting attorney; R. H. 
Gibson, sheriff; P. H. Moyer, deputy; R. 
H. Southerland, bailiff. 

A volume of anecdotes concerning the 
county's old barristers might be written 
and its perusal would be highly entertain- 
ing. In speaking of the celebrated "Bob" 
Schenck, Mr. Jones narrates how that old- 
time lawyer once broke down a witness on 
cross-examination. 

"Schenck was once defending a case and 
the testimony was going dead against his 
client, and among the witnesses who were 
strongly against him was one John Mad- 
dux, of Piqua, a very shrewd, sharp wag, 
who was equal to Schenck in wit and re- 
source, and Schenck announced to some of 
the lawyers that he was going to break 
Maddux down on cross-examination. So 
after Maddux was examined in chief, 
Schenck undertook the cross-examination 
in a manner that became offensive to Mad- 
dux, who imagined that Schenck assumed 
a superiority over him. Schenck led him 
through a long cross-examination in the 
details of the case and his testimony be- 
came harder on Schenck 's client, and in a 
fit of anger and disgust Schenck, in one of 
his loftiest moods, turned on the witness 
and asked him : 

" 'Now, Mr. Maddux, you have sworn 
to know a good deal about this case and 
testified very strongly— will you please 
have the goodness to tell me and the court 
how you know these things?' 

"Maddux raised up and in the grandest 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



179 



manner and the clearest voice, assuming 
social equality with Sclieuck, looking him 
squarely in the eye said: 'Why, Bob, I 
saw it with this scrutinizing eye of mine,' 
at which the whole audience, judge and 
jury, roared with laughter, all except 
Schenek, who in an angry manner said, 
'The witness can go.' It was the lawyer 
broken down, not the witness." 

Mr. Jones was elected prosecuting at- 
torney in 1851. He defeated the famous 
Harvey Sellers, one of the oldest members 
of the Miami County Bar, and was prob- 
ably the tirst and only Republican who 
ever carried Brown Towii|;hip, the Gibral- 
ter of ^liami Democracy. The prosecutor's 
salary was then $225 per annum. 

One of the old time legal geniuses of the 
coimty was R. P. Llewellyn Baber, of 
Piqua. He was gifted in oratory and his 
flights of rhetoric are indescribable. At 
one time he was to deliver a Fourth of 
July oration at Xenia and in order to cre- 
ate a lasting impression he prepared a 
very elocjuent address. It was written to 
be delivered in the open air and was filled 
with allusions to the golden glow of the 
sunlight, the warbling of the birds, and the 
soft zephyr. As it was written so it was 
delivered, but the day was cold and dreary. 
The rain fell in torrents and a public hall 
held the orator. But undaunted he called 
upon his hearers to observe the sunshine, 
etc., which they heroically tried to do amid 
shouts of laughter. 

An amusing story is told of "William I. 
Thomas, one of the first members of the 
Miami County Bar. It was customary a 
number of years ago for members of the 
Supreme Bench to sit in various counties 
and hear cases. On one occasion one of 



these high officials was performing this 
duty in Troy. Mr. Thomas had a case in 
which he was deeply interested and while 
absent from the court room the court de- 
cided it adversely to Mr. Thomas. AVhen 
he returned to the court room he said to 
the court: "I would like to have a deci- 
sion in the case of A vs. B." Thereupon 
the court replied : "The case has been de- 
cided, Mr. Thomas, and adversely to your 
client." "I shall cany it up to the Su- 
preme Court," retorted Mr. Thomas, with 
a good deal of spirit. "I want to see how 

the d case looks in a book." The gist 

in the old lawyer's retort lies in the fact 
that all cases carried to the Supreme Court 
are printed in pamphlet foi-m for consider- 
ation by the highest tribunal in the state. 
There is no doubt that not a few cases are 
taken into the Supreme Court for no other 
reason than to see how they "Look in a 
book." 

The members of the old county bar were 
men who would have made any bar famous. 
There was the suave, gentlemanly Janvier, 
who left the mercantile business for the 
law, the bright Burgess, who was "care- 
less in essentials and details," the philo- 
sophic Grosvenor, the elder Thomas, who 
possessed a deep legal mind, the reason- 
ing and thinking Ross, the careful and 
scholarly Morris and the brilliant Sellers. 
"The early Bar of Troy, where is it? 
(lone! gone whence! No response. The 
heart beats faster, the pulse quickens, the 
brain grows dizzy, the voice struggles to 
articulate the answer, but none comes. The 
early Bar of Troy has passed away; its 
members are no more; life's journey for 
them is ended, and that is all we know." 



CHAPTER XII. 



EDUCATIONAL 



The Log Schoolhoiise Early Teachers — First Text Books — Methods of Discipline — 
Advent of the Salaried Teacher — Coming of the Graded School — Latter Dag Im- 
provements — Schools of Troy and Piqiia — Educational History of the Toivnships 
— Parochial Schools — Teachers' Examinations — Results. Accomplished. 



In the present chapter I shall endeavor 
to describe the educational progress made 
in the county from the earliest times. The 
present splendid free school system is the 
outgTowth of the rude beginnings that fol- 
lowed the advent of the pioneers. The 
genesis of the magnificent educational 
structures of today was the log school- 
houses of the backwoods which lined both 
banks of the Miami. The professors of 
the present-day schools are the successors 
of the quaint old teachers who "taught the 
young idea how to shoot" and who be- 
lieved almost religiously that to spare the 
rod was to spoil the child and the rod was 
seldom "spared." 

It was not long after the coming of the 
first settlers that the schoolhouse arose in 
the forest. It was not the "little red one" 
used today in song and story, but an affair 
far less ornate, and in keejoing with the 
times. The primitive "house of learning" 
has passed away, but excellent descrip- 
tions of it remain. As the jiioneers built 
their cabins in close proximity, they began 
to look after the education of their chil- 



dren and for this purjiose selected some 
central point in the woods for a school site, 
near a branch, for the convenience of hav- 
ing water near at hand for the use of the 
scholars. 

' ' This being done the pioneers settled on 
a day agreed u^jon, turned out with their 
axes, broadaxes, plow and auger and met 
early in the morning at the selected site, 
others cutting logs near by in the woods, 
some felling a large oak for clapboards 
and still others cutting a sightly blue ash 
for puncheons, benches and writing desks. 
The building of the schoolhouse proceeded 
as rapidly as possible. The foundation 
was soon laid and four men were selected 
as corner men, who took their respective 
stations and saddled and notched down the 
corners as the logs were delivered to them 
on skids. When the structure was eight 
feet high the joists were laid, then the logs 
' were shortened for the gable ends, sloping 
the ends and inserting the rib pole at the 
top. The upper log of the basement pro- 
jected about eight inches to receive the 
butting or eve-log, against which the slant- 



180 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



181 



ing roof rested. As the building was going 
up tlie cross-cut saw was Iieard iu the 
woods, the mall and wedge severing the 
cuts, and the butts were removed to some 
fork of a tree near by where they were 
rived into boards four foot iu length. 

"Logs were next removed from three 
sides of the hoiise and window styles pre- 
pared, which were adjusted in their jilaces 
about sixteen inches apart, to which uews- 
l^apers were pasted and oiled, with 'coon 
grease' to render them transparent. The 
cracks being chinked and daubed, the floor 
laid, the puncheon door hung on hinges of 
wood, the writing desks were attached to 
the wall, resting on standers slightly in- 
clining toward the scholars, who sat on 
benches and learned to write in front of 
the large paper windows. In this way the 
primitive school-house was reared and iisu- 
ally completed in a day without a nail or a 
window glass connected with the struc- 
ture." 

In temples of learning like the one just 
described some of the greatest minds of 
the country were shaped. Lincoln studied 
in a schoolhouse like the first that arose 
within the borders of this county. In the 
early days there were no contractors, no 
boards of education, to superintend the 
erection of the schoolhouse. The day of 
the graded school and the academy was 
far in the future. It was undreamed of by 
the men of the backwoods. The first school- 
houses of the county were few and far 
apart. In 1817 there were no schools 
north of Piqua and pupils were sent there 
from Fort Wayne, Defiance, Wapakoneta 
and other distant places. The children of 
the pioneers haAnng some distance to travel 
took their dinners to school, which con- 
sisted of corn pone or Johnny cake, fat 



meat and some milk. They ate iu the 
schoolhouse or on the sward that sur- 
rounded it. 

"What of the teachers who presided over 
the first schools of the county? "What of 
the books used as compared to those of the 
present day? The teacher of the baek- 
woods school that rose in the region of the 
Miami, the Stillwater, and in fact in every 
township of the county was a character. 
Very seldom was he American born. He 
was generally an Englishman, Irishman or 
Scotclunan, seldom if ever Dutch or 
French. He was from the first the author- 
ity of the school room. His word was law 
and the rule which he exercised was sel- 
dom tempered with mercy. It has well 
been said of him that "he entered the 
primitive schoolhouse with an air of au- 
thority and woe betide the urchin who 
crossed his imperious sense of propriety. 
"With gads and rods stored away in the 
sight of the school he was a terror to the 
school. For trivial offenses or small ir- 
regularities he inflicted corporal punish- 
ment and the hickory or beechen I'od were 
never spared." In some cases pupils were 
tied up by the thumbs and whipped, and 
the writer's first preceptor was an Irish- 
man who had the pleasing habit of drag- 
ging scholars from their seats by the collar 
and beating oliedieuce into them with a 
four-foot gad. 

These old teachers "boarded roimd" 
among the families of the neighborhood. 
They were looked upon as prodigies of 
knowledge. Many of them were supersti- 
tious. They believed in witches and 
ghosts and more than one weird tale they 
communicated to the assembled school. 
Spelling and arithmetic wei-e the chief ele- 
ments of their education and they insti- 



182 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



tuted the spelling school, which of late 
years has gone out of date. On Christ- 
mas and New Year's eve the old-time 
teacher was "barred out" by the scholars. 
This was not kindly received by the mas- 
ter and when admission was refused he 
sometimes came down the wide chimney or 
landed in the school-room by breaking the 
greased paper in the window. Then he 
would be seized by the scholars, bound 
hand and foot and threatened with a duck- 
ing unless he treated the whole school to 
apple cider and ginger bread, which he 
generally did, after which the school pro- 
ceeded as usual. Today 

"The master sleeps upon the hill 
All coated o'er with snow," 

but his method of training the youthful 
mind has not been forgotten. 

The school books used at the dawn of 
education in the county have long since 
passed out of style. Dilworth's spellers, 
readers and arithmetics were among the 
first text books, also the American Precep- 
tor, Webster's Speller, Pike's Arithmetic, 
Murray's Grammar and the Testament. 
Dear old Lindley Murray ! The old inhab- 
itants of the county still recall this first 
of grammars, which they pored over years 
ago. There is a story told of one of the 
early scholars in one of our backwoods 
schools who being somewhat dull could not 
master the jaw-breaking names of the 
three Hebrew children who were cast into 
the fiery furnace. AYhen it came his turn 
to read aloud his Bible verse lie discovered 
to his dismay that it contained those dread- 
ed names. The boy hesitated. The Irish 
schoolmaster stood over him with the 
threatening gad in his hand. "Read on!" 
sounded in the boy's ears like the crack of 
the hazel. "Why don't ye read on, ye 



spalpeen!" With the expectation of the 
whip the trembling pupil,_ unable to recol- 
lect, or repeat anything, burst into tears 
and sobs and made an effort to explain his 
inability. "Well," moaned he, "Here are 
these three fellows again and I don't know 
them." The old master, not without some 
kindness in his heart, noticed the sim- 
plicity and honest effort in the boy, so 
making an effort to relieve the child's dis- 
tress, said, "Why, boy, cannot ye mind 
them? They are Mister Shaderack, Mes- 
hack and Abed-ye-go. Now ye mought go 
on with your lesson and don't ye miss 'em 
again." It is safe to say that the pupil 
never did. The foregoing incident recalls 
the story told by Lincoln of his early school 
days of a fellow scholar who was always 
"stumped" by the same, to him, unpro- 
noimceable names. Seeing them in his 
verse the poor lad turned to Lincoln and 
whispered, "Abe, here comes those con- 
foimded Hebrews again." 

The early pedagogues who jjresided over 
the primal schools of the county were con- 
sidered au fait if they were able to teach 
the three R's, and with this slender educa- 
tional outfit many a boy went out from 
these "forest academies" to make a name 
for himself in the world. In one of our 
first schools was au Irish teacher whose 
Milesian face was adorned with a toad- 
like nose. At this face a little boy of ten 
burst into a laugh and was promptly called 
into the frowning presence of the master. 
"What are you laughing at?" thundered 
the irate teacher. Tremblingly replied the 
boy, "You will whip me if I tell you." 
"And, you little fiend, I'll whip you if you 
don't," was the rejoinder, reaching for his 
well-trimmed hickory. With sincerity and 
a little heart filled with fear the boy an- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1S3 



swered, "Well, master, I was laiigliiug to 
think how much your nose looks like a 
frog." It was just after recess and the 
boy had to stand by the master and at in- 
tervals received a dozen lashes laid on with 
all his brawny Irish strength until dis- 
missed with the school at night. Such, in 
part, were the schools and pedagogues of 
the early days. In such schools and under 
such masters the children of the pioneers 
were trained. That training, simple as it 
was, and conducted under adverse circum- 
stances, prepared the pujjils for the active 
life that lay around them and transformed 
them into useful and prominent men and 
women. AVhen one looks back upon the 
little log schoolhouses which dotted the 
hills and valleys of the county he is apt to 
regard them with feelings akin to rever- 
ence, though they long ago gave way to 
the more pretentious academies of learn- 
ing which stand in our midst today. 

The early school master was contempo- 
raneous with the circuit rider, who will be 
described later on. Notwithstanding his 
surroimdings, he did a great work and he 
is not accepted at his real value today. He 
labored under disadvantages which would 
have discouraged less i^uiposeful people. 
The present school system is such a tre- 
mendous improvement on the primitive 
one that comparison is not necessary. In 
early times singing was taught in the 
schools and the old notes were used. Sing- 
ing classes were formed and nearly every 
old-time teacher was considered capable of 
training the voice. Spelling and singing- 
schools were held in every district in the 
county. Paid schools were also in vogrue 
during the educational growth of the 
county. This came about for the reason 
that there was neither school board nor 



pul)Iic fund. Teachers were paid by sub- 
scription, which they solicited and collect- 
ed for themselves, and their patrons were 
found good pay. Pupils selected studies 
to suit them and paid i)er term of thirteen 
weeks as follows: 

For reading and spelling, $1.00. 

For reading, spelling .ind writing, $2.00. 

For reading, spelling, writing and arithmetic, $3.60. 

A number of years elapsed before the 
salaried teacher came into existence. Even 
then the old teachers surrendered their 
ground with reluctance, for "boarding 
round" suited them and they looked upon 
the new regime with disfavor. Later still 
came the day of the graded school with its 
improvements we have today. The graded 
schools and the high schools found now in 
every part of the county seem to have 
reached jjerfection and owe their existence 
and success to the free school system that 
prevails everywhere. 

"We will now look at the growth of the 
•school in various parts of the county. In 
1804 there were but three families in what 
is now Concord Township, including the 
city of Troy. The town was not laid out 
until some years later and in 1813 Samuel 
Kyle opened the first school. This old pre- 
ceptor was the grandfather of T. B. Kyle, 
Troy's present mayor. He taught in a 
log house without floor or windows, on the 
corner of ^larket and Water Sti-eets. Not 
more than fifteen pupils tilled his classes. 
In ISIG John G. Clark taught in the lower 
l)art of the town near the old railroad 
dejiot. Clark had queer ideas of punish- 
ment, as he corrected his pupils by split- 
ting a quill and flipi)ing it against the nose. 
It was before the day of steel pens and 
quills were universally used for writing. 
It is said that Clark's methods disgusted 



I 



184 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the citizens of Troy and fuuds were raised 
to build a small brick schoolhouse where 
the splendid Edward's building now 
stands. This house of learning went by 
the dignified name of "The Academy." 
Later on, or in 1826, Eev. Micajah Fair- 
field taught for a year or two and gave 
way to Thomas Barrett, afterwards elect- 
ed a county judge, who was succeeded by 
John Petit in 1831. Mr. Petit afterward 
went to Indiana, where he became United 
States Senator. When George D. Burgess 
taught school in Troy, in 1839-41, his sal- 
ary was $100 per quarter, which was con- 
sidered very good in those days. Mr. Bur- 
gess taught algebra, geometry and Latin 
in addition to the common branches. The 
graded system entered the Troy schools in 
1849, when Irving Gates was at the head 
of them. Gates had opposition in his work 
from a Mr. Beunet, who taught day school 
in the Wesleyan Church. These two schools 
were the outgrowth of contending factions 
in Troy and Bennet's scholars called the 
pupils of the other school Gates' Hinges." 
These early schools of Troy have almost 
passed from memory and scant records are 
all that remain of them. They brought 
about the fonnation of a board of educa- 
tion, which consisted of Charles Morris, 
Eev. Daniel Eice, George D. Burgess, "Will- 
iam B. Johnston, Benjamin Powers, Zach- 
ariah Eiley and Henry S. Mayo. The elec- 
tion of this board was the signal for better 
schools. Six thousand dollars were voted 
for a more commodious school building 
and William N. Edwards was chosen su- 
perintendent at $800 Y>ev annum. Mr. Ed- 
wards was highly esteemed as an educator 
and many of the prominent citizens of 
Troy at the present time graduated under 
his instruction. From 1856 to 1867 there 



were few graduates from the schools of 
Troy. The members of the first graduat- 
ing class were Walter S. Thomas, John W. 
Morris, Diana Meeks, and Augusta Brand- 
rilf, of whom three are still living — Walter 
S. Thomas and John W. Morris, residing 
in Troy, and Miss Augusta Brandritf, who 
is living in Washington, D. C. As the needs 
of educational Troy increased, new school 
buildings were erected, until now all are 
commodious and beautiful edifices dedi- 
cated to learning. Some of the later super- 
intendents of the Troy public schools are 
Prof. H. A. Thompson, H. P. Ufford, John 
W. Dowd, L. V. Ferris, J. F. McCaskey, 
C. L. Van Cleave, and Ealph Brown. Prof. 
C. W. Cookson is now at the head of the 
Troy schools. 

The first school taught in Piqua was un- 
der the instruction of Isaac Hendershot 
in 1808. From that time until 1817 the 
Piqua schools had quarters in a house that 
stood on Main Street near the site of the 
l^resent city hall. It was a log affair 
chinked with clay to keep out the cold and 
greased foolscap supplied the place of win- 
dow glass. This first house of learning 
had a large fire-place for the back-log, the 
floor was laid with slabs, and its roof was 
made of rough, unshaved clap-boards, 
stayed by poles. The furniture consisted 
of one row of writing benches, illy suited 
to the sizes of the pupils, arranged on the 
sides and one end of the room. They were 
made of slabs, and hewn-out pins entered 
into the slabs by a two-inch auger. 

The famous "Academy" was completed 
in 1818 and in it the youth of the Border 
City thought themselves comfortably 
housed. John P. Finley taught the first 
school held in the Academy and among 
those who followed him was Daniel Mitch- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



185 



ell, a brother of General 0. M. Mitchell, a 
noted Union officer during the Civil War. 
In 1813 an incendiary, probably an oppo- 
nent of education, burned the Academy, 
and a log church on Water Street housed 
some of the pupils for a number of years. 
In 1845 three district school buildings 
arose in Piqua and about this time select 
schools wei'e taught in different parts of 
the town. These private schools were 
termed high schools to distinguish them 
from the common schools provided by law. 
In them the higher studies were pursued, 
such as Latin, Greek, higher mathematics, 
natural sciences and the mental and moral 
sciences. 

The year 1856 saw the completion of the 
high school building. Prof. A. G. Cham- 
bers was the first superintendent. In 1860 
Rev. C. "JV. Fitch, rector of the Episcopal 
church, succeeded him and Jonathan Fair- 
banks held the position in 1862. William 
Richardson, alumnus of Dartmouth Col- 
lege, followed Mr. Fairbanks, and he in his 
turn was succeeded by William Carter. 
Prof. C. W. Bennett, alumnus of the Ohio 
Wesleyan Universitj^, was elected superin- 
tendent in 1874 and held the place for 
thirty-two years. The present superin- 
tendent of the Piqua schools is J. R. Beach- 
ler. From early times the system of edu- 
cation adopted by the public schools of 
Piqua has been fortunate in the choice of 
instructors and the schools have reached a 
merited degree of perfection. A well 
known writer in summing up the educa- 
tional growth of Piqua has worthily said : 
"The people of Piqua deserve commenda- 
tion for their loyalty to the public schools 
and for the judicious selections of school 
boards whose members have labored with 
unselfish energj' for the good of the 



schools. Supervision and systematic gra- 
dation many years ago ceased to be an ex- 
periment in this city and the common 
school system has webbed itself into the 
affections of the people. If the progress 
of the system be sustained with equal zeal 
and precaution in years to come we may 
look to the future for still greater and 
nobler i)ossibilities." 

This prophecy has been fulfilled in every 
particular and today no city of the state 
can boast of better schools or more compe- 
tent instructors than those found in the 
Border C'ity of Miami County. 

In Monroe Township, which includes 
Tippecanoe City, the first school was 
taught in Hyattsville. It was in a log 
sehoolhouse. This school was followed by 
another taught on what is known as the 
"Island," which was a small plot of 
ground separated from the mainland by a 
bayou. Beyond the fact that the first 
teacher here was a young man of the name 
of Gilbert, but little is known of the first 
schools in this particular locality. In 
March, 1853, the first board of education 
in Tippecanoe City was elected. It was 
composed of John McPherson, L. N. Boo- 
her, and D. H. Briukerhoff. This board 
secured land on First Street and a com- 
modious school building was erected. N. L. 
Perry was the first teacher in the town. 
This building was used till 1868, when it 
gave way to another, which in turn was 
succeeded by the present handsome high 
school building that houses the pupils of 
the thriving little city. The grading of 
the Tippecanoe school is the best that can 
be devised and the instruction which is 
ever kept iip and maintained by competent 
instructors gives entire satisfaction to all. 
The Tippecanoe high school annually turns 



186 



HISTORY OF MIAxAII COUNTY 



out a set of graduates well fitted for the 
emergencies of life. 

For twent}--four years, or from 1808 to 
1832, the schools of Union Townshii? were 
taught in the old Friends' meeting house. 
They were conducted after the established 
manners of primitive schools. John Howe, 
an Englishman, taught here in 1808 and 
there remains to this day the recollection 
that he was a classical scholar and an 
adept at penmanship. It was customary 
for the early teachers to fashion quills into 
pens for the pupils, and as Mr. Howe had 
nimble fingers he was often called upon to 
perform this duty. In 1818 Charles Mills 
came to the fore as an instructor and a 
year later Daniel H. Jones followed him 
Davis W. Thayer and David Mote came 
next with the unspared rod and Thomas 
Adams brought the early schools of West 
Milton to a perfection which they for a 
long time enjoyed. Adams was a man with 
an excellent education and drew many 
scholars from a distance, but it is said that 
he was deficient jn school government and 
m course of time his school went to pieces 
and he disappeared. Following Adams 
came Charles Mills, Jacob Angle and Dan- 
iel Mote again. The latter had more than 
one faculty which he tended with assidu- 
ous care. He could build a house, survey 
land and write poetry. Some of his poet- 
ical effusions were long treasured bv his 
pupils and may still be relics of old times 
m that locality. Gardner Meudenhall suc- 
ceeded to the rod in 1827, and while he 
^vielded it the authorities came along and 
hauled off his corn crop to satisfv a muster 
fine, whereupon he probablv flogged a few 
pupils as a balm to his wounded feelings 
During 1828-29 Alexander Wilson presid- 
ed over the Union Schools and in 1830 



James H. Hanks kept the fearsome birch. 
The last winter school was held at West 
Branch, where W. B. Jones, who came 
from South Carolina, inaugurated tickets 
of reward, an innovation which long ago 
disappeared from the schools of this 
county. Since then the schools of Union 
Township have risen to effectiveness and 
promise and today, kept in excellent build- 
ings and with a graded system which seems 
to have reached perfection, they are well 
known everywhere. 

The schools of Newton Township find 
their beginning in the cabin of Joseph Fur- 
nas and he was the first teacher. This was 
m 1808. Mr. Furnas could almost have 
organized a school from his own family, as 
he had seven children, and these, in addi- 
tion to those of his neighbors, made up a 
fair school for that early day. It was not 
until 1811 that a real schoolliouse arose in 
the woods of Newton Township. Eichard 
Clegg taught there in 1813 and Amos Perry 
and John Pearson succeeded him. In 1866 
Sub-district No. 7, which includes the town 
of Pleasant Hill, was organized into a 
special school district, since when a large 
schoolhouse has been built in which the 
graded schools are today conducted in an 
able manner. 

The early history of education in New 
berry Township is somewhat obscure. So 
far as is known, the first schoolhouse was 
erected about 1815 and it was a rude log 
affair with the poorest of accommodations. 
The first schoolhouse stood near the north 
end of High Street in Covington. The sec- 
ond one was erected on the St. Mary's 
road. Andrew Ballard was one of the 
teachers in the latter structure. This house 
of learning was burned down. About 1818 
John Barbour became the instructor of the 





HIGH SCHOOL, PIQUA 



HIGH SCHOOL. BRADFORD 





SOUTH STREET SCHOOL. PIQUA 



PUBLIC SCHOOL, COVINGTON 



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HIGH SCHOOL, CASSTOWN 



SCHOOL HOUSE. WEST MILTON 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



189 



youug idea iu the Trotter's Creek locality, 
and afterward one Benjamin Dunham 
taught iu a deserted cabin in the same 
towushi}). These old schoolhouses disap- 
peared with the advaucing years, giving 
way for more commodious ones. Among 
the other pioneers in the art of learning 
who held forth in Newberry were Moses 
Mitchell and William Dowler. James Perry 
was the first teacher to open school iu the 
town of Covington and he was followed by 
Amos Perry and James Hanks. Since the 
very first Newberry Township has been 
noted for its good schools until today it is 
well supplied iu that particular. Coving- 
ton has a fine high school erected in recent 
years, and the high standai'd set by its ed- 
ucators years ago is still maintained. A 
comprehensive sketch of the schools of 
Bradford, inclj.Tding some early history of 
the town, will be found at the close of this 
chapter. 

East of the river, where there are no 
large towns, the country schoolhouses fol- 
lowed rapidly the strokes of the settler's 
axe. Brown Township built its first log 
schoolhouse in 1811 and its presiding 
genius was a maiden lady known as "Aunt 
Sallie Tucker." She was probably the 
first female teacher in the county and her 
successor was "Auut" Patty McQuillan, 
who is said to have wielded the rod with 
the vim and hand of an expert. Amos 
Denman and George Layman followed her 
and Joseph Rollins was the first teacher 
in the second schoolhouse erected within 
the limits of the township. In 1874 the 
village of Fletcher was organized into a 
special school district and a well graded 
school has been taught there ever since. 

The year 1815 witnessed the l)eginuing 
of the school in Springcreek Township. 



The first school held in the townshij* was 
kei)t by one of the old time teachers named 
James Laird, who received $5 per month 
and "boarded round" among his patrons. 
Laird was an Irishman. Salivation had 
caused a deformity in his joints, which 
rendered locomotion i^ainful and he took 
to teaching. Added to this trouble he was 
a devotee of the "little brown jug" and 
the way he laid the birch on the backs of 
his pupils is still remembered in the town- 
ship. Between 1815-25 some of the teach- 
ers of Spring Creek were James Sims, 
George Lemons, James Cregan, Thomas J. 
Lash and Patrick Murphy. The rural 
schoolhouses in this township today are 
well-built brick structures and the schools 
conducted therein are the equals of any 
now kept in the county. 

One of the earliest instructors of the 
youth in Lost Creek was Gen. John "Webb. 
He was a man of considerable learning 
and became a man of prominence in county 
affairs. The early schools of Lost Creek 
were not of a very high order of merit if 
one is to judge from an item in the annual 
report of Thomas Long, "superintendent 
and visitor," of the common schools of 
Lost Creek, submitted many years ago. 
He remarks that "The order in the school 
is not good, too much confusion, but little 
government exercised l)y the teacher, very 
little exercise of moral influence, and but 
very little time is spent to convince the 
scholars of the projjriety of such measures 
as would be conducive to their good." 

Since the filing of this somewhat scath- 
ing report the schools of Lost Creek have 
improved until now they are among the 
most promising in the county. The Cass- 
town school, now a high school, presided 
over by F. G. Main, has had a long list of 



190 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



teachers, among whom I find the names of 
Henry Jackson, Mate Scourse, Professor 
Patterson, Horace Maynard, Martin 
French, Alfred Knight, "Washington Friz- 
ell, James Eogers, T. J. Webb, 0. C. Gor- 
man, Eussell Allen, Kate Knight, Sarah 
Hamman, J. L. Wright and Warren An- 
derson. 

When the pioneers of Elizabeth Town- 
ship felt the needs of education they erect- 
ed a log schoolhouse on the Christian 
Knoop farm near the Staunton line. Here 
John Enyeart presided and when not 
teaching he acted as justice of the peace 
and adjusted neighborhood quarrels. In 
1812 John Schell taught on the Lost Creek 
crossing, when he was sober enough to do 
so. The school books used in Elizabeth 
Township were Webster's Speller, Dil- 
worth's Arithmetic, the Bible, and other 
books not so well known. In these rural 
schools elocution was always taught and as 
Friday was the day set apart for this exer- 
cise the scholars vied with one another in 
declamation. AVitli the introduction of the 
famous McGuffey series of readers the pu- 
pils found "pieces to speak" more to their 
liking, and "Bingen on the Rhine," "Casa- 
blanca," "Eienzi's Address to the Rom- 
ans," became standard favorites. Prizes 
were often given to the best declaimers 
and considerable rivalry prevailed among 
the rural "orators." 

Bethel Township has always set a high 
mark in the conduct of her schools. As 
early as 1802, years before the county was 
organized, a little schoolhouse arose on 
the Rudy farm and two years later a man 
named Kehan taught in the township. 
These first schools were carried on by sub- 
scription after the manner of the times, 
but in 1830 Bethel was divided into six 



school districts and the system of educa- 
tion became more pronounced. Later on 
the number of districts were increased. 
Township superintendency becoming nec- 
essary N. H. Albaugh was appointed su- 
perintendent in 1866, and in 1874 Hiram 
Brown was chosen to assist him. Mr. 
Brown was made superintendent two years 
later and under his supervision the schools 
of Bethel advanced to the foremost rank. 
Since that time they have become an edu- 
cational power in the county. 

There is no record at hand giving a his- 
tory of the early schools of Staunton 
Township. It is safe to say that they 
were conducted in the line of adjacent 
schools, having the same complement of 
old-time teachers who looked after the 
growing mind on meager salaries and un- 
der many difficulties that beset the early 
highways of learning. When the first 
schools were established in Troy a number 
of the youth of Staunton attended, but 
later on the little schoolhouse came into 
existence east of the Miami and Staunton 
Township educated her youth in school- 
houses of her own. To-day each district 
is well governed in educational matters 
and the township can point with pride to 
efficient schools. 

Within the last few years township su- 
pervision has been tried with good suc- 
cess. The supervisors are hired by the 
boards of education in the several town- 
ships and they visit and grade the county 
schools. Since the introduction of this 
system a marked improvement has been 
noticed in the schools. The supervisors, 
or superintendents, as they are sometimes 
called, receive on an average $45 a month. 
Some of them will superintend the schools 
of several townships. Singing is also 



AND REPRESEXTATIYE CITIZENS 



191 



taught in the schools in some special dis- 
tricts. Teachers of rural schools average 
$50 per month. 

In addition to the common and high 
schools of the county, there are two pro- 
gressive parochial schools. These are in 
Troy and Piqua. 

St. Patrick's Parochial school, of Troy, 
is under the superivison of Rev. Anthony 
J. Mentink, the resident pastor. It was 
founded in 1886, by Eev. P. H. Bene. The 
addition of the present auditoriimi, with 
extra class room, was made in 1906 and 
fills all requirements. To-day there are 
three Sisters of the Precious Blood in 
charge of fifty pupils. This school is noted 
for its efficiency and is ably conducted by 
those in charge. 

The parochial school connected with St. 
Boniface Church, of Piqua, is under the 
charge of Eev. George P. Steinlage, pas- 
tor. Its attendance is good and it has 
been brought to a high state of excellence. 
It is one of the recognized institutions of 
the city. The pastor is unremitting in his 
care of the school and the progress of the 
pupils is deserving of great praise. The 
St. Boniface Parochial School is one of 
the best of its kind in the state. 

The teachers' examinations of Miami 
County are conducted by a board of ex- 
aminers appointed by the probate judge. 
Two examinations are held each month, 
and certificates are granted. This sys- 
tem has prevailed for years and has been 
found efficient and popular. The exam- 
iners are chosen from the ranks of the 
foremost educators of the county. The 
present ones are C. L. Bennett, Co\'ing- 
ton ; Charles H. Teach, Lena, and George 
Eoutzahn, of Staunton. Examinations are 
also held under the Boxwell law, which 



permits graduates from the country grad- 
ed schools to enter the Troy and Piqua 
high schools, the expenses to be met by the 
several townships. On the whole, during 
the first century of their existence the pub- 
lic schools of Miami County have pro- 
gressed to an amazing extent. Instituted 
in the backwoods, while yet the fear of 
Indian invasion hung like the pall of doom 
over the sparse settlements, they labored 
under difficulties that would have discour- 
aged less worthy enterprises. From these 
pioneer schools came men and women who 
have proven the best citizens the county 
has produced, and to their lasting credit 
be it said that they left to their children 
the educational facilities which are en- 
joyed to-day. The county has taken no 
backward steps in the education of its 
youth. Its motto has ever been "For- 
ward!" and with its large number of 
school children well housed and well taught, 
its future is not doubtful. Thousands of 
dollars are annually appropriated for edu- 
cation, and new school buildings are being 
constantly erected for the accommodation 
of the pupils. Corporal punishment has 
practically disappeared from the schools. 
This relic of the old days has fallen into 
disrepute and Byron's stanzas are for- 
gotten : 

"Oh, ye! who teach the youth of Nations, 
Holland, France, England, Germany or Spain, 
I pray ye flog them upon all occasions. 
It mends their morals, n^er mind the pain." 

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE SCHOOLS OF 
BRADFORD. A\D EARLY HISTORY. 

(Prepared bv Nate Iddings; read at dedication of the 
new"building, Saturday, Dec. 12, 1908.) 
In 1861, about the time the Rebellion broke out, the 
C, C. & I. C. Railway Company saw the necessity of 
making a connection between the first and second di- 
visions of their road at Richmond, Ind. Engineers were 
sent out to look up the best route, and they finally set- 
tled upon leaving the main track just east of Covington, 
called the Summit, being the highest point between 
Piqua and Covington. This line passed Covington on the 



192 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



south, and on through Franklin Township, Darke Coun- 
ty, to Arcanum, and then on to Eichmond. John Sowers, 
of Covington, then a contractor, having built a part of 
the old road, and having considerable influence with 
the railroad men, took the surveyors in his carriage and 
brought them west to the Darke County line, and sug- 
gested that it would be a gooil place to leave the main 
line anil go to Richmond by way of Greenville, and it 
is said that he parted with a gold watch, and that Brad- 
ford was then and there established. The survey was 
made and the road built. ' 

From that time on until 1S67, there was nothing 
here but a wooding station. Trains stopped here in the 
woods for fuel. William Stump, with a tread horse- 
power, did the sawing, trains would stop and a half hour 
was used by all the train men in tilliug up the tender 
with wood, and if any tramp or wayfarer desired to get 
a free ride, he only had to throw wood for a few minutes. 

In 1S68 the bargain previously made was con- 
summated. Johu Sowers purchased the Hoover farm for 
the company, and the Round House was built; a box 
car was set oft' on the north side of the track and was 
used as a depot. John S. Moore was an early comer, 
with a grocery store, quickly followed by Nate Iddings, 
with a general store, Solomon Routsong purchased a 
farm and laid out his plat, Moses Wise followed with 
his addition, and Bradford was then placed on the map. 
The name was suggested by ( 'harles W. Wrapp, and he 
in the village, and S. B. Christian in the country, can- 
vassed and had established a post-ofiice, and Wrapp was 
the first postmaster. He carried the mail around in his 
hat and delivered to patrons, this being the tirst free 
delivery of mail matter, perhaps, in the county. 

The children then attended school in Miami County, 
in a little brick house located on L. A. Dye's farm east 
of town, and in Darke County at a log school house, on 
the same site as is now occupied by the brick, No. 2. 
These schools were taught by country teachers, who had 
muscle — with plenty of beech limbs growing nearby. 
Bradford began to clamor for a school of her own. 
Perry Marlin, a farmer, was the director for this dis- 
trict in Newberry Township, and he wanted the town 
to get along with one room. Bradford wanted four, 
and they finally comjiromised on two rooms, which was 
the best that could be done at the time. The two 
rooms were built the next summer. They are still stand- 
ing and were converted into a dwelling house by Henry 
Klinger. The very first year they were found to be 
inadequate, and the old skating rink at the north end 
of town was rented, and two grades met in that building. 

The Rev. Mr. Best was the first principal teacher. He 
was a very excellent gentleman, but lacked government. 
Before the holidays his pupils became so unruly that it 
was necessary for the l^oard to interfere. A new set 
of rules were established, and school opened the next 
week with no better success. Some of the larger boys 
walked into school with their skates on, and while he 
was trying to maintain order, one of the larger boys 
struck Mr. Best over the head with a skate, and left the 
frame hanging around his neck. This was too much for 
Mr. Best and he resigneil his position. 

Dr. Renner and his wife, both well educated teachers, 
were hired to finish the term. They were from Brook- 
rille, Montgcmiery County, and came well recommended. 
The second day after he was installed three boys came 
into school with their skates on their feet. Mr.' Renner 
looked daggers at them, but they paid no attention to 
him. When they were called to recite they walked out 



on the floor with their skates still on. The doctor did 
not say a word, but went to his desk, drew out a keen 
switch, and gave them each a complete thrashing, with- 
out any explanation, and sent them to their seats. The 
skates were quietly removed and business went on. In- 
side of two weeks all was harmony. About all he had to 
do was to pull down his eyebrows — and he had plenty 
of them — look the boy in the face, and he would wilt 
in a moment. He was re-hired and held his position as 
long as he desired, leaving it to take up the practice of 
medicine. 

At that time the voting was done at Covington and 
Gettysburg. Nate Iddings and Frank Gulich organized 
the voting precincts, and against a good deal of oppo- 
sition from the two towns — Covington and Gettysburg — 
had the village incorporated, and established the special 
school district of Br,idford. Miami and Darke Counties, 
Nate Iddings making several trips to Columbus for 
that purposu. At the first election in the special dis- 
trict for members of the board. Dr. William Commons, 
i'horaas Marlin, John O'Connors, Peter Smith, L. Van 
Trump, and Nate Iddings were elected. 

At their first meeting they submitte<.l a proposition 
to be voted upon to appropriate ,1^25,000 for the pur- 
pose of building a new school house, which proposition 
was carried almost unanimously, and $25,000 in bonds 
were issued in denominations of ¥500 each and to bear 
Jj per cent interest. The first $15,000 were handled 
through the Stillwater Valley Bank, of Covington, Ohio, 
at a cost of $500. Iddings took the $10,000 at face 
value. It seemed to be an easy matter to get the money, 
but we could not build a house without a location. The 
little politicians had gotten up a strife between the 
north and south sides of town. All the churches had 
been located on the south side and they wanted to put 
the school house on a square below James Street, on 
what v,e call Oklahoma, near where Dan Evans resides. 
The Board was divided, three and three. After a long 
worry one cf our men went over to the other side. Peter 
Smith moved out of town, and that left another vacancy. 
A meeting was called to fill it, and Commons and Mar- 
lin left town to break a quorum. We watched Mr. Mar- 
lin's house until eleven o'clock at night, when he slipped 
in and wont to bed. We waited outside until we were 
sure he had retired, when we knocked at the door and his 
wife let us in. We organized a meeting and elected a 
man to suit us to fill the vacancy. The next day Dr. 
Commons returneil and Marlin told him what had hap- 
pened. He went to Troy that morning and enjoined us 
from building the house on the north side of the first 
division railroad tracks. At this time my companions 
deserted me and took the other side, with Dr. Commons 
as leader. I alone favored the present site. The in- 
junction had not been dissolved, and there were grave 
doubts as to whether it would be sustained, and I had 
an equal opportunity to resort to the same line of tac- 
tics, I propose<l to leave it to a vote of the people. 
This seemed to them fair, as they had the majority of 
the voters on the south side. The election was adver- 
tised, and held on a Saturday afternoon between two and 
six o'colck, in July, 1875. There were thirteen saloons 
in the village and they were all seen (?) the day be- 
fore. We had carriages to haul our side to the polls. 
H. W. Smith cast lus first vote that day, and the hustle 
that he put on has made him a winner ever since. Two 
hundred and thirty-eight votes were cast — 137 for the 
present site and 101 against it, leaving a majority of 
36 votes. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



193 



I tried to buy the nhoW park — about eight acres — but 
was cut tlown to about three acres by the balance of the 
board, they thinking we ought not to buy more ground 
than we actually needed. The house was built in 1876. 
George W. Mannix and Dennis Dwyer, of Greenville, 
wore the contractors and buiUlers. 

We bought the ground of Moses Wise, and his son 
Samuel afterwards laid out the balance of the park in 
town lots. At that time the walk to the school lot was 
only six fe^t wide. The corporation owned the lot upon 
which the Drs. Minton now own and reside. I tried to 
get the council to keep it for corporation purposes, but 
it refused and built its council house on a little patch 
of ground on Church Street, back of Jlrs. Shearer's lot. 
Dr. Minton contracted with the council for his lot, and 
I paid him $100 for ten feet on the south side, so as to 
make the walk sixteen feet wide. A new board after- 
wards returned to me the $100. The two rows of trees 
were planted by Daniel Seiders at my expense, and Dr. 
Minton had a vast amount of trouble in keeping the boys 
from swinging on them, for it seemed, even at that day, 
some of our citizens were opposed to having shade trees. 
They would not be there if he had not watched and 
protected them. 

We prepared the plans and specifications for the 
building, and had a proviso that no extra should be 
charged without an agreement in writing with the board 
and signed by both parties. This precaution saved the 
district $2,.'300, which the contractors tried to collect. 1 
had the honor of leatling the honorable board to the 
spot and throwing out the first shovelful of dirt. Mr. 
O'Connor": having moved in from the country, thought 
the first thing that had to be done was to clear the 
ground. His father, an old man, was living with him, 
and he sent him down for that purpose, and before 1 
knew it, he had chopped down three of the finest trees 
on the lot. 

You may travel Darke County over and j'ou will in- 
variably find that every school lot is denuded of its 
trees. The house was built the summer of 1876 and 
D. S. Meyers was installed as the superintendent, with 
a corps of five or six other teachers, principally ladies. 
Mr. Meyers served as principal for several years; during 
the last one considerable opposition developed against 
him. The board was unable to hire and it was left to 
the commissioners of Darke County. 

They, after postponing the hiring all summer, selected 
Mr. Myers. The opposition was so strong and deter- 
mined that the people refused to send their children to 
him, and they hired a special teacher and opened a school 
in an upstairs room in the Arnold Block. Mr. Myers 
graduated three pupils in the first class and had eleven 
in the junior class. The three first graduates were A. F. 
Little, Alice Stone Teeter, and Frank Sowers. A. F. 
Little began the printing business in the garret at his 
father's residence on a press that cost one dollar and 
fifty cents. He married one of the graduates of the 
second class, and thoy have had three children to grad- 
uate, and he is now the honored mayor of the village. 
Alice Stone Teeter married and lived in the village many 
years, and died, leaving a husband and two bright chil- 
dren, who are following the example set by her. Frank 
Sowers married and removed to Winnemack, Indiana, 
where, after an honorable life of a few short years, he 
died, leaving a wife and three children. 

D. W. K. Martin, now editor of the Versailles Policy. 
succeeded Myers as superintendent, and graduated 



eleven, this being the junior class under Myers — six 
ladies and one gentleman. Martin was succeeded by 
Prof. Faul, who remained one year and was succeeded 
by Prof. P. E. Cromer, who had charge of the school 
for three years, and left to go into the practice of med- 
icine. Cromer was succeeded by Prof. H. L. Yount, who 
made an excellent superintendent, having good control 
of the school, more on the military plan than the others; 
he left the school after four years of work, for politics. 
He was deputy clerk of Darke County, school examiner, 
prosecuting attorney of the county for six years, and 
elected as the Democratic senator of the twelfth district 
of Ohio by a large majority, when the district had been 
represented by Republicans for several terms preceding. 

Y'ount was followed by Professor ilaier, an e.\cellent 
gentleman, who governed the school by love for the 
pupils. He left to take the presidency of Bryn Mawr, 
a school for girls in Maryland. His course there was 
brilliant but was cut short by his untinu^ly death. Maier 
was sueceeiled by Prof. Morriss, who handled the school 
successfully for several years, and left to take a better 
paying position with the Pennsylvania Eailroad. 

Morriss was succeeded by Prof. Chrowel, who needs no 
eulogy from me. His many kind acts and deeds are in- 
delibly engraved upon the minds and hearts of our peo- 
ple never to be effaced. Chrowel left to become cashier 
of the new National bank. He was succeeded by Eai- 
burn, who now has charge. All of these professors had 
graduating classes, to the number of more than two hun- 
lived members, who are scattered all over the country, 
doing well in their different pursuits of life. I have not 
the time to speak of them individually. 

It was said in arguments during the recent campaign 
against the liquor traffic, that one boy out of every five, 
and one girl out of every eight, went to the bad. I am 
glad to say that rule does not apply to the graduates of 
the Bradford school. In all my searches I have not 
found a single one but what has an honorable occupa- 
tion, making an honest living, and a credit to the school. 

Of the members of the Board of Education at that 
time, Peter H. Smith removed to his farm north of Clay- 
ton, where he died a few years later. L. Van Trump 
was a physician, and practiced his profession until his 
decease in 1901. .lohn O'Connors removed to Green- 
ville, where he went into the business of carriage mak- 
ing, and now resides in Chicago. Thomas Martin is now 
a resident of Covington. Dr. Commons is a retired physi- 
cian living in Union City, Ind. He was very active in 
building, and especially in opposing the location of the 
school house on its present site. When I was appointed 
to write this sketch I tried to shift the matter on him, 
and received the following letter from him. 

Union City, Ind., Dec. 7, 1908. 
Mr. Nate Iddings, 

Bradford, Ohio. 
Dear Iddings — Your letter of the 6th inst. inviting me 
to the dedication of your new school house, and offer- 
ing me one-half of your time, besides care, is thankfully 
received. I regret this very much, both from good will 
to you and because 1 believe that I could give your 
people some inside school house history, which would be 
new and interesting. Owing to injury received in bat- 
tle, I have become so disabled as to need the care of 
another person. This makes going from home, and es- 
pecially into miscellaneous company, inconvenient and 
unpleasant. My disability is altogether in my hands 
and arms, otherwise I am in excellent health. Thanking 



194 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



you again for your invitation, and ivith best wishes to 
yourself and your people, I am respectfully, 

AVm. Commons. 

The house that we built is a thing of the past. It an- 
swered its purpose well. The two hundred graduates 
that we sent out well pays for the efforts that we put 
forth in that direction. 

I want to congratulate you all upon the beautiful 
structure that we now dedicate. It would be a credit to 
any city. The architect, Mr. Jackson, certainly deserves 
OUT praise for the plans, and Mr. Ray Zimmerman for 
the construction and workmanship; the board of educa- 
tion for the agreeable manner in which they have worked 
all with perfect harmony. The vast crowd here as- 



sembled shows the spirit of our people and the interest 
taken in the education of our children. The only part 
of my work left is the site for grounds. At the final 
round-up for the location, I was alone at the election; 
I had thirty-six majority. I was somewhat abused for 
the course I took, and I now want to leave it to a vote 
of this vast audience, whether I shall be sustained or 
not. All of you who are in favor of leaving it stand on 
the present site which I fought so hard for, please re- 
main in your seats and look pleasant. Now, if there is 
anyone who wishes to vote to the contrary, he will please 
stand on his head. The proposition is sustained 

unanimously. 

Nate Iddings. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE PRESS: LITERARY ACHIEVEMENTS, ETC. 



Early News Conditions — Early Neivspapers Destitute of Local News — Their Contents — 
Presses in Use — The Old Time Compositor — First Newspaper in Miami County, 
The Piqua Gazette — The Intelligencer — The Miami Reporter— Troy Times — The 
Miami Union — The Troy Sentinel — The Troy Democrat — The Daily Record — The 
Buckeye — The Enquirer and Piqua Journal — Miami County Democrat — The Hel- 
met — The Daily Call — The Piqua Leader-Despatch — The Miami Post — The Reflec- 
tor — The City Item — The Herald — The Stilhvater Valley Gazette — Greenville Ad- 
vocate — The Covington Gazette — The Covington Tribune — The West Milton Record 
— The West Milton Buckeye — Local Literature and Authors. 



"The Press! all lands shall slug, 
The press, the press we bring 

All lands to bless, 
palliil Want, Labor stark! 
Behold, we bring the second ark, 
The press, the press, the press!" 

Prior to 1820 no newspajjer was printed 
in Miami Coimty; mail facilities were 
poor ; the mails were carried on horseback 
and by the time the few newspapers taken 
by the people reached their several des- 
tinations the news was stale. It took a 
mouth at least to get the latest news from 
Europe, and local items were then un- 
known. Cincinnati, Columbus, and a few 
eastern newspapers were about the only 
ones that entered the county. These were 
filled with the doings of Congress, the 
quarrels of the political parties, and for- 
eign affairs. Very few original communi- 
cations appeared in the newspapers of that 
day. Now and then some would-be jihilos- 
opher descanted on some favorite hobby 



to the extent of a column and more, and 
at the close left the reader as much in 
the dark as when he started. I have looked 
over the files of the old papers in the coun- 
ty during the first years of their exist- 
ence and found no local news of any kind. 
The comings and goings of the people 
were not mentioned. The daily then was 
not dreamed of, and it did not make its 
appearance until many years after. 

The first newspapers were printed on 
the old hand press, the famous "Washing- 
ton," whicli is still to 'be found in some 
offices, especially in the South. "Working 
this press required the strength of a giant 
and of course but one page of the paper 
could be printed at a time. There were 
few editorials those days; the editor, if 
such he may be called, used the scissors 
and the ]-»aste-]iot and never troubled him- 
self about "leaders" and tlie like. It re- 



195 



196 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



quired half the week to print the meager 
edition on the miserable presses then in 
vogue, whereas to-day the large editions 
of the present county weeklies and dailies 
are thrown off in an hour or two on the 
modern cylinder press. The names of the 
subscribers to the old-time weeklies were 
laboriously written at the top of the first 
page by the "editor," who frequently took 
a turn at the press himself. I recall the 
old press that used to be operated in the 
oflSce of the Troy Times as late as the 
days of the Civil War, and I often envied 
the operator of the ponderous- lever his 
strength. 

In those days the industrious reporter 
was unknown. There was no county cor- 
respondence, no recording of neighbor- 
hood doings, no localizing at all. The old 
newspapers just plodded along. The pub- 
lishers took nearly everything in exchange 
for subscriptions, wood, flour, garden 
produce, and even whiskey. There was no 
"display" in the few advertisements that 
found their way into the first newspapers 
of the county, and the knack of writing ad- 
vertisements had not been discovered. 
There were advertisements of musters, 
strayed animals, runaway apprentices, and 
little more. I believe that the newspapers 
of the past were as much read by their 
patrons as are those of the present day, 
because they had nothing else to read, if 
we except the few dry volumes that looked 
lonely on the bookshelf of the home. The 
papers then were read aloud at night to 
the household by the head of it, including 
the month-old news that filled the narrow 
columns. News not over a month old was 
considered "fresh," and if a paper print- 
ed anything with no more than a week's 



age upon it, it was looked upon as a mar- 
vel of enterprise. 

It amuses one to place side by side one 
of these old newspaper and the excellent 
county paper of to-day. But years ago 
the articles were written with a precise- 
ness as to grammar and spelling, and the 
editor of the past was a man who prided 
himself on these things. He was always 
glad to get hold of an original article, and 
when some local poet burst upon the world 
and sent in an etfusion, it was given a 
prominent jjlace in the sheet, whereupon 
the author considered himself the equal 
of Milton or Pope. "Top of the page" 
and "next to reading matter" were terms 
which were not known in the editorial 
rooms till long afterward. The old-time 
compositor was usually a character. He 
tramped the country afoot, and when the 
editor was out of town, he "set up" the 
paper, worked the press himself, collected 
subscriptions and, in short, was the 
"whole thing." Some of these geniuses 
did not belong to the temperance societies 
and now and then the non-appearance of 
the paper was owing to their chronic "in- 
disposition," to use no harsher term. The 
"tramp printer" has about disappeared, 
though now and then one puts in an ap- 
pearance, works a few days and again be- 
comes the "Wandering Jew" of the pro- 
fession. 

The first newspaper that appeared in 
the county was issued July 6, 1820, at Pi- 
qua. It went under the name of the Piqua 
Gazette, and its jirinter and editor was 
William E. Barrington. He was a Phila- 
delphian. He was a man of considerable 
culture and his editorials were forcible 
and noted for their clearness. He became 
mayor of Piqua. Mr. Barrington aontin- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



197 



ued the publication of the Gazette till 1837, 
when he sold the paper to Jeremiah A. 
Dooley, who changed the name of the sheet 
to the' Intelligencer. Dooley did not con- 
duct it very long, but sold out and the 
paper then passed through several hands 
and numerous vicissitudes till it became 
the property of John W. Defrees, who aft- 
erwards established the Miami Union, at 
Troy. Mr. Defrees sold the Intelligencer 
to Writer & Brading. The former soon 
became sole proprietor and when the war 
broke out he exchanged the pen for the 
sword, went into the army and served 
creditably there. The Intelligencer advo- 
cated the principles of the old Whig party, 
but under Mr. Defrees' management it be- 
came a Republican newspaper and con- 
tinued so until it passed out of existence. 
In 1822 the Miami Reporter was started 
in Troy by Mieajah Fairfield. Its motto 
was "Be just and fear not." It was an 
eight-page sheet, and its subscription price 
was two dollars and fifty cents a year. 
The editor announced that "aknost every 
kind of produce will be received at the 
market price for subscriptions." Since 
eggs at that time were three cents a dozen 
and chickens a drug on the market at fifty 
cents per dozen, with whiskey at twelve 
cents per gallon, it took no inconsiderable 
amount of produce to keep abreast of the 
times. In the presidential campaign of 
1828 the Reporter advocated the election 
of John Quincy Adams, and some of its 
onslaughts on Jackson were sharp and 
vigorous. 

When Mr. Fairfield grew tired of sup- 
plying his readers with mental pabulum in 
weekly installments he sold out to John 
T. Tullis, who published the Reporter for 
eight years, when H. D. Stout took charge 



of it. Furnas & Little and Marvel & Muu- 
son afterwards published it and it fell into 
the hands of E. C. Harmon, still living, 
who christened the paper the Troy Times, 
in 1857. It was published as the Troy 
Times till 1869, when it ceased as a news- 
paper. The Times was operated by Mr. 
Harmon all through the Civil War, and 
contained, among other things, many com- 
munications from the soldiers at the front. 
In 1865 the present Miami Union was 
started by John W. Defrees. This gentle- 
man opened a new era in Miami County 
newspapers. He was a lucid and fear- 
less writer, a strong advocate of the prin- 
ciples of the Republican party, and drew 
down upon his head many sharp criticisms 
from members of the opposing political 
party. Once when a subscriber demurred 
to some of Mr. Defrees' editorial utter- 
ances and burst into the sanctum with, 
"I'm going to stop the Union!" Defrees 
calmly scratched his name from the books, 
escorted him into the printing room, and 
pointing to the press at work, said with 
a smile, "You see, sir, that the Union is 
still going right along." Mr. Defrees re- 
mained at the head of the Miami Union 
until his death, when his son, Lucius L., 
took charge of it and ably conducted it 
for some years. After the death of L. 
L. Defrees it passed under the control of 
the Miami Union Publishing Company, at 
the head of which is Walter S. Thomas. 
The Miami Union enjoys the largest week- 
ly circulation patronage of any newspa- 
per in the county, having a large corps of 
neighborhood correspondents who cover 
the entire local field and make the paper 
bright and newsy. 

The Troy Sentinel was first published in 
1871 by J. A. McConahey, but it soon 



198 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



passed into the bands of J. M. Kerr, who 
published it to its discontinuance in 1880. 
Its materials were then purchased by the 
Imperial Publishing Company and the 
name changed to the Troy Imperial. The 
paper did not exist very long and soon 
ceased to be published. Another newspa- 
per called the Weekly Bulletin was pub- 
lished for a time by the Bidlack Brothers, 
had a short life and was no more. Later 
on the Troy Chronicle and Daily Trojan 
were published by Dr. C. H. Goodrich, but 
after a brief and stormy existence they 
fell into the hands of Frank Lowing and 
were no longer published. 

The Troy Democrat was issued first by 
J. P. Barron, who ran it ably for some 
years as an exponent of the principles of 
the Democratic party. This newspaper 
is now published by Charles H. Dale and 
enjoys a large circulation and an extensive 
advertising patronage. It is one of the 
neatest and most progressive Democratic 
weeklies in Ohio and the office has all the 
facilities for excellent newspaper and job 
work. 

Twelve years ago the Daily Record was 
established by the Croy Brothers and has 
continued to the present day. It has 
proved the only successful daily of the 
several that have been started in Troy. It 
enters nearly every home in the city and 
is much sought after. The Daily Record 
is Eepubliean in principle and takes an 
active part in all political campaigns. 

The year 1891 found the late Captain 
Elihu S. Williams at the head of the Buck- 
eye, a weekly with a purpose. Captain 
Williams was perhaps one of the most 
able and fearless editors that ever wielded 
a pen in the covmty. When he had any- 
thing to say he said it in a manner that 



admitted of no dispute. Under his man- 
agement the Buckeye soon became a power 
in the county and it was amid general re- 
gret that he quitted the editorial helm. 
He sold the newspaper to O'Kane & Hutf- 
man. In 1902 Captain Williams again 
took charge of the paper and was editor of 
it when he died. Afterward it was pub- 
lished by Captain Williams' daughter, 
Miss Olive, who conducted it on the ad- 
mirable lines established by her father till 
its purchase by the present proprietor, 
Mr. H. A. Pauley. The Buckeye was a 
regular storehouse for local and pioneer 
reminiscences and cultivated a field not 
cultivated by any other newspaper in the 
county. It enjoys today a good patron- 
age and is well and intelligently edited. 

Returning to Piqua, the first Demo- 
cratic newspaper that was edited and pub- 
lished by David M. Fleming in 1847. It 
was first published as the Enquirer, but 
in 1860 Mr. Fleming changed his politics I 
from Democratic to Republican and the 
Enquirer became the Picpia Journal. He 
published the paper till his death, when 
a stock company bought it, with E. M. 
Wilbee at its head, but the new regime 
was short lived. 

The Miami County Democrat made its 
appearance in 1860, imder the manage- 
ment of Horton «& Teverbaugh, both of 
whom went into the army, when the paper 
was published by Samuel C. Cole, and sub- 
sequently by the Smiley Brothers. The 
Helmet afterwards came into existence, 
under the editorial management of Isaac 
S. Morris, a Republican and a strong ad- 
vocate of temperance i:)rinciples. The 
Helmet, imder Mr. Morris' editorial su- 
pervision, was ably conducted and at one 
time had a large circulation. From the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



199 



same oiBce there was issued later on the 
Daily Call, owned by the late John W. 
Morris, but now controlled by other par- 
ties. The Call is edited by Mr. H. R. 
Snyder, an experienced newspaper man, 
who has edited the Dayton Journal and 
other newspapers of more or less note. 
Under his management the Call has been 
brought into the front rank of interior 
dailies and maintains a high degree of ex- 
cellence. 

The Piqua Leader -Dispatch, daily, is 
edited and controlled by Henry Kampf, 
one of the most virile of the younger class 
of newspaper editors in Ohio. Kampf is 
a good editorial writer, feai'less and ag- 
gressive and often throws his gauntlet into 
the newspaper arena by way of challenge. 
Under his supervision the Leader-Dis- 
patch has become well known, not only in 
the county, but in every part of the State. 
It has a large circulation and is eagerly 
read by members of both political j^arties, 
though it is radically Democratic in prin-- 
ciple, while its rival, the Call, espouses the 
Republican cause. 

The only German newspaper in the 
county, the Miami Post, is published at 
Piqua, by A. Bartel. This newspaper cir- 
culates largely among German citizens 
and enjoys the good will of all. 

As early as 1853 Tippecanoe City had a 
weekly paper named the Reflector. It was 
published by one Hudson, and after a 
brief existence it went out of business. It 
was followed some years later by the City 
Item, which, like its predecessor, the Re- 
flector, dropped into an unknown grave. 
In 1869 Col. J. H. Horton issued the Her- 
ald, which he conducted till 1880, when 
Caldwell & Co. took charge of it. After 
passing through the iisual vicissitudes in- 



cidental to newspaper life, the Herald fell 
into the hands of the present management. 
It is now edited by J. Maurice Ridge. The 
Herald is a strong Republican newspaper 
and enjoys a good circulation, especially 
in the southern part of the county. 

S. W. Ely, one of the best known news- 
paper men in southwestern Ohio, estab- 
lished the Stillwater Valley Gazette at 
Covington in 1870. In May, 1883, W. F. 
and Robert Cantwell bought out the Ga- 
zette and continued its publication in Cov- 
ington. Until the above date the Gazette 
had been published by "W. A. Browne, now 
owner and editor of the Greenville Advo- 
cate. The Covington Gazette circulates 
everywhere through the Stillwater region. 
Robert Cantwell died in 1908, and the 
newspaper is now in charge of his brother 
and partner, William. The Covington 
Tribune is another of the Stillwater Val- 
ley weeklies that has made good. It is 
a newsy, well edited sheet, making no loud 
pretensions, but an excellent journal, how- 
ever, and well edited by J. H. Marlin. 

The present West Milton Record, by 
the Radabaugh Brothers, has no rival on 
the west side of the county. It is a neat 
appearing weekly and receives the patron- 
age it richly deserves. A few years ago 
Dr. Pearson conducted the West Milton 
Buckeye, which was sold to Captain E. S. 
Williams and moved to Troy, where it is 
still published. Dr. Pearson moved to 
Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he has re- 
sumed the practice of medicine. 

The foregoing is a list of the newspa- 
pers that have been and are published 
within the limits of the county. During 
nearly a century of editorial toil and 
trouble, the press of INIiami County is to 
be congratulated upon its good work and 



200 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the success it has had in furnishing read- 
ing matter to the masses. It long ago 
passed through the incipient stages of 
newsi^aperdom to emerge into brighter and 
more profitable fields. Not all the news- 
paper ventures have lived or thrived, but 
the fittest have survived and so far as is 
known, their present appearance indicates 
prosperity. The citizens of the county are 
a reading and intelligent people and there 
is probably no home within the borders of 
Miami that some local paper does not 
enter. 

LOCAL LITEKATUEE. 

In the production of general literature 
the county, during the first hundred years 
of its existence, has not been very prolific. 
Few books have been written and pub- 
lished by home authors. I have searched 
the literary records from the earliest 
years and find the name of home book- 
makers very scarce. The late G. Volney 
Dorsey was perhaps the first citizen to 
put forth a book. Dr. Dorsey was a gen- 
tleman of the highest culture and a deep 
scholar. He published many years ago 
a free translation of some of the famous 
Greek poets, a work which evinced much 
learning. In later years Mrs. W. C. Rog- 
ers (Margaret Douglass) issued a volume 
of verse, as did Miss Adeline E. Gross, 
while Mrs. J. F. McKinney published some 
interesting local reminiscences and Miss 
Fanny Fleming published an account of 
her travels in Europe in book form. This 
seems to have been Piqua's contribution 
to general literature. 

Judge A. L. McKinney, of Troy, wrote 
two books, one of which was a life of I. 
N. Walters, a prominent minister of the 
Christian Church, and Rev. J. P. Watson 
published "The Light of Other Days." 



N. H. Albaugh, from the southern part of 
the county, issued a jjoetical volume en- 
titled "Wayside Blossoms," and Boyd E. 
Furnas, of Newton Township, put forth 
"Poems of Heart and Home." Lawi-ence 
G. Gates, of Tippecanoe City, wrote and 
published a little volume called "Mus- 
ings," which met with local success. Of 
the local authors east of the Miami, T. C. 
Harbaugh, who adopted literature as a 
profession in 1867, has published three 
books of poems, viz.: "Maple Leaves," 
"Bugle Notes of the Blue" and "Lyrics 
of the Gray," besides many serials, short 
stories and poems. J. M. Kerr, a former 
citizen of the county, has edited and com- 
piled numerous standard law books, and 
his brother, J. A. Kerr, of Tippecanoe 
City, has had published a historical novel j 
which was favorably commented upon by 
prominent critics. 

In 1885 Mrs. Sarah Furnas Wells, M. 
D., a Miami County woman by birth and 1 
education, returned to the home of her ' 
girlhood and published a book of travels 
entitled "Ten Years' Travel Around the 
World." This book told of journeys in 
Europe, Asia, North and South America. 
It is well written and is a most entertain- 
ing account of the people of many lands. 
Mrs. Wells is now lecturing. Horace Rol- 
lins, artist and author, lias also issued a 
book. 

The above appears to be the whole lit- 
erary output of the county since its forma- 
tion. Many interesting reminiscences have 
appeared from time to time in the local 
press. Some of these should have ap- 
peared in book form, but the modesty of 
the authors doubtless prevented. About 
1828 there arose in the coimty a local poet 
who rejoiced in the not very euphonistic 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



201 



name of Benjamin R. Bulfinch. He wrote 
rather vohuninously for the local press at 
the time, and his contributions were al- 
ways accorded a generous welcome. His 
poems have never been collected, and even 
the author's name is forgotten. He touched 
upon almost every subject, but there were 
times when his muse became Anacreonic, 
as witness the following poem, which ap- 
peared in the Troy Reporter in August, 
1828: 



Wert thou an artless village maitl, 
And I but an humble swain, 

To only share with thee, yon glade, 
Would rapture be to power or gain. 

Beyond the blue Atlantic wave. 

Blest would I be with thee to rove! 



To decorate our simple cave, 

And taste again the sweets of Love. 

Did I possess Golconda's mine, 

Fair India's domain all my own — 

Circassian beauties look divine, 

But you should grace my diamond throne. 

Of valour, were those charms the prize. 
Thy shaft, O Death! I would defy; 

Approved only in thine eyes, 
"Would live with thee, or for thee die. 

— Benjamin S. Bulfinch. 

Whether the beautiful maiden who in- 
spired the foregoing verses by the heart 
and hand of the tirst Miami County jjoet 
l)ecame ^Irs. Bulfinch or not history does 
not record; but she must have been indif- 
ferent to the wooings of her troubador if 
her heart was not melted into love by his 
"passionate" stanzas! 



CHAPTER XIV. 



AGRICULTURE 



Primitive Farm Machinery of Pioneer Days — Lack of Transportation Facilities — The 
Early FarmersWithout Wagons — Improvements Gradually Introduced — The First 
Crops Grown in Miami County — Livestock Easily Raised — Orchards Planted — TJie 
First Agricultural Society — Miami Represented at the State Pomological Exhibi- 
tion in 1851 — The Miami County Agricultural Society — Fair Grounds Pu,rchased 
— Present Condition of the Society and Roster of Officers — The Grange Move- 
ment — The Farmers' Institute — The Miami County Horticultural Society — Farm 
Products of Miami County — Stock Breeding. 



The i^ioneers of Miami County de- 
voted themselves priueipally to agricul- 
ture. The majority were tillers of the soil 
and brought with them from their former 
homes the industrious habits that mark 
the successful farmer. Those who came 
from east of the Alleghauies had but little 
to learn in the wilderness of the Miami, 
while the immigrants from the South were 
largely cotton producers and not used to 
the sturdier system of farming which 
awaited them in the North. The southern 
pioneers soon adapted themselves to the 
habits of the new region and became, in 
time, the most progressive farmers of the 
early day. Many of the settlers brought 
with them the agricultural implements of 
the times. These were exceedingly prim- 
itive as compared with the improved farm 
machinery of the twentieth century. The 
wooden moldboard was then in existence, 



the grain was cut with the sickle and either 
flailed or tramped out in the first barns 
of the county. The progress made by the 
early agriculturist with his simple imple- 
ments excites amazement now. He was 
handicapped in many ways, not only by a 
paucity of machinery, but the sore needs 
of good markets. The nearest places at 
which he could dispose of the produce of 
the little farm were Dayton and Cincin- 
nati. His products had to be hauled to 
market by wagon or flat-boated down the 
Miami to the two places, then in their com- 
mercial infancy. Prices were low, but the 
farmer's needs were few and he was satis- 
fied with the fruits of his labor. The few 
mills in the county gradually took up some 
of the produce, but it was usually set 
apart for home consumption. Boys were 
sent miles through the woods on horse- 
back carrying sacks of grain to the pioneer 



202 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



203 



mills and waiting there, sometimes for 
several days, till the grists were ground, 
when the return was made. 

For a long time the early farmers were 
without wagons. Not all of them had 
brought wagons across the mountain bar- 
riers. Those who did not, built wagons 
of their own. These were stout atfairs, 
fashioned from the sturdy trees of the for- 
est, with heavy wheels and ponderous 
axles, with great beds and other strong 
accessories, enough to test the strength 
and endurance of the teams which drew 
them over the poor roads that irregularly 
bisected the county. With all the difficul- 
ties that beset him on every hand, the pio- 
neer fai'mer got along very well. He wid- 
ened the scope of his labors as his scant 
means permitted. He added to his agri- 
cultural domain, taking up the best land 
and, as his boys grew to manhood, farmed 
the whole of it. 

In course of time the cabin which had 
graced the clearing gave way to a better 
habitation, a frame house with real glass 
in the windows and good carpets on the 
floors — the product of the weavers' looms 
— of which a number sprang up in every 
township. It must be said that some of 
the first farmers were ingenious artisans, 
for not a few of the early farm houses are 
still standing. These structures were well 
built and quite roomy. Building material 
was cheap and always at hand. All that 
was needed was the labor, and that was 
ever ready. When the harvest was to be 
cut, the farmer found neighbors who stood 
ready to help get it in and the assistants 
were repaid in kind. As has been stated, 
the sickle was the first harvest implement, 
but the scythe soon followed it and this 
was considered a wonderful improvement 



in agricultural science. It took stout arms 
to sweep the scythe through the heavy 
grain that covered the Miami bottoms, and 
some of these scythe wielders became mar- 
vels in their way. 

The princi^Dal kinds of grain produced 
at the dawn of local history were Indian 
corn, wheat, rye, oats and barley. Indian 
corn was to be found on every farm. It 
is said to have yielded from sixty to one 
hundred bushels per acre, but the average 
crop for the whole region was about forty- 
five. Wheat was raised almost as gen- 
erally as Indian corn. Twenty-two bushels 
may be said to have been the average crop, 
though at times forty bushels per acre 
were produced. The bearded wheat with 
reddish chaff was preferred, as least liable 
to injury from the Hessian fly and weavel, 
two pests which were known in the county 
as early as 1815. The cultivation of rye 
was much more limited, as it was only em- 
ployed in the distillation of whiskey and 
as provender for horses. For the former 
purpose it was mixed with Indian corn. 
Its average crop was about twenty-five 
bushels per acre. The common crop of 
oats was about thirty-five bushels, and 
that of barley thirty. The latter was not 
extensively cultivated before the erection 
of two large breweries at Cincinnati, into 
which the barley product of the county 
went. 

Another thing raised by our first farm- 
ers was flax. A good many flax fields 
were to be seen and flax raising became 
quite an industry. It will be recalled that 
the Dilbones were working in their flax 
field when attacked and killed by Indians. 
Hemp was cultivated to some extent in 
the bottoms until a depression in price, 
when the raising of it was discontinued. 



204 



HISTORY OF MIAJII COUNTY 



The early meadows of the county were 
hixuriant and produced wonderfully. Tim- 
othy, red and white clover and spear-grass 
were cultivated. Timothy and clover then 
produced about two tons to the acre. 

Farmed meadows were not used as pas- 
tures, because in the early stages of agri- 
culture in the county the woods abounded 
in grass and herbage proper for the sub- 
sistence of cattle. The various prairies 
sujiported hogs, which grew and fattened 
on the fleshy roots, so that the raising of 
pork required no jDarticular attention. 

Some land in Miami County which to- 
day commands $100 i^er acre was orig- 
inally purchased for twenty dollars per 
acre. In remote sections it could be had 
for ten dollars. An average for the set- 
tled portions of the county, supposing the 
land fertile and uncultivated, may be 
stated at eight dollars; if cultivated, at 
twelve. The alluvial or bottom lands com- 
manded the best price. The dry and fer- 
tile prairies were esteemed of equal value. 
Next to these were the uplands support- 
ing hockberry, pawpaw, honeylocust the 
sugar tree and different species of hickory, 
walnut, ash, buckeye and elm. Immedi- 
ately below these in the scale of value was 
the land clothed in beech timber; while 
that which produced white and black oak 
chiefly commanded the lowest price of all. 
After the War of 1812, when immigration 
received a new impulse, the nominal value 
of farm land advanced from twenty-five to 
fifty per cent. 

One of the first things that commanded 
the attention of the pioneer farmer after 
he had erected his cabin home and broken 
ground was the planting of an orchard. 
It was soon discovered that the apple 
would thrive in j\Iiami Countv. Some of 



the immigrants had brought the infant 
trees with them and these were set out 
where it was thought they would thrive 
best. It was also found that peaches, 
pears, cherries and plums produced well 
in our climate and these were introduced 
to increase the fruit supply. It is not 
known whether that strange and harmless 
man called Johnny Appleseed ever reached 
the county domain, but doubtless people 
who obtained seed of him afterward set- 
tled here and thus added to the fruit pro- 
duction. In those days there were no trav- 
eling tree agents to supply the farmer 
with all sorts of "brush," consequently 
the first agriculturists were thrown upon 
their own resources in the way of orchard 
planting. 

Until 1846 there had been no thought of 
an Agricultural Society. In fact the situa- 
tion did not demand one. As the county 
advanced in agriculture the needs of an 
institution of this kind became apparent. 
In the year above mentioned the Troy 
Times published a call for the people to 
meet to discuss the proposition to form 
an agricultural society. This meeting was 
held in the office of John G. Telford at 
Troy. Many of the best known citizens of 
the county attended, and a good deal of 
enthusiasm was manifested. It was de- 
cided to organize a society and William 
Giffin, David H. Morris, William I. Thomas 
and William B. J\IcClung were selected to 
draft a constitution and by-laws for the 
proposed organization. A few days later, 
September 26, 1846, the committee report- 
ed; the report was followed by an organ- 
ization and the following persons were 
elected officers of the first Miami County 
Agricultural Society: President, William 
I. Thomas; vice-presidents, William C. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



207 



Kuigiit, Cyrus Heywood, David Jenkius; 
corresponding secretary, D. H. Morris; re- 
cording secretary, G. D. Burgess; treas- 
urer, Jacob Knoop ; librarian, H. D. Stout ; 
committee on agriculture, John Hamilton, 
chairman; Daniel Brown, James McCain, 
Zimri Heald and "William Giffiu. 

The first article of the constitution an- 
nounced that the association should be 
called the Miami County Agricultural So- 
ciety, the second defined that the object 
of the society was "the circulation of gen- 
eral intelligence and practical instruction 
in all the branches of agriculture," by the 
establishment of a correspondence with 
other bodies seeking the same ol)ject, by 
procuring the most rare and valuable 
kinds of seeds, plants, shrubs and trees, 
by the establishment of exhibitions at 
which premiums shall be awarded for the 
improvements of soil, tillage, crojjs, ma- 
nures, implements of husbandry, stocks, 
articles of domestic industry, and such 
other articles, productions and improve- 
ments as may be deemed worthy of en- 
couragement ; and the adoption of other 
means for the general circulation of knowl- 
edge on the subjects embraced by the So- 
ciety. ' ' 

It was also included in the Constitution 
that "any person may become a life mem- 
ber of the society by the payment of ten 
dollars into the treasury at any one time." 

Substantially the by-laws of the society 
provide: That each member shall pay one 
dollar annually into the treasury, that no 
money shall be paid by the treasurer un- 
less upon a written order of a majority of 
the directors, and that the society shall, in 
addition to annual meetings, hold three 
other meetings on the first Thursday of 
the months of December, March and June 



in each year for the purpose of hearing 
addresses, discussing questions and re- 
ceiving reports on the several subjects em- 
braced by the society. Subsecjuent to the 
adoption of the original constitution and 
by-laws numerous changes have been made 
in the way of amendments. What has be- 
come of the library purchased by the first 
fair board I have not been able to discover, 
but it is probable that not many of the vol- 
umes are in existence. 

Much interest was taken in the Agricul- 
tural Society by the people of the county. 
It was one of the first bodies of the kind 
in this part of the state. In 1851 the State 
Pomological Society exhibition was held 
in Cincinnati, at which Jacob Knoop rep- 
resented the Miami County Agricultural 
Society, and Dr. Asa Coleman was the 
first person to represent the new society 
at a meeting of the State Board of Agri- 
culture which convened in December, 1850. 
Messrs. Knoop and Coleman were very en- 
thusiastic members of the Society and did 
much to make it known beyond the county's 
borders. 

In 1856 William Senior sold the fair 
board ground for the annual exhibitions of 
the Society and the price $1,520 was paid 
in three installments. The following year 
the society erected on its grounds a house 
for exhibition purposes and a year later 
adjoining counties were invited to compete 
with ]\Iiami at the Fair. 

Set fiiTuly on its feet by the energetic 
men who were at the head of it, the so- 
ciety made good progress. ^lore ground 
was purchased from time to time and many 
improvements were made. The old grounds 
were situated on the vacant land in what 
is now the southeastern portion of the 
Citv of Troy, near the Miami River and 



208 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the Miami & Erie Canal. The buildings on 
the grounds were jaoor and were soon 
found inadequate. In 1871 the present 
county fair grounds were laid out on land 
Ijurehased by Mrs. E. McKaig and are 
now among the handsomest fair grounds 
in the state, being reached by steam and 
trolley lines and excellent turnpikes. Of 
late years much money has been spent in 
the beautifying of the grounds and for the 
convenience of the fair-going public. Some 
years ago the old manner of electing the 
directors was abolished and they are now 
chosen by the electors of the county at 
annual elections, two directors being elect- 
ed from each township. The twenty-four 
directors constitute the fair board and 
elect the several officers of the Society. 

The Miami County Agricultural Society, 
as constituted today, is the splendid out- 
growth of the one established in 1846. It 
holds an annual fair which has become 
known everywhere, both for the variety 
and excellence of its exhibits and for other 
features not necessary to enumerate here. 
Its speed ring has gained commendable 
notoriety among fair goers. New build- 
ings of modern convenience have been 
erected as the success of the fair demand- 
ed. The annual premium list of the Miami 
County Agricultural Society is large and 
well chosen and the character of the ex- 
hibits are second to none in the state. 
Following will be found the presidents, 
secretaries and treasurers of the county 
fair from its second year to date (the offi- 
cers of the initial year being already 
given) : 

PRESIDENTS. 

1849 William B. MeClung. 

1850 William B. MeClung. 
1850-.51 Dr. Asa Coleman. 
1852-53 William B. MeClung. 
1854-55 S. K. Harter. 



1856 


W. H. Gabagan. 


1857 


W. H. Gabagan. 


1858 


W. H. Gabagan. 


1859-60 


W. H. Gabagan. 


1861 


W. H. H. Dye. 


1862 


Isaac S. Sbects. 


1863 


W. B. MeClung. 


1864 


W. B. MeClung. 


1865 


W. B. MeClung. 


1866 


W. B. MeClung. 


1867 


B. F. Brown. 


1868 


W. H. H. Dye. 


1869 to 1871 W. B. ilcClung. 


1872 


X. Smitbers. 


1873 


N. Smitbers. 


1874 


J. W. Koss. 


1878-1881 


M. W. Hayes. 


1882 


Lewis Hayner. 


1883 


David DeWeese. 


1884-5 


F. B. MeXeal. 


1886-7 


D. C. Branson. 


1888-9 


W. B. Cox. 


1890 


D. M. Coppoek. 


1891-3 


W. I. Riser. 


1894-9 


Tbos. B. Scott. 


1900-7 


W. F. Robbing. 


1908- 


George A. Fry. 


SECRETARIE.S. 


1849-53 


M. M. Munson. 


1854-5 


R. W. Furnas. 


1856 


George Morris. 


1857-61 


C. W. Morris. 


1862 


C. T. Bear. 


1863-65 


C. W. Morris. 


1866-69 


W. H. Gabagan. 


1870 


J. W. Ross. 


1871-4 


S. R. Drury. 


1875 


F. M. Sterrett. 


1876-8 


W. A. R. Tenney. 


1879-80 


A. M. Heywood. 


1881-2 


J. C. Cbamberiain. 


1882-1908 


W. I. Tenney. 


TREASURERS. 


1849-53 


G. D. Burgess. 


1854-55 


S. K. Barter. 


1856-61 


B. S. Kyle. 


1862-4 


C. H. Culbertson. 


1865-6 


David Kelly. 


1867-70 


('. H. Culbertson. 


1871 


Frank Harter. 


1872-3 


S. R. Drurv. 


1874 


S. D. Frank. 


1875 


Tbeodore Sullivan. 


1876 


Thomas Sullivan. 


1877-8 


Theodore Sullivan. 


1879-85 


I. N. Price. 


1886-93 


W. H. Alexander. 


1894-7 


John A. McCurdy. 


1898-1904 


D. M. <'oppoek. 


1905-08 


John N. McDowell. 



Some years ago the Grange movement 
began in the county and in a short time 
assumed great proportions. It at once in- 
terested the agricultural localities and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



209 



granges were established in various sec- 
tions. Store liouses were set up, but, with 
one or two exceptions perhaps, these have 
been discontinued. There are now a num- 
ber of thriving granges in the county and 
the meetings are largely attended. Charles 
M. Freeman, of Ees, P. 0., has held the 
office of secretary of the National Grange 
for several years. 

The Farmers' Institute is another im- 
portant body of recent formation. This 
organization has done more to keep up the 
interest in county agriculture than any- 
thing yet started. It holds one or more 
meetings each year at which speakers of 
state and national reputation deliver ad- 
dresses. It does not confine itself to any 
one locality, but meets at various points 
in two-day sessions. Theodore Sogers of 
Casstown is now president of the Farmers' 

Institute. 

The Miami County Horticiiltural So- 
ciety, B. B. Scarf, president, is another 
organization which of late years has done 
much good in its particular line. It was 
formed to keep up an interest in horticul- 
tural matters and in this has been very 
successful. The importance of horticul- 
ture is constantly kept at the fore by the 
society and many of its discussions are 
published at length in the county newspa- 
pers. There are several nurseries and 
fruit gardens in the county, besides many 
berry raisers, and these work in conjimc- 
tion with the Horticultural Society. A 
large amount of berries are annually 
raised within the county for home con- 
sxmiption and foreig-n shipment and this 
branch of industry is yearly increasing. 
The soil of the county is peculiarly adapt- 
ed to small fruit cialture and the fanner 
is taking advantage of it. 



The farm products of Miami County are 
for the most part wheat, corn, oats, rye, 
hay and barley. Of late years the culture 
of tobacco has been introduced with much 
success. This commodity meets with 
ready sale and the farmer has added it to 
the sources of his income. At first tobacco 
was raised only west of the Miami, but of 
late years the farmers east of the river 
have taken up the culture of the weed and 
have profited thereby. The prediction that 
within a few years Miami will 1)ecome one 
of the greatest tobacco producing coun- 
ties of the state may be made with the ut- 
most confidence. 

Aside from general agriculture the farm- 
ers of the county have taken up the breed- 
ing of good stock as a side line. In the 
early sixties the first Jersey cattle were 
raised on the Johnston farm near Piqua; 
Charles ^^IcCullough had one of the first 
brought to Troy. In 1876 N. H. Albaugh 
exhibited a pair of Holsteins at the Fair. 
Manv vears ago a sale of Durhams was 
held in" Troy. Captain John Drury brought 
the first Morgan horse to the county seat, 
and about 1860 N. Smither had the first 
English draft horse brought into the 
county. The early 70 's witnessed the ar- 
rival "in the county of the first Norman 
horses. As early as 1847 Zimri Heald ex- 
hibited a lot of Merino sheep and for many 
years this breed was the only kind to be 
found in the county. At the public sale 
of Durhams mentioned above a calf was 
knocked down for seventeen dollars. This 
price was then considered excessive and 
led one of the spectators to exclaim: 
"■\Miy, that is more than we gave for our 
cow !'"' In 1847 cows in the county sold for 
from ten dollars to fifteen dollars. The 



I 



210 HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 

I 
reader may compare those prices with the annual exhibits made by the farmers. In 
ones that prevail now. Today the county this respect agricultural Miami is the peer 
is full of blooded stock, as is seen by the of any coimty in the State. 



CHAPTER XV. 



PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS 



The Children's Home — Benevolence of John H. Knoop— The Schmidlapp Free Public 
School Library, Piqiia — The Troy Free School Library — The Young Men's Chris- 
tian Association — The Woman's Christian Temperance Union — The Young Wo- 
men's Christian Temperance Unions — Colored People's Temperance Union — Wo- 
man's Christian Association of Troy — The Ball Memorial Hospital at Piqua — The 
Altrurian Club of Troy— The Civic League — Regimental and Other Military Or- 
ganizations — The Maryland Association. 



The Children's Home — It was not until 
recent years that public institutions 
sprang up within the county. The need of 
these had long been felt. The County In- 
firmary had cared for the indigent, in- 
cluding their off-spring, but the time came 
when a proper home for the latter was 
found to be a necessity. The Infirmary 
was not regarded as a suitable home for 
the little wards of the county, and a place 
was needed where they could be educated 
apart from the influences that surround an 
infirmary. To this end many discussions 
arose, but nothing promised to come out of 
them till a single man stepped forward 
and solved the problem. 

John H. Knoop, a bachelor, a man of 
wealth and one of the first settlers of the 
county, gave stability to the idea of a Chil- 
dren's Home. He possessed several hun- 
dred acres of excellent land which was 
situated in Elizabeth Township. Mr. 
Knoop emigrated to the county at an early 



day and settled at Staunton. His old 
cabin, said to be the first house erected 
within the limits of the county, is standing 
at the present day upon the old Knoop 
farm now occupied by AVilliam R. Saun- 
ders. Perhaps it was his own boyhood 
spent in the wilderness of the Miami which 
caused John H. Knoop to sympathize with 
the homeless child, the little one cast adrift 
upon the world, sometimes by the act of 
heartless parents, and always by circum- 
stances over which the waif had no control. 
He resolved to l)i-ighten the future of the 
homeless child and to this end he proposed 
to deed to the county land upon which 
should be erected a Children's Home, 
where the poor youth of the county could 
be housed and schooled away from all im- 
])roper influences. 

The "Women's Christian Association first 
brought before the public the necessity for 
an institution of this kind in 1877, and 
this was so well received that the directors 



in 



212 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of the County Infirmary advocated it in 
their report which was made in March of 
that year. On the -ith of June, John H. 
Knoop (conjointly with his brother Jacob) 
conveyed to the count}% through its com- 
missioners, Isaac Clyne, AV. H. Northcutt 
and D. C. Branson, 160 acres of land situ- 
ated in Elizabeth Township, to be used for 
all puri)oses of a Children's Home. The 
county auditor, W. I. Tenney, was author- 
ized by the commissioners to inform the 
voters of the county that they would be 
called upon to vote on the jDroposition to 
build a Children's Home, at the coming 
October election. The need of such an 
institution was so apparent that it was 
thought it would carry unanimously, but 
175 votes were cast against the building 
0^ the Home to 5,891 in favor of it. 

Having sanctioned Mr. Knoop 's munif- 
icent proposition, the good work was not 
allowed to lag. During the following 
spring the commissioners visited various 
children's homes for the purpose of famil- 
iarizing themselves with the construction 
of the proper buildings, and in May, 1878, 
building contracts amounting to over $16,- 
000 were awarded to several parties. The 
plans and specifications of the main build- 
ing were drawn up by D. W. Gibbs, an 
architect of Toledo. Having progressed 
thus far, R. P. Spiker, of Piqua, Jacob 
Roher, of Tippecanoe City and Samuel K. 
Harter, of Troy, were appointed trustees 
and in January, 1879, Washington Barnes 
of Troy was made superintendent. The 
building was finished and ready for occu- 
pancy the last of that month. Mr. Barnes 
served as superintendent till 1891, when he 
resigned, to be followed by Henry Jay, 
who later gave way to Rufus Fish, who is 
the present efficient superintendent, while 



his wife fills the position of matron of the 
institution. 

iSince the erection of the Home proper 
other commodious buildings and annexes 
have been added, until now the Knoop 
Children's Home is one of the best insti- 
tutions of the kind in the state. Within 
the last few years a handsome chapel and 
schoolhouse have been built on the grounds, 
and everything has been done for the com- 
fort of the children. The farm so gener- 
ously donated to the county by John and 
Jacob Knoop is very productive, one of the 
best east of the Miami. It is well drained 
and cared for and annually, under the 
present management, brings forth good 
crops. The Children's Home is governed 
by a board of trustees who, aided by the 
superintendent, makes an annual report 
to the commissioners, which report is al- 
ways open for inspection by the public. In 
connection with the Home is a well-con- 
ducted Sabbath school and the day school 
conducted by a corps of excellent teachers 
is a credit to the institution. 

Visitors to the Home are admitted from | 
1 to -1 p. m. except Saturday and Sunday 
and the Sunday school is open to every 
one. The regular meetings of the trustees 
take place on the first Monday of each 
month, when friends and relatives of the 
children are allowed to call upon them. 
Children are sometimes allowed to be \ 
taken out of the Home and raised by 
proper parties and these children are 1 
looked after by the sui^erintendent, who * 
sees that they are well cared for and prop- 
erly schooled. The average number of 
children occupying the Knoops Home is 
about sixty. A competent physician is 
regidarly employed by the trustees to 
look after the health of the children, and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



213 



their every want is supplied. Miami 
County is proud of the Kuoop Children's 
Home, as well it may be, for it fills a long- 
felt want and is today the most prominent 
of its iDublic institutions. Tlie present 
roster of the Home is as follows: Super- 
intendent, Eufus Fish; matron, Mrs. Ku- 
fus Fish; trustees, David Deweese, John 
T. Knoop, Ellis Kerr, and C. L. Bennett. 

The Schmidlapp Free Public School Li- 
brary- — The largest public library within 
the limits of the county is the Schmidlapp 
Free Public School Library, situated in 
Piqua. This handsome library was secured 
through the generosity of Jacob Schmid- 
lapp, a wealthy gentleman of Cincinnati, 
but born and raised in Piqua. The Library 
was organized in 1890 and at first had 
quarters in the old Schmidlapp home on 
Main Street and at first consisted of two 
rooms, the stock room, and reading room. 
These quarters were soon found to be in- 
adequate and in 1898 a large addition was 
built. At the present time the building 
contains a large stock room, store room, 
two well appointed reference rooms, a 
children's room, store room, lilirarian's 
office and the office of the clerk of the 
Board of Education. The library is super- 
vised by the Board of Education of Piqua, 
wjiich consists of the following persons : 
President, Oscar Fisher; \nce-presideut, 
Mrs. V\. P. Orr; clerk, George Dettmer; 
trustees, C. C. Jelleff, Otto Von Bargen, 
Dr. W. J. Prince and F. P. Brotherton. 

The Schmidlajip Library does not issue 
a printed report as do other public insti- 
tutions of the kind, but tlie librarian annu- 
ally puts out a statistical account of the 
library's patronage, etc. The Li])rary now 
contains about 15,000 volumes and has a 
circulation of over 50,000 liooks a year. 



Its shelves are well stocked with books of 
every sort and keep up with the demands 
of the reading public. Its active personnel 
is as follows: Librarian, Jessie H. Mas- 
den; assistant librarians. Sue Hetherton, 
Gertrude Irviu; library committee, Charles 
Jelleff, Will J. Prince,' M. D. The Schmid- 
lapp Free School Public Library is the 
pride of the citizens of Piqua and is well 
patronized. The volumes on its shelves 
are selected by a discriminating committee 
and none Init the best literature of tiie day 
IS found there. 

Troy Free School Library — The nucleus 
of the Troy Free School Library was 
brought together in the "Reception Room" 
of the old Edwards school building by the 
beloved first superintendent of the Troy 
public schools, William N. Edwards. From 
time to time a few additions were made to 
this by the classes graduating from the 
school, but at the end of twenty years there 
were only 150 volumes, but these were all 
well selected books. In 1880 the public- 
spirited citizens of Ti-oy determined that 
Troy should have a public library and a 
nimiber of professional men organized a 
lecture course, each man delivering one 
lecture. The proceeds of these entertain- 
ments were used in maintaining a reading- 
room for a few months, but there being no 
funds to keep up the library, it was 
drojjped for the time. In 1885 C. L. Van 
Cleve, then su])erintendent of the Troy 
schools, moved the school library to the 
new Kyle Building, appointed one of the 
high school pupils librarian, wrote to sev- 
eral of the older graduates living in other 
cities for donations, and arranged to give 
out the books to pupils and citizens who 
held cards, the cards being issued to any 
one who donated $5 to the purchase of 



214 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



new books. Not much use was made of 
the library, however, for the reason that 
it was in a remote part of the town, was 
only open during a limited number of 
hours each week and the patrons of it were 
mostly people who had as good, if not bet- 
ter, libraries of their own. 

In IMarch, 1894, a number of women in 
Troy organized the Altrurian Club, with 
the avowed purpose of creating a senti- 
ment in favor of a public library. In 1895 
the Altrurian Club petitioned the Board of 
Education to place the school library in a 
room accessible to all and to make it a free 
public library. The school board consent- 
ed, providing a room could be obtained. 
The club agreed to raise a large sum of 
money for the expenses of the library as 
an inducement to the City Council to grant 
the use of a room in the City Building. 
A small room on the second floor of the 
City Building was granted them and the 
school board allowed the school library to 
be moved to the City Building. Mrs. Clar- 
issa D. Williams was appointed librarian 
and the room was opened to the public 
one-half of each day. The work of cata- 
loguing the books was at last completed 
and the Troy Public Library opened to the 
public December 5, 1896, the total number 
of books at that time being 2,111, and nine 
magazines were placed upon the reading 
table. The Altrurian Club raised over one 
thousand dollars for the support of this 
library by conducting a number of enter- 
tainments, issuing a Woman's Edition of 
the Miami Union and publishing two edi- 
tions of the Altrurian Cookbook. The ed- 
itors of the three county papers published 
in Troy, The Miami Union, The Buckeye, 
and the Democrat, assisted in creating a 
sentiment for the public library by each 



week publishing either an editorial or news | 
item. Other literary clubs in Troy began 
making donations each year to the 
public library until 1902, when the time 
seemed ripe for establishing the library 
upon the basis that it should be supported 
by the tax payers of Troy. A mass meet- 
ing of all the clubs in the city was held 
in September, 1902, at which time it was 
decided to petition the city council to do- 
nate the room on the first floor of the City 
Building for library purposes. This room 
was then used as a post office, but the 
lease would terminate in a few months, and 
the post office would be moved to the first 
floor of the I. 0. 0. F. Temple. The City 
Council granted the request and appro- 
priated sufficient money to remodel and 
furnish the room, which would be ready 
for occupancy by May 1st, 1903. That day 
was set for a "book shower," and all win- 
ter committees from every club in Troy 
were busy working to make the book 
shower a success. On May 1st, 1903, H. P. 
Weatherhead, as president of the Council, 
formally presented the furnished library | 
room to the city of Troy, A. F. Broomhall ' 
in behalf of the Board of Education and 
the citizens of Troy accepted the gift. The 
donations received that day amounted to 
$1,051.50 in money and 1,300 volumes of 
books, many of them being valuable books 
of reference which would have cost several 
dollars per volume. 

A tax was levied for the support of the 
library and over $3,000 each j^ear is appro- 
priated for the expenses of the libraiy. 
The annual report of the librarian shows 
that on November 30, 1908, there were 
9,640 books in the library, fifty-eight mag- 
azines upon the reading table and a num- 
ber of daily papers and all the weekly pa- 




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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



21' 



pers of the county, these last being do- 
nated by the publishers. During the year 
16,468 visitors had dropped in either to 
look over the magazines or to consult 
books of reference; 2,575 people are en- 
rolled as patrons and the number of books 
placed in circulation during the year was 
34,SC7, the library having been closed sev- 
eral weeks by order of the Board of Health 
because of an epidemic of small-pox in the 
city. During the month of March 3,767 
books were issued. The library is now 
open every day, except Sundays and legal 
holidays, and under the efficient manage- 
ment of the librarian, Mrs. Clarissa D. 
"Williams, and her assistants, Miss Blanche 
Mitchell and Miss Anna Mary Dinsmore, 
it is an aggressive force in all that per- 
tains to the betterment of the individual 
and, through the individual, the civic life. 
The Young Men's Christian Association 
of Piqua is another prominent institution 
which has already accomplished a great 
work. Since its founding a few years ago 
it has advanced along the lines of moral 
improvement until it has reached the posi- 
tion it occupies today. It is the only insti- 
tution of the kind in the coimty. Others 
wliich have been suggested have not ma- 
terialized, so that Piqua may be called the 
pioneer in this direction. This excellent 
Y. M. C. A. has the following officers : 
President, J. H. Clark; vice-president, H. 
K. Wood; secretary, J. F. Stewart; treas- 
urer, E. M. Bell; general secretary, Ed- 
mund McDonald, Jr.; musical director, 
Christ F. Kunz, Jr.; office secretary, Eay 
Besanceney ; board of trustees, Cljarles H. 
Brown, H. H. Gravett; D. 0.; E. W. 
Lape, D. F. Licklider, L. W. Pool, A. G. 
Eundle, C. F. Wilder, J. B. Williamson. 



Woman's Christian Temperance Union 
— The county has been thoroughly organ- 
ized by the Woman's Christian Temper- 
ance Union. There are branches of this 
noble institution in every township and 
the workers are indefatigable in the good 
cause. The AV. C. T. U. of Miami County 
is of comparatively recent growth. A few 
years ago there were few within the county 
but through the earnest effort of the Chris- 
tian women the work has received a stim- 
ulus which has not been allowed to lag. 
Following are the presidents of the vari- 
ous unions now in the county, with the 
name of the president of each organiza- 
tion: West Milton, Mrs. Rev. Maxwell; 
Laura, Mrs. Mattie Brandon; Potsdam, 
Mrs. E. P. Stauffer; Phoneton, Mrs. OUie 
Bell ; Brandt, Mrs. Emma Heffner ; Tippe- 
canoe City, Mrs. Mary Eoss; Piqua, Mrs. 
John Miller, Bradford; Mrs. Margaret 
Winters; Lena, Mrs. Ida Duer; Coving- 
ton, Mrs. Amanda Kendig; Pleasant Hill, 
Mrs. Martha Shaffer; Troy, Mrs. Mary 
Westlake ; Casstown, Mrs. Callie Webb. 

Young Women's Christian Temperance 
Union — There are five Young Women's 
Christian Temperance Unions in the county 
in addition to the foregoing. They are as 
follows: Fletcher, president, Mrs. J. E. 
Eichelbarger ; Pleasant Hill, Mrs. Bertha 
Troas ; Piqua, Mrs. Ida Bayes ; Covington, 
Miss Lova Williams ; Troy, Miss Sue Stat- 
ler. There are also two Young Men's 
Christian Temperance Unions. The Troy 
Y. M. C. T. U. was organized three years 
ago and is now in a flourishing condition 
with a membership of over sixty. This 
society has rooms on Water Street in the 
McCullough Building, where a Bible class 
is conducted. Another Y. M. T. C. U. is 
conducted at Ludlow Falls. 



218 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



A Colored People's Temperance Union 
is conducted in Troy, of which Mrs. Eliza- 
beth Fletcher, wife of Rev. Fletcher, is 
president. Summing up, Miami County- 
has over 600 members of the various tem- 
perance unions operated today within its 
borders and these societies have worked 
untiringly to secure local option within the 
county and as Miami last fall voted dry, 
they feel that they have achieved a great 
Adctory. 

Apropos of temperance in 1873 an at- 
tempt was made to rid the county of its 
saloons in a decidedly unique manner. This 
is called the Woman's Crusade. Bands 
of women appeared in front of saloons and 
held religious services on the sidewalk. 
The excitement extended to the remotest 
borders of the county and continued till 
the end of the crusade. Despite the earnest 
efforts of the women but little was effected. 
The Crusaders were, as a rule, treated re- 
spectfully by the vendors of liquor and in 
some instances were permitted to hold 
ser\aces in the bar-rooms. Very few men 
took part in the Crusade of 1873, the whole 
work devolving upon the women. After 
awhile the Crusaders discovered that their 
efforts were unavailing and the effort was 
abandoned. In 1908 the second crusade 
against the liquor interests was inaugu- 
rated under the pro^dsions of the Eose 
Law recently passed by the Legislature. 
The requisite nmnber of signatures to call 
an election were secured and this event 
took place November 24th. . Prior to the 
election an exciting campaign was inaugu- 
rated by the opposing parties known as the 
"wets" and the "drys," temperance or 
local option meetings were held in every 
section of the county and great demonstra- 
tions were held in the larger towns. Speak- 



ers from other states were introduced into 
the county and the campaign was not en- 
tirely free from personal "amenities." 
The liquor men whose headquarters were 
in Piqua held no public meetings. One of 
the largest votes ever polled in the county 
was had on the 2J:th. It i*esulted in a ma- 
jority of 1,309 for the "drys." On De- 
cember 24th the saloons and breweries in 
the county closed their doors and Miami 
joined the other "dry" districts of the 
State. 

Tlie Woman's Christian Association of 
Troy is a strong charitable organization 
which is given I'ooms in the City Building 
by the City Council. Here every Satur- 
day afternoon the members of the society 
conduct a sewing-school, teaching the chil- 
dren of the poor how to sew. As soon as a 
child completes a garment it is given her 
to wear, and thus many of the poorer chil- 
dren are taught how to become neat seam- 
stresses and so grow up able to earn a good 
living. This society also takes special 
pride in looldng after the comfort of the 
poor of the city and many families are 
kept by them through the rigors of the 
winter. Annually the Knights of Pythias 
of Troy give a Charity Ball, the proceeds 
of which are turned over to the "Woman's 
Christian Association for expenditure 
among the needy as is also the annual 
Thanksgiving offering at the Union 
Thanksgiving services. 

Ball Memorial Hospital — The only jjub- 
lic hospital in the county is the Ball Me- 
morial Hospital at Piqua. This hospital 
was opened a few years ago and is con- 
ducted on advanced lines. It employs a 
corps of competent surgeons and nurses 
and so far has lieeu very successful, treat- 
ing all kinds of cases. It was erected large- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



219 



ly through the iustruinentality of a Mr. 
Ball, who was once a prominent resident 
of the city. A few years ago a hospital 
was opened at Troy, but it was not op- 
erated very long and now no longer exists. 
The beginning of the Memorial Hospital 
was had in 1904 when Mrs. Edward C. 
.Thayer, of Keene, N. H., proposed to erect 
and give to the city a hospital to cost $20,- 
000, to be known as the Memorial Hospi- 
tal, in memory of the late De Los C. Ball, 
her brother, and at one time a respected 
resident of Piqua. The generous offer was 
accepted and five acres on Park Avenue 
were secured. The hosi^ital is conven- 
iently situated and is one of the most com- 
plete hospitals in the country. All depart- 
ments are well equipped. The operating- 
room, sterilizing and ana'stlietizing rooms 
are on the third floor, also a pathological 
laboratory for the accommodation of phy- 
sicians. The hospital was dedicated and 
formally presented to the public with im- 
pressive ceremonies, November 30th, 
1905, but was not opened till the following- 
December. It was founded and maintained 
for the benefit of all classes, and is man- 
aged by a Board of Trustees, composed of 
twelve citizens of Piqua, assisted by a 
Board of Lady Managers. At present it 
is officered as follows : President, W. P. 
Orr; vice-president, John H. Young; 
treasurer, Henry Flesh ; secretary, George 
M. Peffer; superintendent, Elabeath L. 
Hatfield. Board of Trustees : Gen. W. P. 
Orr, John H. Young, Henry Flesh, George 
H. Bundle, Robert H. Patterson, James 
E. Duncan. (Life Members) : Term ex- 
pires 1913 — Charles L. Wood, Samuel K. 
Statler; Terms expire 1911 — Daniel Spen- 
cer, George A. Brooks; Term expires 
1909 — Samuel Zollinger, Frank Lange. 



Trustee ex-Officio— The Mayor of the City 
of Piqua. 

School Libraries — About forty years 
ago nearly every school had a circulating 
library, but these were discontinued and 
now few rural schools possess anything of 
the kind. The smaller towns of the county 
depend somewhat for their reading mat- 
ter on the inadecjuate bookshelves of the 
high schools, but outside of Troy and 
Piqua no regularly officered libraries are 
in existence. The two exceptions are the 
outgrowth of earnest work on the part of 
citizens, especially the ladies, and with lit- 
tle effort similar institutions could be es- 
tablished and kept up in the lesser towns. 

Social Clubs — Within the county a large 
number of social clubs exist. The mem- 
bership is almost exclusively feminine. The 
Altrurian Club of Troy is probably the 
best known of these literary and social or- 
ganizations. Most of these women's clubs 
belong- to a State Federation which is un- 
der the jurisdiction of the National Fed- 
eration. The members of these clubs hold 
weekly meetings, at which literary papers 
are read and discussed. Some of the pa- 
pers describe personal travel by the au- 
thors, while others discuss a certain era, 
giving a pen picture of past events and 
celebrated personages. Of late years the 
club has become quite po^Dular in the coun- 
ty and there are few progressive women 
who are not connected with one or more 
of these organizations. In another chap- 
ter will be found some of the organizations 
conducted by the women of the county. 

The Civic League — An attempt was 
made during 1908 to establish what was 
called a Civic League which was to benefit 
the coloi'ed race. The league appeared to 
meet with some success and its prospects 



220 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



were favorably commented upon, but in a 
short time the leaven of politics was in- 
jected into the organization and disrupted 
it. Since that time nothing has been heard 
of the Civic League. It passed out of ex- 
istence and in all probability will not be 
revived. There are numerous local socie- 
ties in the county which do not come within 
the scope of a work of this kind. These 
exist within certain neighborhoods and 
families and comprise in part social or- 
ganizations which culminate annually in 
family reunions. All these clubs are ofiS- 
cered and the membership of some is large. 
Almost every well known family now has 
an organized club and in some cases family 
histories have been jjublished. Each of 
the clubs has a historian whose duty it 
is to gather family data and pi'esent the 
same at the annual gatherings. In this 
way traditions are collected and preserved 
and relationship extended. Several of the 
largest family clubs meet annually at the 
Miami County Fair grounds. 

Regimental Organizations — Apart from 
the clubs mentioned stand the regimental 
organizations which embrace the old vet- 
erans and their families. These reunions 
are separate and apart from the depart- 
ment encampments of the Grand Army 



and "Woman's Relief Corps. These regi- 
mental reunions are held every year by 
the several regiments from this county 
that served in the War of the Rebellion, 
and the gatherings are most interesting 
in character. At these reunions the fast 
disappearing wearers of the Blue live over 
the camp, the march and the battle. Camp- 
fires form a noted feature of these gath- 
erings which will be kept uji till the last 
veteran has answered the roll call and 
passed beyond to rest "in the shade of the 
trees." 

The Maryland Association of Ohio was 
organized in Miami County in 1897. It is 
composed of Marylauders and their de- 
scendants residents of Ohio. From a 
small affair the society has reached state- 
wide projjortions and meets annually, 
though not always within the limits of the 
county. It has now a membership of 3,000. 
The present officers of the association are 
Albert Kerns, president; T. C. Harbaugh, 
secretary, and S. T. Font, treasurer. This 
completes the list of public institutions, 
societies, etc., which proi)erly come under 
the head of the present chapter. All men- 
tioned are flourishing and well conducted 
and there is not one that is not a credit to 
the county in which it exists. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



BANKS AND BANKING 



Early Currency; Its Instability — The Old State Banks — The First National Bank of 
Troy Organized — The Miami County Bank and Troy National Bank — The Piqua 
National Bank — The Citizens' National Bank of Piqua — The Piqua Savings Bank 
Company — The Tippecanoe National Bank — The Citizens' National Bank of Tip- 
pecanoe City — Banks of West Milton,Covington, Pleasant Hill, Bradford, Etc. — 
Stability of Miami County's Financial Institutions. 



The history of banking in Miami County 
may be briefly told. The banks now in 
operation and successfully so are the suc- 
cessors of the old State banks which were 
the first mediums of financial exchange. 
Prior to the establishment of the State 
banks the meager currency of the country 
was poor indeed. Before the War of 1812 
the circulating medium was the almost 
worthless sharp-skins or ciit-money, a de- 
scrijition of which has already been given. 
There were no banks operating in this lo- 
cality at that time, for the State banks did 
not come into existence till after the War. 
While they were a great advance in the 
way of monetary affairs they were, to 
some extent, looked upon with distrust. 
Before the coming of the banking institu- 
tions which flourish today, the excellent 
national banks and those chartered under 
the present banking laws of the State, in- 
eluding the savings banks, the country 
went through the "wild-cat" regime. 



which is well remembered by our older 
citizens. 

This period of poor and depreciated cur- 
rency was the nightmare of every business 
man and those who handled money. Every 
merchant was compelled to keep in his 
desk a "detector" which, to a certain ex- 
tent, kept him informed as to the value of 
the bills which passed over his counter. A 
person going from one state into another 
often found that his money carried him no 
further than the state line. There was 
really nothing behind the "wild-cat" 
banks. Half the time their issue was "up 
in the air" so to speak. They were fairly 
good today and tomorrow their currency 
was not worth the paper upon which it was 
printed. Banks failed everywhere and the 
holders of the bills had no recourse what- 
ever. If a light-fingered gentleman picked 
a traveler's pocket he got nothing for his 
pains but a lot of bills whose value as 
stated on their face was a prevarication. 



221 



222 



• HISTORY OF iMIAMI COUNTY 



Some of the State aud wild-cat bank- 
notes were beautifully eugraved and well 
printed. In fact, they were marvels of the 
engraver's skill. Counterfeits were abun- 
dant, and in many instances were as good 
as the genuine, owing to the instability of 
the prevailing banks. A merchant sending 
bank bills, say to the East or even into 
an adjoining state, in payment of goods, 
was apt to have his money returned with 
the information that the banks of issue had 
"gone out of business." This period was 
one of financial uncertainty. It kept every 
handler of money suspicious and conse- 
quently exercised a deleterious influence 
on trade. 

The State banks were much better than 
the others, but in time the need of a better 
banking system than they afforded called 
for improvement. In 1863 the First Na- 
tional Banlv of Troy was established as a 
successor to the Miami County Brancli of 
the State Bank, which was founded in 
1847. The first officers were: President, 
Asa Coleman; cashier, John C. Culbert- 
son; teller and book-keeper, Daniel W. 
Smith. Directors — Jacob Knoop, Sr., Dan- 
iel Brown, George Smith, Asa Coleman, 
Lewis Hayner and H. W. Allen. In 1865 
H. W. Allen was elected president and D. 
W. Smith cashier, positions which hold 
to this day. The First National in 1908 
erected a new fire-proof banking house and 
its present officers follow: President, 
Henry W. Allen; vice-president, Cyrus T. 
Brown; cashier, D. W. Smith; assistant 
cashier, John H. Drury; teller, C. E. Sny- 
der; Savings Department — "Walter G. 
Wells; book-keeper, Roy Fish; Directors 
— H. W. Allen, C. T. Brown, S. K. Statler, 
H. M. Allen, C. J. Harr, John McClain, 
J. S. Coombs, A. B. Thackera, C. U. 



Briggs. It was the fifty-ninth National 
Bank to be started in the United States. 
Its capital is $200,000. The First National 
is considered one of the safest banks in 
the country. 

The Miami County Bank was estab- 
lished in 1871 by W. H. H. Dye and Son 
and in 1879 jiassed into the hands of an- 
other corporation headed by H. H. Weak- 
ly. It has a capital of $50,000. Later on, 
in 1888, it became the Troy National Bank, 
with a capital of $100,000. Its first officers 
were: President, N. H. Albaugh;- vice- 
president, John M. Campbell; cashier, 
Noah Yount ; assistant cashier, Charles E. 
Wilson. Noah Yount was cashier of the 
Miami County Bank imder the Weakley 
management. The present officers of the 
Troy National are : President, John M. 
Camiibell; vice-president, D. M. McCul- 
lough; cashier, Walter E. Bowyer; assist- 
ant cashiers, Noah Yount, John K. De- 
frees; teller, H. E. Scott; book-keeper, V. 

C. Levre. Directors — John M. Campbell, 

D. M. McCullough, W. H. Francis, A. G. 
Stouder, Jacob Henne, E. F. Savers, R. W. 
Saunders, AV. P. Martin, A. M. Heywood. 
The Troy National, with the First Na- 
tional, pays interest on time deposits, has 
safety deposit boxes and does a safe bank- 
ing business. 

The present Piqua National Bank was 
incorporated as the Piqua Branch of the 
State Bank of Ohio in 1847 with a cajiital 
stock of $100,000, by William Scott, Jos. 
G. Young, II. W. Hughes, J. D. Holtzer- 
man, Stephen AVinans, Robert Youtig, L. 
R. Browuell, and J. A. Schmidlapp. Will- 
iam Scott was its first president and Jos. 
G. Young its first cashier. On March 13, 
1865, it was reorganized as the Piqua Na- 
tional Bank, with AVilliam Scott, presi- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



223 



deut, J. G. Youug, cashier, and Henry B. 
Greenham, assistant cashier. Its capital 
stock was increased to $200,000. During 
the forty-tliree years of its existence its 
net profits have been over one million dol- 
lars, from which dividends have been paid 
to the amount of $855,565. A balance of 
more than $200,000 is still carried as un- 
divided profits. The present official force 
of the Piqua National is : George H. Bun- 
dle, president ; H. K. Wood, vice-presi- 
dent; John H. Young, cashier; George M. 
Peft'er, assistant cashier; August S. 
Clouse, teller; G. E. Folk and F. H. King, 
book-keepers. Directors — G. H. Bundle, 
H. K. Wood, Jas. E. Duncan, J. W. Brown, 
J. H. Clark, C. N. Adlard, J. B. Sheridan, 
Daniel Spencer, J. W. Daniels, Joe F. Cop- 
pock and John H. Youug. This bank has 
the confidence of the entire community and 
is listed as one of the best institutions of 
the kind in the banking business. 

The Citizens' National, also of Piqua, 
was organized in 1866 by William and M. 
N. McGrew. It started business with a 
capital of $100,000. In 1867 the McGrews 
sold out to G. Volney Dorsey and Robert 
B. Moores. Dr. Dorsey became president 
and his partner cashier. The present per- 
sonnel of the Citizens' National is as fol- 
lows: President, W. P. Orr; vice-presi- 
dent, Samuel Zollinger; cashier, Henry 
Flesh; assistant cashier, Frank B. Zoe; 
teller, F. P. Irvin. Directors— AV. P. Orr, 
S. K. Statler, Samuel Zollinger, W. McC. 
Dorsey, ^Y. A. Snyder, L. M. Flesh, A. M. 
Orr, Joseph Wolcott and Henry Flesh. 
This banking house has enjoyed prosper- 
ity from its inception and is accounted a 
safe and sound institution. Among its 
older officers were C. S. Parker, vice-presi- 
dent, and H. C. Landis, cashier. Its pres- 



ent capital is $150,000 and its volume of 
business done in a year is approximately 
$5,000,000. 

The Piqua Savings Bank Company is 
one of the best financial institutions in the 
county. It was organized in October, 1901, 
and ever since has been successfully con- 
ducted. Its pi'esent corps of officers is as 
follows : President, W. P. Orr ; first vic«- 
president, L. M. Flesh; second vice-presi- 
dent, George Benkert; cashier, John L. 
Prugh; assistant cashier, W. B. Dubois; 
Directors— W. P. Orr, L. M. Flesh, George 
Genkert, Henry Flesh, S. K. Statler, John 
W. Yenney, John W. Brown, L. E. Cham- 
berlin, W. B. Snyder, John L. Boyer, A. M. 
Orr. This bank is capitalized at $100,000 
and does a very large banking business, 
having the confidence of all. 

The Tippecanoe National Bank was 
organized March 5, 1883, and commenced 
business Aug-ust 27, of that year. Its first 
officers were : Samuel Sullivan, president ; 
Jacob Eohrer, vice-president ; A. W. Miles, 
cashier; Directors — Samuel Sullivan, Ja- 
cob Eohrer, G. W. Weakley, W. W. Crane, 
J. W. Bowman, William Ashworth, John 
Brown. It has a capital of $60,000 and its 
deposits and loans have increased from 
$42,000 to $250,000 during the last twenty- 
five years. The present officers of the Tip- 
pecanoe National Bank are: President, 
T. C. Leonard; vice-president, E. L. 
Crane; cashier, A. W. Miles; assistant 
cashier, E. L. Crane; Directors — T. C. 
Leonard, William Ashworth, J. AV. Bow- 
man, A. W. Miles, E. L. Crane, ^\. E. 
Crane, A. L. Harshbarger. Always reli- 
able and careful, the Tipi^ecanoe National 
has the entire confidence of a large and in- 
creasing clientele. 



224 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



The Citizens' National Bank of Tij^pe- 
canoe City was organized January 2, 1908. 
It lias a capital of $50,000 with $12,500 of 
an iindi\dded suri^lus. It is officered as 
follows: S. R. Fergus, president; S. D. 
Hartman, vice-president; C. 0. Davis, 
cashier; Directors — S. E. Fergus, Jacob 
Coppock, S. I). Hartman, C. 0. Davis, T. 
J. Dinsmore, A. E. Gai-ver, J. H. Pohlman, 
E. M. Evans, W. E. Prill, L. C. Gissman, 
John Singer, George J. Smith, Henry 
Studebaker, Abe Studebaker, J. S. Stude- 
baker and L. N. Agenbroad. There is a 
bright future before this, one of the latest, 
banks to be established in this county, and 
its reliability is vouched for in its present 
efficient personnel. 

The town of West Milton contains two 
banks. The first of these in point of or- 
ganization is the "West Milton Bank, estab- 
lished in December, 1882. In 1908 it was 
succeeded by the First National Bank of 
West Milton, with a capital of $30,000. 
The first officers were Eobert M. Douglass, 
president; C. B. Douglass, vice-jDresident ; 
D. F. Douglass, cashier. For twenty-five 
years this banking house has had the same 
corps of officers, with the addition of Gif- 
ford Douglass, who is the assistant cashn 
ier. The deposits of the First National 
now amount to $175,000, an excellent show- 
ing for a bank in an interior town. 

The Citizens' National Bank of West 
Milton was organized in 1907. It has a 
paid-up capital of $18,000 and an author- 
ized one of $30,000 and its annual volume 
of business foots up more than half a mil- 
lion. The first and present elective officers 
are C. E. Emerick, president ; Adam Pfeif- 
er, first vice-president ; A. J. Iddings, sec- 
ond vice-president; Noble B. Hunt, cash- 
ier; Ada M. Guagey, book-keeper. Direct- 



ors — C. E. Emerick, Adam Pfeifer, A. J. 
Iddings, J. C. Henderson, Dr. W. H. Kess- 
ler, J. C. Minnich, B. J. Ford, L. A. Pear- 
son, G. N. Falkner. Though young in 
years the Citizens' National has its share 
of the banking business of the Stillwater 
region and gives good satisfaction. 

The Stillwater Valley Bank of Coving- 
ton commenced business in 1871, and was 
incorporated as a state bank in 1908. It 
has a capital of $50,000 and does an an- 
nual banking business of over $200,000. It 
is officered at present as follows : J. Ken- 
dell, president; S. W. Ullery, vice-presi- 
dent ; J. Kendell, cashier ; and A. J. Maier, 
assistant cashier. The Stillwater Valley 
Bank is regarded as a sound banking 
house and enjoys a large and increasing 
patronage. 

On May 31st, 1900, the Citizens' Na- 
tional Bank of Covington was incorporated 
with a capital of $25,000. Its first officers 
were Henry Flesh, px-esident; J. W. Buhl, 
vice-president; J. L. Goodnight, cashier; 
J. G. Bartness and S. B. Freshour. At 
present its official force is Henry Flesh, 
president; J. W. Euhl, vice-president; A. 
W. Landis, cashier; Directors — J. W. 
Dowler, C. M. Patty, D. E. P. Faul and 
A. W. Landis. The average dejiosits 
amount to $100,000, showing a good finan- 
cial condition, which has gained much by 
careful management. 

Of the lesser banking institutions of the 
county are the Fletcher Banking Com- 
pany, which has but one officer, P. L. Car- 
ter, cashier; the Pleasant Hill Banking 
Comjiauy, managed by Charles F. Perkins ; 
the Commercial Savings Bank of Troy, es- 
tablished within the j^ear, and the First Na- 
tional Bank of Bradford, of which William 
Vermillion is cashier. The Building & 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



225 



Loan Associations will be found mentioned 
in Chapter XXIII. 

The Pleasant Hill Banking Company, 
above referred to, one of the stable finan- 
cial institutions on the "West Side, was in- 
corporated under the laws of Ohio. Its 
authorized capital is $25,000, average de- 
posits, $100,000, average loans, $80,000. 
Officers : David M. Coppack, president ; 
C. E. Perkins, cashier. 

All the banking institutions of the county 
are conducted on a sound monetary basis 
and are carefully and intelligently man- 
aged by those in charge. Never to my 
knowledge has a single defalcation oc- 
curred. From the earliest dawn of Miami 
County banking our financial institutions 
have had the entire confidence of the com- 
munity ; they have passed through a num- 
ber of panics with their attendant depres- 
sions of business, but have emerged with 
their confidence unimpaired, which speaks 
well for their management and stability. 

The celebrated panic of 1857, the Civil 



War of 1861-65, the panics of 1873 and 
1893 failed to shake the foundations of the 
banks of this country and the safe and 
conservative management that has always 
been one of their most prominent features 
has merited and held the confidence of the 
entire county. H. W. Allen and Jacob 
Rohrer, two of the oldest pioneers in the 
banking business, still survive. The for- 
mer is still president of the First National 
Bank of Troy, while the latter has but re- 
cently retired from active business on ac- 
count of age and physical infirmity. While 
our banks of the present day have adopted 
a new system from that of the old regime, 
with a currency sound and good the world 
over, they have lost none of the integritj^ 
which was a noted feature of the first 
banks. All of them stand today among 
the trusted institutions of the financial 
world and with this showing, the banks of 
Miami County can safely face the people, 
secure in the reputation they enjoy. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, PAST AND PRESENT 



The Pioneer Doctor — Crude Methods of a Century Ago— Home Remedies — Charm 
Doctors — Bleeding the Main Reliance of the Old-Time "Regular" — Devotion of 
the Pioneer Physicians — Diseases Prevalent in Early Days — The Charlatan of 
Former Days — Some Early Physicians — The Medical Profession of the Present 
Day — The Miami County Medical Society. 



The first disciples of Escnlapins and 
Hipi)ocrates to practice within the present 
limits of Miami County did not have the 
advantages enjoyed by their brethren of 
the present day. The practice of medicine 
one hundred years ago was crude and un- 
satisfactory. It was the day of the lancet, 
calomel and jalap. These, with the mur- 
derous "turn-key," formed the stock-in- 
trade of the old doctor. Without them he 
would have been as helpless as a rudder- 
less ship in a typhoon. People then were 
afflicted with manv diseases arising- large- 
ly from the climate and exposure. Doe- 
tors were few and far between. Some- 
times they were half a day's ride from the 
isolated cabin and not infrequently a 
swollen river intervened. Drug stores 
were unknown and the patent medicine 
shelf with its cure-alls and exploited nos- 
trums had not come into existence to make 
poor humanity believe that it was afflicted 
with all the ills that belong to the human 
race. 



Every family was largely its own doc- 
tor. Each household had various remedies 
compounded from herbs and roots which 
were supposed and fondly believed to be 
efficacious. Tansy was a favorite remedy, 
and poccoou, snakeroot and poke had their 
advocates. In an old book on the Miami 
Country published in 1815 I find a cata- 
logue of the roots, herbs, etc., which were 
taken from Nature's garden for the heal- 
ing of the sick. Among the stimulants are 
found prickly ash, Indian turnip, sassa- 
fras, ginseng, and the flower of the wild 
hop. The list of tonics included the bark 
and flowers of the dogwood, the rose wil- 
low, yellow poplar, the cucumber tree and 
the Spanish oak, while the red maple, wild 
cherry, and crowfoot were regarded as as- 
tringents and so used. The early settler 
had a long list of Nature's remedies to 
choose from and when sickness visitetl his 
family he became his own diagnostician 
and jirescrilied accordingly. Almost every 
neiahborhood had its ' ' charm doctor. ' ' Old 



226 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



227 



womeu claimed to be experts iu the re- 
moval of ringworms, tetter, felons and the 
like, and were frequently called ui^on to 
exercise their potent influence. They were 
said to be able to remove a bone felon by 
holding- a hot coal over it and accompany- 
ing the operation with a lot of cabalistic 
words which awed the patient as well as 
the spectators. If the wart, ringworm or 
tetter disappeared well and good and the 
"doctoress" received the praise. Of 
course the old practitioner discounted the 
virtues of the charm doctors and held them 
in contempt. He laughed at the testi- 
monials which were presented and went on 
with his bleeding and dosing just the same. 

It mattered little how weak a patient 
might be, he had to be bled. The very 
thing he needed most, blood, was taken 
from him. It is affirmed that Washington 
was bled to death by Dr. Craik and others. 
This bleeding process obtained in this 
coimty till long after the birth of the nine- 
teenth century. As late as 1828 Cooper, 
in a work on surgery, advised that the 
patient be bled to fainting and said that 
during the swoon strangulated hernia 
could be reduced within a cjuarter of an 
hour. Sometimes, when they could be ob- 
tained, leeches were used in the practice 
of medicine, and as late as 1830 Coster ad- 
vised the application of twenty or thirty 
leeches in inflammation of the ear. Diph- 
theria was known as croup in the early 
dawn of the countj's career and for this 
disease the old doctors gave tartar emetic, 
and bled. Bleeding was also considered 
efficacious in pneumonia. The pioneer 
doctor with his saddle-bags and well- 
known horse was a character those days. 

He was filled with the milk of human 
kindness, refused no calls and often rode 



miles through the unbroken forest to the 
bedside of his patient. At one time Dr. 
Asa Coleman swam the Miami at flood-tide 
to obey a summons and imperiled his life 
to give medical aid to the afflicted one. 
Night rides through wintry forests and 
over snowy barrens were as nothing to the 
lirst doctors of Miami. The howl of the 
wolf sometimes resounded on every side. 
The only roads were blazed ones and often 
not even such traces guided the old prac- 
titioner. His materia medica was small. 
His surgical outfit was limited and crude, 
but with it he often performed marvels. 
There were l)roken limbs then as now, gun- 
shot wounds, fractures of every kind, and 
some of the adjustments were as well done 
as those of the present day. The trees of 
the forest furnished him with excellent 
splints and his amputations nearly always 
redounded to his credit. 

It was long before the day of anesthet- 
ics and the patient either suffered in 
.silence or roared out his pain till exhaust- 
ed. When the torturing turnkey fastened 
itself on a refractory tooth the stubborn 
molar was sure to come if the pioneer doc- 
tor had the proper strength, and he was 
generally a man of muscle. He has been 
known to spend a week at a house watch- 
ing with the tenderest solicitude over the 
bed of a sick child and to weep with the 
sorrowing family, and often charged noth- 
ing for his services. The old doctors of 
Miami were faithful to their trust and did 
their duty under the most difficult circum- 
stances without a murmur. Whatever may 
be the verdict of this or coming genera- 
tions concerning them, their merit will be 
none the less. They had no nostrums and 
no specious advertisements and while the 
nightwinds sing their requiem where they 



228 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



rest, mauy of them in the forgotten little 
cemeteries, the world is better for their 
having lived, better for any note of joy 
which they helped to beat out of the harsh 
discords of the times. They deserve a 
gi'eater monument than has been raised to 
them. 

The prevailing diseases of the early days 
of county history were many. The win- 
ters were cold. One of the coldest days 
was that of January 8, 1797, when the mer- 
cury dropped to eighteen degrees below 
zero. Consumption was practically un- 
known among the pioneers, croup was the 
terror of the little household and at times 
it was depopulated of its children. "Weath- 
er changes produced rheumatism and 
along the water courses remitting and in- 
termitting fevers, including ague, pre- 
vailed. In 1809, '10 and '11, typhoid fever 
was prevalent, but after those 5^ears this 
dread scourge abated. Typhus fever pre- 
vailed among the immigrants from New 
England and New York. These people came 
here in the wrong season and were not 
proof against the changes of climate. Dys- 
entery occurred every summer in this lo- 
cality, jaundice was common, and measles 
and whooping-cough frequently became 
ei^idemic. Occasionally the scourge of 
small-pox visited the infant settlements 
and on two occasions there was an invasion 
of cholera which took off mauj' people. 
Many settlers on Lost Creek died of this 
terrible disease in the early forties. A 
disease known locally as the "cold plague" 
visited this part of the country in 1812-13. 
It generally attacked those who were most 
exposed to cold and moisture, and, despite 
the skill of the old doctors, it proved alai-m- 
ingly fataJ, 



Among the other diseases with which 
the first j^hysicians had to contend were 
scrofula, I'ickets, scurvy, dropsy, and apo- 
plexy. Cancers were hardly known in the 
county then and insanity was very rare. 
It is said that the first suicide in the 
county is buried in the old Knoop ceme- 
tery in Staunton Township. While venom- 
ous serpents were numerous along the 
streams and among the rock piles, snake 
bites were infrequent and the few were 
generally successfully treated. No bills 
of mortality were kept in the early days, 
there were no boards of health and the old 
doctors were not called upon to furnish 
mortuary statistics. They kept, however, 
a careful account of their practice and 
some of their notes and observations are 
decidedly interesting. Some of the first 
county physicians held to tenacious opin- 
ions peculiarly their own. It is said that 
John Mote, the first doctor in Union Town- 
ship, could hardly be convinced that there 
was such a thing as sick stomach or vege- 
table poison. He treated such cases as 
bilious fever and the patient generally 
succumbed. At last he contracted the dis- 
ease himself and would not believe it till a 
neighbor told him that he (the neighbor) 
could smell it. Then the old doctor dosed 
himself properly and recovered. 

The old-time medical profession of the 
county had an intense hatred of the char- 
latan or quack doctor. This individual 
came to the surface now and then to the 
detriment of the regular profession and 
found his dupes as he finds them at the 
present day. In 1829 Dr. N. Jackson of 
Piqua in the Piqua Gazette sounds a note 
of warning against the charlatan in the 
following postscript to his "Medical No- 
tice." 





ST. JOHNS LfTHERAX CHURCH, TROY 



PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. COVINGTON 




CHRISTIAN CHURCH. PLEASANT HILL SCH.MIDLAPP FREE SCHOOL LIBRARY. I'igUA 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



231 



"Any jierson who may require medical 
aid who applies to cue of these empyries 
known as patent doctors will please omit 
calling on me during the continuance of 
that disease. I have determined to attend 
no such case if known to me. If I should 
be called on, when I ascertain the fact 
above alluded to mj' charge will be six 
times what it otherwise would have been." 

Dr. Jackson "informs the citizens of 
Piqua that he has removed from town to 
the opposite bank of the Miami Eiver 
about a half mile east of Piqua and a con- 
venient water craft will be kept opposite 
his dwelling to accommodate foot passen- 
gers ; persons on horseback will have a 
good ford at the same i^lace except in time 
of high water." He warrants his medi- 
cines to be of the first quality and sold at 
the lowest rate. As there were few bridges 
across the various county streams those 
days more than one doctor provided boats 
for the aceonnnodation of his patrons and 
some exciting trips were made. 

It is narrated that upon one occasion 
when the river was high, a messenger hur- 
rying for the doctor reached the river only 
to discover that the boat was missing. 
Upon a tree at the mooring hung a horn 
capable of sounding a blast that would 
rouse the dead. The excited man took 
down the horn and blew upon it a blast 
that rivaled Don Ehoderick's. The night 
was dark and the water a dangerous tor- 
rent. Presently across the stream came 
the voice of the old doctor. "What's want- 
ed?" asked the disciple of Esculapius. 
"Johnny's swallered something, doctor. 
It's stuck in his throat and he's going to 
die!" yelled the troubled father. "Oh, is 
that all?" was the reply, "Go home, stand 
Johnny on his head and give him a good 



spanking. Goodnight!" As there was no 
further call on the old doctor it is supposed 
that "Johnny" had an uninterrupted 
though somewhat exciting recovery. 

The celebrated Indian agent, Col. John 
Johnston, though not a practitioner, was 
Imown to be a good "bone setter," as the 
term went in the early days. He was fre- 
quently called on to show his skill in this 
direction. He used what was called a 
"shocking machine" by the neighbors. It 
was really the old-fashioned and now out- 
of date electrifying machine and was 
looked upon as the marvel of the age. 
Those who underwent its tortures were 
loud in its praises and wonders were 
ascribed to it. People came from far and 
near to be "shocked," and the Colonel 
came to be regarded as a man of more than 
celebrated ability. No one knows today 
the modus operandi of this wonderful in- 
vention, though it is likely that Johnston 
was not the pioneer in this particular di- 
rection. 

It must not be thought for a moment 
that the pioneer doctor was a man of lit- 
tle education. He was a man much beyond 
his profession. He kept abreast of the 
times in everything and especially in the 
therapeutics of the day. His skill was well 
known and his willingness to respond to 
every call was known the country over. 
His stock of medicines came generally 
from the east, though in later years phar- 
macopoeias were established at Cincinnati 
and Columbus. For the remedies which 
he did not manufacture himself he drew 
on the nearest medical depot, and, aside 
from jalap and calomel, he was dependent 
on his own resources. 

Among the early doctors on the west 
side of the countv, besides Dr. Mote al- 



232 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ready mentioned, was Dr. Kobert Crew, 
the first physician to practice in West Mil- 
ton. I have no data oonceruiug him. Dr. 
Lat Patty practiced in Union Township 
from 1826 to 1836. He was a pioneer of 
Kansas and died there just before the out- 
break of the Civil War. Some of the other 
doctors in this township were Dr. Bolisky, 
a Pole of good family (1838), Dr. Dulon 
(1840). Dr. Dulon was a strong anti-slav- 
ery man and was known as a station agent 
on the ' ' Underground Kailroad. ' ' Dr. Mc- 
Beynolds practiced there from 1836 to '46 
and Dr. Henry Davis from 1842 to '56. He 
was a brother to Probate Judge Samuel 
Davis of the coimty. Dr. Davis had for a 
partner Dr. Riply. Dr. J. S. Panabaker 
practiced in Union from 1846 to '50, and 
Dr. Eli Tenney, afterward county auditor, 
from 1848 to '68. Dr. S. Jennings of West 
Milton began his jiractice there in 1862 and 
is still in active practice at the same place. 

Dr. William Patty began practice in 
Newton Township many years ago and he 
is still living and actively engaged in his 
profession, although he may be classed as 
a pioneer physician. 

Dr. Asa Coleman, of Ti'oy, was among 
the tirst of the pioneer physicians. He 
came from Glastonbury, Conn., where he 
was born in 1788. Dr. Coleman was iden- 
tified with church, state, and Masonic af- 
fairs as well as with medicine and sur- 
gery. He received his medical diploma in 
1810 and set up practice in Troy the fol- 
lowing year. During the War of 1812 he 
attended the sick and woimded in the vari- 
ous block-houses and passed through 
grades of military promotion until he 
reached the rank of lieutenant colonel in 
1818. He also filled the office of represent- 
ative from Miami and was an associate 



judge. For many years his figure was a 
Ijrominent one on the streets of Troy, tall, 
erect, and white-haired. He died Febru- 
ary 25, 1870, and was the father of Colonel 
A. H. Coleman, who was killed at the bat- 
tle of Antietam, 1862. 

Dr. DeJoncourt was another of Troy's 
early physicians, so was Dr. Abbott. Dr. 
Telford was another and Dr. Sabin (there 
were two Drs. Sabin, father and son) for 
a long time had a large share of Troy's 
practice many years ago. Dr. Horace 
Coleman, son of Dr. Asa, opened an office 
in Troy about 1850, moved later to Indi- 
ana, where he entered the army as sur- 
geon, serving throughout the Civil War. 
He afterward resumed practice in Troy, 
but at present is an examining surgeon in 
the United States Pension Office at Wash- 
ington, D. C. Dr. Isaac S. Meeks, one of 
the old style doctors, practiced for many 
years in the county, first in Lost Creek 
Township and later in Troy. He was con- 
temporaneous with Drs. Walkley, Keifer, 
Green and Bowers, all doctors of ability. 
These doctors may be said to have been 
pioneers in the profession, though some of 
them lived until recently. All were well 
read and careful practitioners and stood in 
the foremost ranks of the profession. 

Piqua has to her credit quite an army 
of old-time physicians. Some of these be- 
came noted outside the profession of medi- 
cine. Probably the most noted of these 
was Dr. G. Volney Dorsey, referred to 
several times in this volume. He was prob- 
ably the most erudite of the past physi- 
cians of the county, a fine scholar and a 
deep thinker. Dr. Henry Chapeze came to 
Piqua from Kentucky about 1814. He 
erected a brick oflSce on the southwest cor- 
ner of Wayne and Water Streets, the first 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



233 



brick building- to be built witbiu the village 
limits. In 1820 Dr. John O'Ferrall settled 
in Piqua, where he practiced medicine till 
his death many years later. Drs. Chapeze 
and O'Ferrall rode the county when much 
of it was a vast unbroken forest, sleeping 
and eating in the uncouth homes of the 
early settlers, but always having in mind 
the health of the community. Dr. Chapeze 
died in 1828, but his colleague, Dr. O'Fer- 
rall, lived to see the county take its place 
among the first commonwealths within the 
state. Among the other doctors of Piqua 
in early days were Drs. Jackson, Teller, 
Jordon, Hendershott and Worrall. All 
these have passed away, but their faithful 
ministrations are remembered where tlie.y 
lived and worked. 

Dr. Alfred Potter was one of the early 
doctors of Casstown, a homely, rough fea- 
tured man, given over at times to mild 
mannered profanity, but withal a capable 
friend of the sick, kind hearted and always 
ready to respond to the most arduous call. 
It would be next to impossible to catalogue 
the old physicians of the county. Many 
are entirely forgotten and the record of 
them is but the slightest. They lived in 
the day of poor fees and hard work, but 
this did not daunt them. They were the 
pioneers in medicine among us and blazed 
the way for the present day practitioner. 

The Medical Profession of Miami Coun- 
ty at the present day stands high. It is 
composed of representatives who have at- 
tained deserved recognition in their call- 
ing. The advancement in medical science 
during the past thirty years has been wel- 
comed by the physicians of Miami County 
and all keep ])ace with the latest discov- 
eries in that branch. The smallest com- 
munities are now su]iplied with capable 



doctors, whereas not many years ago they 
were devoid of this convenience. 

There was established within the county 
a few years ago "The Miami County Med- 
ical Society." It is now one of the most 
progressive medical bodies in the State 
and is officered as follows : President, Dr. 
S. S. Hartman, Tippecanoe City; vice- 
president. Dr. L. A. Euhl, Covington; sec- 
retary and treasurer. Dr. E. L. Kunkle, 
Piqua. Members of the Legislative Com- 
mittee — Dr. A. B. Frame, Piqua; Dr. Van 
S. Deaton, Alcony; Censors: Dr. R. M. 
O'Ferrall, Piqua, and Dr. W. E. Thomp- 
son, Troy. 

Following is a complete list of the resi- 
dent physicians of the county: 

PIQUA. 

A. B. Frame, A. S. Ashton, .J. B. Baker, J. H. Baker, 
R. jr. O'Farrall, R. JI. Sliaunon, W. J. Prince, R. L. 
Kunkle, .7. K. Murray, .J. H. Lowe, L. E. Reck, \V. J. 
Kelly, j. B. Tennell, 'F. E. Kitsmiller, C. R. Coflfeen, F. 
M. kunt. M. E. McManes, C. E. Hetherington, R. D. 
Burnbam, F. E. Adams, J. (". Falmesteck, R. L. Hyde, 
P. L. Suorf, Ada L. JIalick. J. R. Caywood, L. Alf, J. 
Funderherg, H. H. Gravatt, L. D. Trowbridge, W. N. 
Uiikefer. 

TliOY. 

W. R. Thompscn, T. M. Wright, G. E. JlcCollough, 
J. S. Shinn, H. E. Shilling, Warren Coleman, C. A. Hart- 
ley, W. W. Baker, E. B. Davis, P. F. Eagle, L. XI. 
Lindenberger, J. W. Means, R. C. Wokott, M. G. Wright. 

TIPPECANOE CITY. 

S. D. Hartman. J. D. Miller, H. H. Havens, W. E. 
Widencr, B. J. Kendall, C. B. Benson. 

COVINGTON. 

H. W. Kendall, ('. E. Gaines, S. A. Rosenberger, A. C. 
Miller, M. M. Brubaker, L. A. Ruhl, W. M. Gaines. 

WEST MILTON. 

G. Jennings, 8. Jennings, E. W. Spitler, G. C. Ullery. 

BRADFORD. 

('. W. Bausman, W. H. Minton, J. Ballinger, A. Min- 
ton. H. M. Foreman. 

PLEASANT IIIM.. 

A. .J. Bausman, S. N. Bausman, J. Teeter, W. Patty. 

FLETCHER. 

I. C. Kiser, J. E. Shellbarger. 

LAURA. 

S. S. Hoover, C. R. Coate, S. P. NefT, Anson Troy. 



234 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



J. C. Walton. 
W. Shellabarger. 
H. B. Denman. 
W. E. Durr. 
Van S. Deaton. 
E. L. Brown. 
J. L. Lauer. 



POTSDAM. 



LUDLOW FALLS. 

ALCONY. 

CASSTOWN. 

CONOVER. 



Not all the above physicians are mem- 
bers of the Miami Coimty Medical So- 
ciety, but it is believed that before long 
this active organization will embrace the 



whole local profession. The medical corps 
of the county, as listed above, is well 
known throughout the state and is noted 
for its progressiveness in the art of heal- 
ing. During the past century medical ad- 
vance in the, county has been great. The 
old system of practice has passed away 
and there remains of it at the present day 
nothing but a memory. It may be said in 
conclusion that the medical profession of 
the county has a record to be proud of and 
that it keeps in the foremost rank of re- 
search and discovery in its particular 
domain. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE PIONEER PREACHER 



Charles Frederick Post, the Missionary — The Presbyterians, Baptists and Catholics 
Early Represented — Controversialism — Salary of the Backwoods Preacher — Hard- 
ships Endured — His Devotion — Stories of the Itinerant Preachers — The Residts 
They Accomplished. 



But when the Sabbath gatherings press 
Like armies from the wilderness, 
'Tis then the dim old woods afford 
The sanctuary of the Lord; 
The Holy Spirit breathes around — 
The forest glade is sacred ground. 

Mrs. Eemans. 

Of the pioneer preachers of Miami 
County a volume might be written. They 
were the first to bring the word of trutli 
into the wilderness, though the Bible came 
with the first settlers who crossed the bar- 
rier of the Alleghenies, or brought their 
little families from the plantations of the 
South. When the first circuit rider lifted 
his voice in this region, exhorting all to 
"flee from the wrath to come," this county 
was indeed a wilderness. Along its 
streams roamed the predatory wolf and 
the restless red man parted the waters with 
the prow of his birchen canoe. The sweet 
and sacred story of the Cross was told 
and retold beneath the sturdy oaks of the 
Miami forests and the four-footed deni- 
zens of the wild paused and listened to the 
first hjTuns that soared heavenward from 
the lips of the little bands of worshippers. 



The scented groves of that day were truly 
"God's first temples." 

One of the first, if not the first, minister 
to enter the forest of Ohio was Charles 
Frederick Post, a Moravian missionary, 
a calm, simple-hearted and intrepid man. 
He was sent into Ohio after the defeat 
of Braddock to preach the gospel, as well 
as to win the Indians over to the cause of 
the English; and he zealously did both. 
At the close of the Pontiac War, in 1761, 
Post returned to the valley of the Mus- 
kingum and settled among the Delawares. 
He was assisted in his labors by the cele- 
brated Heckenwelder and afterward by 
David Zeisberger, another devoted serv- 
ant of God, and the three founded the town 
of Gnadenhutten, which was afterward de- 
stroyed by a lot of fanatical white settlers, 
and its Indian converts massacred. 

It was not until after the close of the 
Eevolutionary War that the tide of pio- 
neer preaching reached the real valley of 
the Ohio. It swept northward from Ken- 
tucky, headed by the good old itinerant 



235 



236 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



who rode from settlement to settlement 
with Bible and saddlebags, preaching 
wherever he could find a congregation, 
however small. He did as much to civilize 
the wilderness as those who wielded the 
axe, and built towns where naught but the 
unbroken forest had been. 

Strong and powerful men were the back- 
woods preachers, and their mentality was 
equal to their physical strength. They 
knew no fear. Imbued with the Holy 
Spirit, they set up the altar of the Most 
High God in the most remote localities, 
undaunted by adverse circumstances, and 
surrounded by dangers, seen and unseen. 
These heroic men of different denomina- 
tions came from different localities. The 
first Presbyterians emigrated from Ken- 
tucky, the Baptists from Virginia, where 
they had suffered much persecution, and 
John Haw and Benjamin Odgen were the 
first followers of John Wesley to cross 
the Alleghanies. The Roman Catholics 
sought the new West from Maryland and, 
loyal to their church, they grouj^ed them- 
selves in neighboi'hoods where they could 
enjoy its first instruction and offices. And 
now after the lapse of a century these 
classes are walking in the faith of their 
fathers. For some time there was much 
antagonism, a sort of pugnacious rivalry 
or "free fight" between denominations in 
this region. They were great controver- 
sialists, and there was an immense din 
about Baptism and Pedo-Baptism, Free 
Grace and Predestination, Falling from 
Grace and the Perseverance of the Saints, 
but at no time did the pioneer preachers 
forget the holiness of their mission. 

The ministry of the church of the wil- 
derness assumed the position and respon- 
sibility of their calling under the confident 



belief that each man of them was specially 
called and sent forth by the Holy Spirit 
of peace and power as the ambassador of 
Christ. The office of the backwoods 
preacher was no sinecure. His field of 
labor was the world. His salary rarely ex- 
ceeded seventy dollars and in later times 
he considered himself 

"Passing rich at forty pouuils a year."' 

Nothing more was allowed a man with 
a wife than without one, for it was under- 
stood by the ministers of the old church 
that a preacher had no business with a 
wife and that he was a great deal better 
without. Francis Asbury, the pioneer 
Methodist, discountenanced matrimony, 
and Bishop McKendree, after whom Mc- 
Kendree Chapel was named, remained a 
bachelor. It was Asbury who said, upon 
hearing that one of his preachers had mar- 
ried: "I fear the women and the devil 
will get all my preachers." 

The early ministers of Miami County 
had small encouragement, indeed, in the 
way of pecuniary support to which they 
could look forward. They came to the wil- 
derness to face perils, want, weariness, 
unkindness, cold and hunger. The bare 
earth in winter and summer was three- 
fourths of the time their bed, a saddle 
their pillow and the sky their coverlet. 
They studied the hymn-book nearly as de- 
votedly and constantly as the Bible, and 
with these two they had an arsenal from 
which they could bring forth weapons 
adapted to every emergency. When some 
obstreperous sinner disturbed their meet- 
ings they strode down from the backwoods 
pulpit and ejected the offender by main 
force, after which the sermon was resumed 
as if nothing had happened. On one occa- 
sion a Spring Creek disturber was seized 




SUGAR LOAF— SWIFT RUN LAKE 



THE TU.MBLES— SWIFT RUN LAKE 




FAVORITE STOVE & RANGE CO.'S PLAXT, PIQUA 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



239 



by the stalwart isreaclier and carried to the 
nearest water, where he received an im- 
mersion not at all to his liking. 

What of the preaching of these, our 
jjioueer men of God! They not only knew 
the Bible, but they knew other books as 
well. Young and Milton were intimate 
companions of these old wayfarers. Mil- 
tonic descriptions of perdition abounded in 
their i^reaching, and the Judgment with all 
the solemn array of the Last Assize was 
vividly delineated by them. Their rather 
topographical descriptions of the good and 
bad worlds met with favor by their au- 
diences. The earnest lives of the settlers, 
filled with necessities and arduous strug- 
gles to supply them, must have appropri- 
ate religious food ; and these simple-heart- 
ed, firmly believing crusaders of the wil- 
derness were just the men to give it to 
them. There was an immense deal of force 
and stamina in the method of the first 
preachers of the country. They spoke loud 
and with the whole body; their feet and 
hands were put in requisition as well as 
their tongues and head. They had to make 
their sermons as they were traveling along 
the way, and a hard, rugged way it was. 

An interesting anecdote is told of one 
of our old itinerants who invaded the Still- 
water Valley in the early days. He had 
spent one night out in the cold and there 
was a prospect of spending another in the 
same cheerless manner. He thought of his 
lonely journey and of the perils that com- 
passed it. Then his faith lifted him to a 
better, brighter world, its rest and reward 
for the wayfarer, and he thought of the 
good Father and of the angels that are 
sent to succor and to minister, and his 
heart presently filled with overflowing- 



gladness, and he struck up a hymn, for he 
was a famous, singer: 

"Peace, troubled soul; tliou nee^Lst not fear, 
Thy great Provider still is near; 
Who fed thoe last will feed thee still, 
Be calm and sink into His will." 

He went on with the song and looking 
about him, saw that he was near a house, 
for its woman and the children were crowd- 
ing about him with tears in their eyes. 
As he concluded, the old lady shouted: 
"Pete, put up the gentleman's horse. 
Girls, have a good supper for the preach- 
er." And thus he was fed and lodged for 
a song. 

Another story pertaining to the pioneer 
preachers who brought the gospel into 
this locality may also be told here. The 
old gospel wayfarer, after preaching in 
Indiana, came to try for the saving of 
souls among the growing settlements along 
the Miami. Himself and family had barely 
enough to keep body and soul together. 
The wolf was constantly at the door. They 
had borne their poverty without a mur- 
mur. The preacher was much beloved, 
tall, slender, graceful, with a winning coun- 
tenance, a kindly eye where flashed the 
fire of genius, a voice silvery and power- 
ful in speech, sweet as a wind-harp in song. 
As this country began to settle more a 
large land-holder, much attached to the 
preacher, knowing his poverty, wished to 
make an exjjression of his grateful regard 
and affection. Therefore he presented him 
with a title-deed to a quarter section of 
land. The man of God went his way with 
a glad and humble heart, that there was 
provision made for his own advancing age 
and the wants of his rising family. In 
three months he returned. Alighting at 
the gate, he removed his saddle bags and 



240 



HISTORY OF JIIAMI COUNTY 



began to fumble in their capacious pockets. 
As he reached the door where stood his 
friendly host to welcome him he drew out 
the parchment, saying: 

"Here, sir, I want to give you back your 
title-deed. " " What 's the matter ? ' ' asked 
his friend, "Any flaw in it I" "No." 
"Isn't it good land?" "Good as any 
in the State." "Sickly situation?" 
"Healthy as any other." "Do you think 
I repent the gift?" "I haven't the slight- 
est reason to doubt your generosity." 
"Why don't you keep it, then?" "Well, 
sir," said the preacher, "you know I am 
very fond of singing and there's one hymn 
in the book, the singing of which is one of 
the greatest comforts of my life. I haven't 
been able to sing it with my whole heart 
since I was here. A part of it nms this 
way: 

"No foot of land do I possess, 
No cottage in the wilderness; 

A poor wayfaring man, 
I lodge awhile in tents below 
And gladly wander to and fro 

Till 1 my Canaan gain. 
There is my home and portion fair ! 
My treasure and my heart are there, 

And my abiding home." 

"Take your title-deed," he added, "I 
had rather sing that hjTim with a clear 
conscience than own America." 

Such were the men of God who preached 
Christ and him crucified in the wilderness 
of the Miami. 

The old circuit riders who journeyed 
from Stillwater to the Miami and along 
the banks of Spring Creek, Honey Creek 
and Lost Creek were giants in their day. 
As yet there were few places that might 
be dignified by the name of houses of wor- 
ship. The brick church was yet in the 
womb of time. The backwoods minister 
was always outspoken. When he chided 
frivolity or uncleanness it was in no un- 



certain language. He "struck out from 
the shoulder," as it were. Very often 
"the fool who came to jibe remained to 
pray." On one occasion one of these old 
preachers noticed that one of his con- 
gregation, an influential member of the 
community and a lover of tobacco, was ex- 
pectorating freely on the floor. The minis- 
ter had been discoursing very pointedly on 
uncleanliness in general, but at last he 
broke out with : ' ' Now I reckon you want 
to know who I mean? I mean that dirty, 
filthy tobacco chewer sitting on the end of 
that front seat. See what he' has been 
about. Look at the puddles on the floor. 
A frog wouldn't get into them. Think of 
the tails of the sisters' dresses being 
draged through that muck." The crest- 
fallen user of the weed, who died many 
years ago in the county, declared that he 
never chewed any more tobacco in church. 

There were many camp meetings in the 
dawn of church history in this county. 
They were conducted by preachers like 
Peter Cartwright and others. These were 
famous gatherings to which the whole 
neighborhood turned out and they lasted 
for days. There were some wonderful 
conversions during these meetings. The 
powerful convincing eloquence of the back- 
woods preacher was the moving force. 
The "mourners' bench," often erected in 
the forest, always had its complement of 
sinners seeking grace. Everybody joined 
in singing the old-fashioned hymns, which 
now, alas! are seldom heard. Under the 
inspiration of these hymns, frequently in- 
terspersed with fervent "Amens," hun- 
dreds professed the new life and went on 
their way rejoicing. 

Oliver Goldsmith, in his matchless "De- 
serted Village," thus beautifully describes 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



241 



the old preacher, one of the kind under 
whose benign ministrations sat the pioneer 
fathers and mothers of our county: 

"Remote from towns, he ran his goodly race, 
Nor e'er had changed, nor wished to change his place, 
Unskilled he to fawn or seek for power 
By doctrines fashioned to the varying hour; 
Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride. 
And e'en his failings leaned to Virtue's side, 
But in his duty, prompt at every call, 
He watched and wept, he prayed and felt for all. 
He tried each art, reproved each dull delay. 
Allured to brighter worlds and led the way. 
To them his heart, his love, his griefs were given. 
But all his serious thoughts had rest in heaven." 

The true ■worth of the pioneer preacher 
cannot be computed. He did a great ■n'ork 
among the settlements along the Miami. 
Poverty had no terrors for him. He 
builded up little congregations -which in 
time became the foremost ones of the 
county. His -whole soul -was in his mission. 
He visited the sick, comforted the mourner, 
prayed -with the dying and often read the 
burial service to the ho-wl of the sneaking 
■wolf. He carried his saddle bags through 
the sno-ws of -winter, forded the Miami 
amid the bowlings of the tempest and ap- 
peared an angel of light to the little family 
around the pioneer hearth. And when his 
sacred work was ended he "folded the 
drapery of his couch about him" and, se- 
cure in the great reward which was to be 
his, bowed to the -will of God and jaassed 
from the stage of action. 

I have written this description of the 
backwoods evangels in order to let the pres- 
ent generation know what sort of men 
carried the Cross through our county in 
the days of its formation. They had the 



zeal of the Crusader without his fanati- 
cism, the perseverance of Napoleon with- 
out his ambition. They seemed to see the 
grandeur which was to come when they 
were gone, the building of a populous com- 
monwealth where their forest altars were 
erected. They i)reaclied not for the pres- 
ent alone, but for the future. They en- 
dured the pangs of hunger and slept on 
the flowerless couch of poverty that com- 
ing generations, seeing their good work, 
might take it up and carry it to full frui- 
tion. From the tireless efforts of these 
earnest ministers of God arose the present 
state of religion which the county enjoys. 
There is nothing so interesting in our 
history as the labors of the little band of 
men who carried the Word up and down 
the Miami. The rains and snows of a cen- 
tury have blotted out their footsteps, their 
graves are hidden in out-of-the-way places, 
the modest tombstones erected over them 
have crumbled away and their very names 
are in many instances, forgotten, but the 
work they did is written on the imperish- 
able tablets of the Most High. Miami 
County owes to her first "sowers of the 
seed of righteoiisness " a debt of gratitude 
beyond her power to fully pay. There are 
no living duplicates of these men, for the 
times have changed and the wilderness has 
disappeared. They were the men for the 
times, they came forth when they were 
needed, did their work nobly and, passing, 
left the infant church to the care of the 
earnest believers who were to come after 
them. Peace to their ashes! 



CHAPTER XIX. 



PRESENT RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS OF THE COUNTY 



Local History of the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Friends or 
Quakers, Episcopalians — German Baptists — Christians, Roman Catholics, Etc. 



Witii the passing of the pioneer preacher 
the religious development of the county 
was rapid. Houses of worship sprang up 
in every direction. These were suited to 
the times, for congregations as yet were 
small, and the beginnings were meager but 
gave promise of better things. In order to 
intelligently trace the rise of the different 
denominations in the county I shall take 
them up one by one, giving in a nutshell 
the history of each. 

THE BAPTISTS. 

Not long after the formation of the 
county in 1807 this denomination organ- 
ized a church at Troy. Its first preacher 
was Stephen Eiddle, a boastful man who 
had spent much of his life among the In- 
dians. He is said to have had his ears 
pierced for leaden pendants and he fre- 
quently boasted that during his sojourn 
with the tribes he had killed white people. 
Whether his statements caused his stay 
with the Troy brethren to be brief, I do not 
know, but at any rate he didn't remain 
long. About 1813 a log church was built. 
This edifice was heated by a tin-plate 
stove which proved obstreperous on sev- 



eral occasions. A man named Stapleton 
now had the care of the flock. Later on 
the log church disappeared and a better 
house of God arose on the corner of 
Franklin and Cherry Streets. In 1834 a 
meeting was held in this edifice and regu- 
lar articles of incorporation were pre- 
pared. The organization was completed 
the same year and J. L. Moore was chosen 
pastor. In 1838 E. French preached for 
the congregation and during the same year 
Samuel Hervey and Z. Eaton were pas- 
tors. This denomination continued to 
prosper at Troy and today the Baptists 
have a large membership. The present 
pastor is Rev. D. AV. Holt. 

In 1830 the Baptists erected their first 
church in Piqua. It was an inadequate 
structure, but services continued to be held 
in it till 1848, when a new church was 
built on the corner of High and "Wayne 
Streets. Among the noted, divines who oc- 
cupied this pulpit are Rev. John L. Moore, 
John E. Thomas, David E. Thomas, Dr. 
Shephardson and L\Tnan Fisher. The 
founders of the Piqua Baptist Church 
were the Mannings, Hilliards, Blues, Mc- 
Campbells, Garveys, Drakes and Cavins. 



242 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



243 



Piqna now lias three commodious Bajjlist 
churches with the following pastors : Parke 
Avenue Baptist, Dr. Wilson; Calvary Bap- 
tist, Eev. J. W. Beck ; First Baptist, I. ]\I. 
Lloyd. 

The first meetings of the Tippecanoe 
Baptists were held in the old schoolhouse in 
1851, at which time the congregation com- 
prised hut twelve persons. The first pas- 
tor was L. C. Carr. A new church was 
erected in 1878 and at the present time 
"William Pielfer is the resident pastor. 
This church has risen from small begin- 
nings to be one of the pillars of this par- 
ticular faith in the coimty. East of the 
river the Baptists have several congrega- 
tions. The Baptist church at Fletcher was 
organized in 1861, from which year till 
1864 David E. Thomas was pastor. He 
was succeeded by E. D. Thomas, who was 
followed by Elder Daniel Bryant, J. W. 
Weatherby, G. W. Taylor, W. S. Kent and 
Joseph N. Scott. Many revivals have been 
held in the Fletcher Baptist Church, which 
today has no regular pastor. In 1855 a 
Baptist church, which up to that time had 
been a branch of the Honey Creek denomi- 
nation, was organized at Lena. Its first 
minister was David Scott, who became 
somewhat noted as a debater and divine. 
This little church is in a flourishing condi- 
tion. Its present pastor is Rev. Alby Kite. 

The Lost Creek Baptist congregation, 
which was an off-shoot of the old Staun- 
ton Church, long ago demolished, was or- 
ganized in 1816. The first minister in 
charge was Samuel Deweese. In 1821 a 
church building was erected of hewn logs. 
The following queer entry is to be found 
on the books of this church: "Agreed to 
employ Brother Abia B. Martin to lay two 
floors in the meeting-house, to plough and 



groove both floors, to plane one side of the 
upper floor and to make two doors and 
casings, for which the church agree to pay 
Brother Martin $20 in work at Mr. For- 
dyce's if said Martin should want it there; 
if not, to be paid in wheat, corn or young 
cattle." In 1837 there was a secession 
from this church and another, a log affair, 
was erected in the same township on the 
Casstown-Addison Turnpike. The new 
church was called Providence, but it dis- 
appeared long ago and no other was built. 
The Lost Creek Baptist Church of 1816 
was succeeded by a brick edifice, but with- 
in the last few years this has been torn 
down and nothing remains to mark its 
site but the Baptist burying ground. 

The Casstown Baptist Church was or- 
ganized about 1851, with Willis Hance, 
Sr., as pastor. It remained in a flourish- 
ing condition for a number of years, but at 
present no regular services are held. 
Among its old ministers I find the names 
of Robert Stapleton, Samuel Deweese, Wil- 
liam Sutton, Moses Frazee, L. C. Carr, 
David Bryant, T. P. Childs, John Blod- 
gett, J. 6. Trunisou, J. B. Weatherby and 
J. W. Miller. Just before the outbreak of 
the Civil War the Lost Creek Baptists 
held a number of public debates with the 
Lutherans on the subject of baptism. 
These disputations waxed warm for a con- 
siderable period and noted ministers from 
a distance took part. Nothing, however, 
was settled by the controversy for 

"He that complies against his will, 
Is of his own opinion still." 

THE METHODISTS. 

Since many of the pioneer preachers 
professed the faith of John Wesley, it was 
natural that the Methodists should obtain 



244 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



a strong foothold iu the county. This 
cliui'fh has always been aggressive, and to 
this fact, no doubt, it owes much of its 
l)resent prosi^erity. The Methodists or 
AVesleyites, as they were called in an early 
day, were among our tirst pioneers, though 
the Quakers or Friends arrived here about 
the same time. The first Methodist 
churches iu the county were supplied by 
traveling ministers who came at stated 
intervals and held services. The congre- 
gations at first were very small, but in- 
creased in numbers, owing, no doubt, to 
the numerous camp meetings which were 
held by that persuasion. Before the tirst 
Methodist church was established here, 
meetings were held at Mr. Winan's house, 
where Rajjer Chapel now stands. Later on 
Mr. Gahagan donated a lot in Troy and a 
log church was erected thereon. Among 
the early divines who preached to the 
Methodists of Troy were such noted ones 
as Revs. Bascom, Finney, Eaper and El- 
liott. The log church remained where it 
was built for about ten years. Another 
edifice succeeded and in 1840 a still better 
one was built. This church went through 
a remodeling process, but very recently the 
Troy Methodists erected the beautiful 
church which they now occupj-. This 
church is one of the handsomest structures 
in the state. The pastor in charge is Eev. 
W. H. Werhly. 

Dr. Dorsey in his published account of 
Piqua has well said that "it has long been 
noted for the number and excellence of its 
churches." Few cities of its size in the 
Union can compete with it in this direc- 
tion. It has two flourishing Methodist 
churches at the present time. The Greene 
Street Methodist Church, Dr. W. A. Dea- 
ton in charge, is the outgrowth of the first 



Methodist congregation which worshipped 
in the old Seminar}*. A real church was 
erected in 1825 on Spring Street, but this 
gave way for the present Greene Street 
Church iu 1836, since which time regular 
services have been held in this noted struc- 
ture. 

Grace Methodist Church is an out- 
growth of the Greene Street congregation. 
For a while the new addition worshipped 
south of the railroad, but finding that their 
numbers were constantly increasing it was 
determined to erect a commodious edifice 
and Grace Church sprang into existence. 
It has well maintained itself for many 
years and has a large membership. H. E. 
Armacost is the present minister. 

The Methodists of Tippecanoe, needing 
a house of worship, erected one in Hyatts- 
ville, which has since become a part of the 
larger town. This church was very primi- 
tive, built of logs, with a great old-fash- 
ioned fireplace which diffused ample heat 
during the coldest winters. In 1840 the 
first church disappeared, giving way for 
one more in keeping with the times and 
the wealth of the members. Revs. Mc- 
Pherson and Rutledge held pulpits in this 
church in the dawn of its history. In 1860 
a new church was built and this accommo- 
dated the increasing membership. Owen 
M. Sellers is the present pastor in charge. 

The Covington Methodists Imilt their 
first church in 1836, l)ut a year later it was 
demolished by a severe storm. This mis- 
fortune seems to have discouraged the 
Newberry brethren, for a number of years 
elapsed before they again had an organiza- 
tion in Covington. At present the Meth- 
odist Episcopal church of that town is 
presided over by W. H. Spybey and the 
church is in a flourishing condition. 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



247 



In Union Township the Methodists had 
hard work in establishing a church. The 
Friends seemed to flourish there above all 
others and other denominations labored 
under many difficulties. At last about 
1833, the Methodists saw their way clear 
to build a church in West Milton, which 
flourished for a season and theu declined. 
Today the Methodists of that township are 
represented by a Methodist Episcopal 
Church in "West Milton over which R. 0. 
Matthews presides. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Pleasant Hill is of comparatively recent 
growth, therefore its history belongs to 
the history of Methodism in Union Town- 
ship. This church, which stands on South 
Church Street, is in the charge of the same 
pastor who looks after the Methodist con- 
gregation of West i\Iilton, Rev. Matthews. 

Fletcher witnessed the coming of Meth- 
odism in 1820 when Andrew Oliver do- 
nated land for the first church there. This 
structure was torn down in later years and 
another built, which is occupied by the 
^lethodists of that flourishing little town. 
Rev. S. Bowersox is the present minister. 
He also fills the pulpit in the Lena Meth- 
odist Church. 

The Casstown Methodist Church dates 
its organization some years back. I have 
no authentic records concerning the year 
of its institution. Its first services were 
held in an old-fashioned brick church on 
the Troy-Casstown Pike, l)ut this edifice 
was torn away and a new church built on 
Center Street. Of late this church build- 
ing has been remodeled and is now the 
finest of the smaller Methodist churches of 
the county. Rev. D. S. Ferguson of the 
Troy Circuit is the jiastor in charge. 



I^raudt has been productive of Method- 
ism. It has at least one flourishing church 
of this denomination, the organization of 
which was efl'ected in 1839. It was dedi- 
cated by the celebrated Granville Moody. 
The Pisgah Methodist Episcopal Church 
was also erected in Bethel Township in 
1825 and was among the first churches 
built in the county. 

McKendree Chapel was erected in Eliz- 
abeth Township in 1832. From 1812 to 
the year of erection of McKendree Chapel 
the people worshiped in a log cabin, but 
in 1845 the present church edifice of brick 
was erected and formally dedicated. In 
1811 McKendree was attached to the Mad 
River District and John Collins was its 
pastor. This church has long been among 
the famous churches of the county and 
today holds a unique place in local Meth- 
odism. Rev. John Neer is the present min- 
ister at McKendree and the church will 
soon celebrate its centennial with appro- 
priate ceremonies. Raper Chapel, which 
is supplied by Rev. D. S. Ferguson, is 
about four miles North of Troy. As a 
coimtry church it has long been noted for 
its zeal in the cause of the Master. Its 
history dates back to the earliest times 
and its beginnings were really in the wil- 
derness. Such has been the progress of 
Methodism within the limits of our county. 
In some of the remoter portions other 
congregations have flourished for a time, 
but the ones mentioned above are the most 
noted. 

There stands on the Staunton and 
Spring Creek Pike, but in Spring Creek 
Township, a little Methodist church local- 
ly known as Beech Bethel. It was erected 
many years ago and was largely attended 
by the people of its immediate neighbor- 



248 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



hood. As one of the rural churches of the 
county it has acquired more than local 
fame and some quite eminent ministers 
have filled its pulpit since its erection. 

THE PRESBYTERIANS. 

In 1830 the old school Presbyterians 
erected the first church of that denomina- 
tion in Piqua. It stood on Wayne Street, 
south of Sycamore and served the purpose 
of the congregation till about 1844, when 
a new church was built. Rev. James Coe 
was the first officiating minister. He was 
an earnest-, able man. Today this church, 
known as the First Presbyterian, is one 
of the pillars of religious faith in Piqua. 
Its present pastor is Rev. D. M. Davis. 

The Second Presbyterian Church of the 
same city succeeded the one above men- 
tioned by a few years. Rev. Graves was 
its first minister and he was followed by 
a number of excellent pastors who kept 
burning the fires of Presbyterianism in the 
Border City. AVhen the two bodies of the 
Presbyterian Church united Rev. J. 
Thompson was pastor of the Second 
Church. This union took place in 1876. 
The Second Church has a large member- 
ship of earnest people, who are ministered 
to by John Montgomery, the present pas- 
tor. 

An old brick schoolhouse furnished the 
Presbyterians of Troy with their first 
house of worship. This was in 1818 and 
George Burgess ministered to the little 
flock of earnest believers in the faith of 
Calvin. In 18.37 the congregation built a 
house of worship on Franklin Street. This 
church was sold soon afterward and anoth- 
er erected. A new brick was finished in 
1863 and after the union of the two church 
bodies Daniel Tenney became the pastor. 



The Presbyterian pul^nt of Troy is filled 
today by Joseph AV. Clokey. 

The Covington Presbyterian Church 
came into existence in 1842. It was built 
in conjunction with the Cumberland Pres- 
byterians. This church has a brief local 
history, though it is noted for its excellent 
disciiiliue. The regular pastor in charge 
is Rev. H. N. Barbee. The village of 
Fletcher contains a Presbyterian church 
whose pastor is Rev. M. M. May. This 
congregation was organized in 1837. The 
dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. 
Cleland from Romans VIII, and I. At the 
time of the institution of the Fletcher 
Church but twenty members of that faith 
were to be found in the village, but the 
little roll increased under the ministra- 
tions of succeeding elders until now the 
Fletcher Presbyterians are quite numer- 
ous. Many of the Scotch-Irish settlers of 
the county were members of the Presby- 
terian Church and brought their faith with 
them not only over the mountain barrier 
but from across the sea. These people 
were noted for their earnestness, a trait 
which characterizes their descendants to 
this day. While the growth of Presby- 
terianism in the county has not been as 
rapid as that of other faiths, it has been 
none the less steady, marked by an earn- 
estness which has brought the church to 
its present high standing. 

THE LUTHERANS. 

Lutheranism in Miami County has a 
brief history. It has never flourished here 
like the other faiths. There are very few 
Lutheran churches in the coimty at the 
present day. The Lutheran Church of 
Troy, C. U. Larrick pastor, was built with- 
in the last few decades. The congregation 



AN-D REPRESENTATTA'E CrPIZENS 



249 



today is uot large. Tlie Lutheran Church 
of Tippecanoe City is much older. As 
early as 1826 a Lutheran congregation ex- 
isted in Monroe Township and in 1839 a 
church of this faith was built in Tippe- 
canoe. The dedicatory sermon was 
jireached by the noted Ezra Keller, presi- 
dent of "Wittenberg College and a powerful 
minister of his day. One of the most 
prominent pastors of the Tippecanoe 
Lutheran Church was Rev. Link, who died 
in 1862. Eevs. Weills, Welsh, Lilly and 
Bauslin succeeded Mr. Link. Within the 
past few years the Lutherans of Tippe- 
canoe have worshipped in a handsome 
church over which Rev. B. W. Zeigler pre- 
sides as pastor. 

The Lutherans of Covington worship in 
St. John's Lutheran Church, over which 
Rev. W. H. Brown presides as pastor. 
This congregation is very earnest in the 
faith of the Fathers and hold regular serv- 
ices in their church building. 

Of the Lutheran Church of Pleasant Hill 
I have been unable to obtain any history. 
It is a body of recent growth, but bids 
fair to take its place among the religious 
denominations of the western part of the 
coimty. Its pastor is Rev. R. 0. Matthews. 
The Lutheran Church at Brandt dates 
from 1862, when twenty people of that 
faith organized themselves into a congre- 
gation. In a few years this number had 
increased to 150 and the congregation at 
Brandt is today in a flourishing condition. 

The Lutherans of Casstown established 
themselves there about 1838. For some 
time they possessed no regular house of 
worship, but later on a stone church was 
built on South Main Street. This edifice 
was abandoned for church purposes when 
the new brick temple was dedicated in 1867. 



Many of the divines who filled the Cass- 
town Lutheran puljjit preached also at 
Tippecanoe, so that a list of them would 
necessarily stand for both congregations 
with a few notable exceptions. At present 
the Casstown Lutherans have no regular 
pastor but are supplied from Si)ringfield. 

THE FKIENDS OR QUAKERS. 

Among the first white people to enter 
the county for settlement were the fol- 
lowers of George Fox, the celebrated 
Quaker, of England. Fox in early youth 
was apprenticed to a shoemaker and while 
in this situation he devoted himself with 
great diligence to the perusal of the 
Scriptures. Later on Fox went from place 
to place preaching and boldly entered into 
disputes with divines and ministers, trust- 
ing solely to and being guided only by what 
he considered to be that divine voice which 
interiorly speaks to the heart and draws 
men as it pleases. Fox was much perse- 
cuted for his belief, but his followers in- 
creased and today they number many 
thousands in the United States. These 
people are known as Friends. They have 
never formed a creed after the manner of 
other religious bodies. They accept the 
divinity of Jesus Christ and of His atone- 
ment for the sins of men. They believe 
that Christ is the true light which enlight- 
ens all mankind, that the source of inspira- 
tion is the Holy Spirit who interiorly 
teaches us; and the Scripture is a rule 
given by and subordinate to that Spirit. 
The Friends believe that outward baptism 
is not an ordinance of Christ, that the 
baptism enjoyed by Christ is a baptism of 
the spirit and not of water. They are op- 
posed to war and deny the propriety of all 
oaths, in accordance with Christ's com- 



250 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



mand "Swear uot at all." Thej' do not 
prescribe a form of speech or a dress as 
a condition of membership, but they do re- 
quire of their members the practice of sim- 
plicity and truthfulness, becoming the 
Christian and to avoid flattery, exaggera- 
tion, untruthfulness, vain coraj^laints and 
sujiertiuous or gay attire. Such, in brief, 
are the tenets of the religious belief of the 
Friends. 

I am indebted to Enos Pemberton of 
West Milton for my data concerning the 
churches of the Friends' at present in the 
county. The first monthly meeting of this 
sect was held two miles south of West Mil- 
ton, January 17, 1807. This spot was the 
central of the Friends Church for a num- 
ber of years, but it has been transferred 
to West Milton, which is now the central 
under the pastorate of Arthur Woolam. 
Mr. Pemberton served this church for 
twelve years. Union meeting has been 
transferred to Ludlow Falls and is now 
imder the charge of Rev. Moore, of Earl- 
ham College, of Richmond, Ind. 

liick Branch, which is one of the old 
meetings of the Friends Church, is two 
miles southeast of Laura and Joseph Wil- 
liamson is the pastor in charge. Center 
Meeting, two miles west of West Milton, 
was established in 1863 and has Jonathan 
M. Jay for pastor. At first the colony of 
Friends in the county was held at the cabin 
of Caleb Mendenliall, who emigrated from 
North Carolina about 1802. In December, 
1806, the Friends of this county made ap- 
plication to the quarterly meeting at Red 
Stone, Penn., for a monthly meeting, which 
application was granted and later on a 
quarterly meeting for the famous West 
Branch church was granted. This event 
took jDlace in June, 1812. It will thus be 



seen that the Friends established the first 
religious societies in the county and are 
entitled to this credit. They now form an 
important division of the county and for 
more than a century have kej^t their or- 
ganization intact. Unassuming and earn- 
est, they are among oi;r best citizens, noted 
for their honesty, frugality and truthful- 
ness. They adhere closely to their relig- 
ious beliefs, keeping aloof from all litiga- 
tion and that which is unseemly, setting 
by their industry and pure lives a living 
example for all. 

THE EPISCOPALIANS. 

This sect, though not as numerous as 
others, is confined to the larger towns of 
the county. St. James Parish of the Prot- 
estant Episcopal Church was founded at 
Piqua about 1820. Its first rector was Rev. 
E. Johnson, of Cincinnati, who was as- 
sisted by Rev. Mr. Allen, of Dayton. The 
well known Col. Johnston was a lay reader 
at St. James and frequently took the place 
of the rector. In 1825 the parish erected 
a brick church on the corner of North and 
Spring Streets, which became the genesis 
of the handsome structure which houses 
the communicants of the jiarish at the 
present time. St. James Church has a long 
list of noted rectors, among whom I find 
the names of Revs. Richard Killin, Chaun- 
cey Fitch, D. D., Henry Payne, Wyllys 
Hall, and Henry L. Badger. The Green- 
ham, McCorkle, Mitchell, Morrow, Scott, 
Chapeze, Adams and O'Ferrall families, 
all well known, worshiped at St. James, 
the rector of which at the present time is 
Rev. AVilliam H. xAllison. 

The Episcopalians, of Troy, formed a 
church organization in 1831. Rev. Ethan 
Allen was the first rector. At this time 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



251 



but thirty-six persons constituted tlie 
whole membership. For almost thirty 
years Eev. Allen remained in charge and 
was succeeded by Rev. A. Guyon, who pre- 
sided three years. In 1833 Dr. Asa Cole- 
man donated a cottage on Franklin Street 
and that year a neat church was built. 
When Bishop Mcllvain dedicated this edi- 
fice the name was changed to Trinity 
Church, a name which has ever since been 
retained. Trinity Church is today in a 
very prosperous condition and has Eev. 
E. S. Doan for its resident rector. 

THE GEEMAN BAPTISTS. 

This denomination, commonly called 
Duukards, are established generally on the 
west side of the county. They embrace a 
large membership of useful citizens. 
Though commonly known under the name 
of Dunkards, these people have assumed for 
themselves the appellation of Brethren, on 
accoimt of what Christ said to His disci- 
ples: "One is your master, even Christ, 
and all ye are Brethren." The Brethren 
first appeared in the United States in 
1719 when twenty families lauded at Phila- 
delphia. Like the Friends, they use great 
plainness of dress and, like them also, they 
neither take an oath nor bear arms. They 
commonly wear their beards and keep the 
first day. They celebrate the Lord's Sup- 
per with its ancient attendants of love- 
feasts, washing feet, kiss of charity and 
right hand of fellowship. Their church 
government is the same as that of the 
English Baptists. The Brethren are a 
ciuiet, peaceable, industrious aud pious 
people. They are remarkably simple in 
their habits and spiritual in their worship. 
There are several branches of the Breth- 
ren Church in the county. 



Among the German Baptist churches are 
the one at West ]\Iilton, I. K. Brumbaugh, 
jiastor; one at Potsdam, no regular pas- 
tor; one at Covington, with Elder D. D. 
AVine in charge; two at Pleasant Hill, 
which are under the pastorate of Eev. Ash- 
ley and Rev. Isaac Franz, and one at Cass- 
towu with no minister. This, I believe, 
constitutes the list of churches of this de- 
nomination within the limits of the county. 

THE CHRISTIANS. 

This denomination, like some of the 
others, cannot boast of a very large mem- 
bership among us. The Christian Church 
of Troy was organized in 1856. The first 
meetings were held in the Court House, 
and Elders McKinney, McWhinney, Si- 
monton and Watson aud Maple were 
among the early pastors in charge. 
Through the untiring efforts of Elder Mc- 
Kinney the first church was built, and this 
edifice lately gave way for one of the hand- 
somest houses of worship iu the county. 
It is a church building replete with all the 
modern improvements in church architec- 
ture. Elder Weeks is the pastor in charge. 

The present Christian Church at Pleas- 
ant Hill is the successor of the second 
church erected in Newton Township. It 
stands on Central Church Street and is 
presided over by Eev. S. S. Main. The 
Christian or New Light Church near Cov- 
ington was organized in 1820. For a long 
time the members of this denomination in 
Newberry Township worshiped in barns 
and private dwellings and sometimes in 
the schoolhouses. It was known as the 
Trotter's Creek Church. The Christian 
Church of Covington was organized in 
1837 by Caleb Worley, who associated with 
him onlv seven members. This member- 



2=;2 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



shii? iuereased with the x>assing years and 
in 1870 the present church edifice was 
built. It has Eev. John MacCalman for its 
pastor. 

The first Christian Church of Piqua, of 
whicli AV. D. Samuels is pastor, was or- 
ganized some years ago, but I have been 
unable to obtain the proper data. This 
church has a flourishing membership, an 
excellent Sunday school and Senior and 
Jimior Eudeavor societies. 

The West Milton Christian Church was 
established largely through the efforts of 
Elder William Jay, well known through- 
out the county. The Christians of Union 
Township have several good houses of 
worship, the one in West Milton being un- 
der the charge of Eev. 0. P. Furnas and 
that of Laura presided over by Eev. Bak- 
er. The Christian church at Nasliville is 
known as the West Union Church with 
Eev. Cain at its head, and Eev. Maxwell, 
of West Milton, serves the Christian 
congregation at Frederick. On the whole 
the members of the Christian Church in 
the county can be proud of the jsrogress 
they have made. Hampered in many ways, 
they have pushed zealously forward and 
today stand in the front rank of religious 
bodies among us. 

THE KOMAN CATHOLICS. 

The first Catholic Church to be estab- 
lished in the county was that of St. Mary's, 
which is in Piqua. It came into existence 
in 1840, on the southwest corner of Broad- 
way and North Streets. It is the pioneer 
of Catholicism in Miami. Ever since its 
founding it has been zealous for the 
Church and is regarded as one of the fore- 
most institiitions of the kind. St. Mary's 
supports an excellent school, supervised 



and taiight by the Sisters, who are known 
as efScient teachers. Its present pastor is 
Father Crowley, who is zealous in looking 
after the care of his flock. 

St. Boniface, the Gennan Catholic 
Church of Piqua, has for- its pastor Eev. 
Father George P. Steinlage, with Eev. 
Father Goswin Menge as assistant priest. 
In 181:3 the Catholics of all nationalities in 
Piqua worshiped together, but in 1855, ow- 
ing to the increase of German residents 
in the parish, John B. Purcell, the most 
Eev. Archbishop of Cincinnati, sanctioned 
the building of a separate church, and St. 
Boniface was blessed in the fall of that 
year. Eev. J. B. Hemstiger was the first 
pastor, and he was succeeded by Eev. H. 
Eatte in 1859. In 1861 Eev. Meyer took 
charge and was followed in 1863 by Eev. 
Bochman. In 1865 Eev. Mietiuger held a 
brief pastorate at St. Boniface. On Oc- 
tober 25, 1865, Eev. Henry Lueos, bishop 
of Fort Wayne, blessed the new Boniface. 
In this year Eev. George Glass became 
pastor, to be succeeded by Eev. Julius 
Voet, who remained in that capacity till 
1873. Eev. Schwab became the next pas- 
tor and he was followed by Carl Schmidt. 
Eev. Schmidt, in 1877, called the Sisters 
of Charity to take charge of the girls' 
school, which necessitated the erection of 
a new parsonage, the old one to be occu- 
pied by the Sisters. In February, 1881, 
Eev. George P. Steinlage took charge of 
St. Boniface. One of Father Steinlage 's 
first official acts was the calling of the Sis- 
ters of Charity to supervise the girls' 
schools. The school quarters becoming in- 
adequate, a new school building was erect- 
ed in 1889 and in 1900 the church building 
itself was enlarged and beautified. St. 
Boniface is regarded as one of the finest 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



253 



churclies iu the diocese. It is a fiue mod- 
ern buildiug with a seating capacity of 
700, and as a house of worship is complete 
in every particular. It was rededieated 
November 24, 1901, by Right Rev. Thomas 
S. Byrne, Bishop of Nashville, Tenn., as- 
sisted by many other i^riests. 

St. Patrick's Catholic Church of Troy 
was founded half a century ago. At first 
the few Catholic families in that locality 
worshiped at the home of John Danaher 
and there the first Holy Sacrifice of the 
Mass was offered in 1857, the Catholic 
families then numbering but twenty-one. 
The increasing membership and the needs 
of the church called for the erection of a 
permanent house of worship and this was 
accomplished in 1858, when a church was 
built on the southeast corner of Crawford 
and Water Streets. It was dedicated by 
Rt. Rev. Bishop Rosecrans, brother of the 
noted general, under the pati'onage of St. 
Patrick. In 1883 the church was enlarged 
to its present proportions by Rev. J. jNI. 
Freedman and rededieated by The Most 
Eev. Archbishop William Henry Elder. 
Later on a good parochial school came into 
existence through the efforts of Rev. F. H. 
Bene, pastor of St. Patrick's and this 
school was erected and equipped without 
the encumbrance of a debt. In 1908 St. 
Patrick's appropriately celebrated its 
Golden Jubilee under the guidance of its 
present efficient and pojmlar pastor, Rev. 
Anthony J. Mentink. This church has 
reason to rejoice at the eminent position it 
has reached during the fifty years of its 
life. Since 1877 St. Patrick's has had a 
resident pastor. Until that year it was a 
mission attended from St. Mary's at Piqua 
and from other places. 

St. J. B. Catholic Church of Tipjiecanoe 



City existed first as a mission church. The 
church building was erected in 1858 at a 
cost of $2,500 and dedicated by Bishop 
Rosecrans. Rev. Father Hemsteger was 
the first pastor. He remained in charge 
three years. The present efficient jjastor 
is Rev. Father Van De Bush, who has 
brought the church in Tippecanoe up to its 
present prominence and popularity. While 
the congregation is not lai-ge it is noted 
for its good works and the pastor is uni- 
versally beloved. 

MINOR CHURCHES. 

There are a number of what may be 
called minor churches in the county, which 
I shall notice here. 

The Universalists have two houses of 
worship within the limits of the coimty. 
These are at Conover and xVh.'ony respect- 
ively. The Conover church was organized 
in 1868 with a set of deacons and trustees. 
The present brick edifice was erected in 
1871 at a cost of $3,700. The Conover 
congregation has been favored with a 
number of excellent pastors, the present 
one lieing Mrs. Sara Stoner, who also sup- 
plies the Universalist congregation at Al- 
cony. 

There is a Church of God near the ham- 
let of Nashville in Union Township, which 
is supplied l)y D. C. Robinson, State Evan- 
gelist. This sect sprang from the German 
Reformed Church and the members are 
popularly known as "Winebrennerians." 

The ]\Iennonites have two churches, at 
Potsdam and West Charleston. The latter 
congregation uses the old Campbellites 
church, which was built about 1830. The 
Potsdam Mennonite Church is presided 
over by H. F. Beck. These people derive 
their religious name from ]\Ienno Simon, 



254 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



who flourished about 1640. Their church 
is sometimes kuowu as the Church of 
Christ. They are a thrifty, industrious 
people, mainly agriculturist, and well-to- 
do financially. 

There are but two United Brethren 
churches in the county. The one at Ging- 
hamsburg is looked after by Eev. Busey, 
while G. T. Powell has charge of the Pots- 
dam church. There is a Bethel Reformed 
Church at Phoneton, conducted by Rev. S. 
S. Snyder, a Reformed church at Alcony, 
supplied, and a few coimtry churches, the 
history and present status of which are un- 
important from a historical standpoint. 

The colored people of the county have 
several houses of worship, notably in Troy 
and Piqua. These are of the Methodist 
and Baptist persuasions respectively, and 
have regular pastors. The colored people 
of Miami County are, as a rule, deeply re- 
ligious and regularly attend worship. 
Revs. Fletcher are Gibson have charge of 
the colored churches of Troy. 

The German Lutherans have several 
flourishing congregations in the county. In 
addition to the foregoing there are two 
congregations of the Church of Christ in 
Piqua, also a Zion Reformed, a Church of 
Christ, Scientist, and an Evangelical Prot- 
estant (St. Pauls Church) and a United 
Brethren. The latter is perhaps the most 
important of the minor churches there. Its 
pastor is Rev. J. W. Kilbourn. 

Nearly all the churches in the county 
support excellent Sunday schools. These 
are conducted on a high religious plane 
and the instruction is of the best. The 



teachers are selected from the ranks and 
all are diligent in Sunday school work. In 
many of the churches are to be found Ep- 
worth Leagues, Christian Endeavor socie- 
ties and kindred organizations, which keep 
alive the church spirit, especially among 
the young. These bodies are carefully 
looked after by the different pastors and 
are among the foremost auxiliaries con- 
nected with church work. Too much can- 
not be said of these societies for they are 
doing a work which is highly commended, 
not only in building up the community but 
in doing good in all directions. 

There are numerous Jews in Miami 
County and they are among our best citi- 
zens. The Anshe Bmeth Congregation of 
Piqua is the leading place of worship for 
the Jews of Miami. It is a model syna- 
gogue and has for its members some of the 
foremost families that reside among us. 
The members of this sect within the con- 
fines of the county are engaged in lucra- 
tive business and command the respect of 
all. 

In giving the history of the various 
churches of the county I have tried to be 
as accurate and impartial as possible. It 
is likely that the list is not wholly com- 
plete, but it is as complete as inquiry and 
research can make it. There may be sev- 
eral crossroads churches that have been 
overlooked, but this chapter, as it stands, 
contains an approximately correct history 
of the present state of religion within the 
county as shown by the various denomina- 
tions that worship within its limits. 



CHAPTER XX. 



COUNTY POLITICS, OLD AND NEW 



Smallness of the Voting Population in Early Days — First Elective Officers — Political 
Parties — Methods of Electioneering — Local Issues — Some Political Editorials — 
The Adams-Jackson Campaign — Coming of General Harrison in 1837 and 1840 — 
The Campaigns of 1856 and 1860 — The Campaign of 1864 — Later Presidential 
Campaigns — Congressional Battles — Humorous Incidents — Present Day Politics. 



The politics of the county date back 
almost to its establishment. For some 
years the voting population was verj^ 
small. Elections were not held in all the 
townships as they are constituted today. 
About the tirst elective officers of the 
county were justices of the peace, or 
"squires," as they were commonly termed. 
These officers were selected from among 
the most intelligent citizens; they often 
settled neighborhood disputes out of court 
and were generally known as the peace- 
makers of their respective localities. They 
held "Court" in the largest room of their 
houses, and the yard was taken up with 
the vehicles of those who came to hear the 
trials. There was very little "log rolling" 
at the first elections ; the early settlers met 
irrespective of party and put the best men 
in the field, then went to the various polls, 
swapped horses, voted and went home. 

"When it came to state and national elec- 
tions it was somewhat different. Excite- 
ment then, as a rule, rose to a high pitch. 
Miami County could generally be depended 



upon to give a Whig majoi'ity and she 
rarely failed to meet the expectations of 
the adherents of this party. With the ap- 
pearance of the newspaper in the county 
the candidate began to announce himself 
and in his manifesto he generally gave his 
views on the questions of the day. In a 
copy of the Piqua Gazette of September 
26, 1829, Isaac Hendershott announces that 
he is a candidate for the State Senate in 
the senatorial district composed of Mont- 
gomery and Miami counties. It was at the 
time when an extension of the Miami 
Canal from Dayton to Maumee Bay was 
being agitated. This scheme had many 
opponents, but Mr. Hendershott comes out 
flat-footed in favor of the measure. He 
grows qiiite eloquent in his appeals for 
the nomination, for in conclusion he says : 
"I presume it is a fact very generally 
known to all who have had any tolerable 
acquaintance with the intermediate coim- 
try between Dayton and the Lake that 
there is to be found no fairer or more pro- 
gressive region in the whole empire of the 



355 



256 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



west, that the climate, though somewhat 
varied in its character, is nevertheless to 
be regarded as extremely healthful. These, 
with many other inducements, cannot fail 
to have their due influence on the minds of 
industrious and enterprising adventurers. 
Already is there a strong and mighty cur- 
rent of emigration teeming to these de- 
lightful but imcultivated lands, buoyant, 
no doubt, in the hopes that the day is not 
far distant when commerce will fling her 
canvas to the winds and afford such faci- 
lities to the transportation of their pro- 
duce as will generously reward their labor 
and toils." 

In this year the following citizens of 
the county were candidates for office : For 
representative, William Barbee and Henry 
Barrington; sheriff, T. W. Furnas and T. 
W. Mansfield; treasurer, William Brown 
and Azel Skinner; commissioners, Robert 
Morrison, John Casson, Michael Williams, 
Col. George ]\Iitchell; assessor, Moses G. 
]\Iitchell, Zachariah _ Riley, Benjamin 
Brandon and Riciiard Armstrong; coro- 
ner, David W. Wallace, and Joseph Har- 
lan. This shows that even at that remote 
date there was a lively scramble for office 
in this county, and succeeding years have 
demonstrated that the old time "Scram- 
ble" has been "catching." 

At the October election of 1828 Miami 
County cast 1,318 votes. Of these Trim- 
ble, who was a candidate for governor, re- 
ceived 753. The editor of the Troy Re- 
porter in that year voices his disappoint- 
ment and ]irates loudly about "political 
chicanery." He says in his tirade: 

"Tlip oontinual nogligeiu-o of tlu' Republican party has 
subjected us tn a partial defeat, and the great election 
(the Presidential one) is jtist at hand. Tlie dearest in- 
terests of our beloved country are at stake and our mis- 
taken neighbors are followins a set of more deluded 



and more guilty leaders, in the road to ruin. Surely 
they will stop before they reach the end of their race. 
But alas! alas! many of our hearty Republicans are 
following Andrew J-ick&on and think him the greatest 
patriot in the country. Their etiorts are zealous and 
persevering beyond a parallel. One from New York 
in the form of a preacher of the Gospel, and another 
from Cincinnati in the more undisguised form of a po- 
litical party, have traversed this district with an un- 
tiring assiikiity worthy of the best cause. If they suc- 
ceed tlirough our apathy we shall deserve to share with 
them the evils that threaten us." 

In another paragraph the editor of the 
Reporter exclaims: 

"Shall we place such a man as Andrew Jackson in 
the Presidential chair? I appeal to you, my fellow 
citizens, a poor man far from the loaves and fishes of 
oliice. General Jackson is a slave holder of Tennessee, 
and is thoroughly imbued with all the corrupt and 
tyrannical habits of a Southern nabob and, as such, is 
selected by these petty tyrants of the South to sus- 
tain their interests. Mr. Adams and his adherents will 
as certainly support our country and our country's 
friends. You may, by possibility, obtain a victory, but 
it will be a victory over yourselves as well as your op- 
jionents; you will have to bear a full share of the evil 
you bring upon your country. Hurl, then, if you will, 
a firebrand into the magazine of our political fortress. 
You are in equal danger of perishing Ijy the explosion. 
And whatever may be the result I promise to bear my 
portion of the calamity with due meekness and submis- 
sion." 

What effect the foregoing appeal had 
upon its readers I do not know. Probably 
Editor Fairfield had reason to think that 
his words would not fall upon stony 
ground and flattered himself that he had 
caused "Old Hickory" at least a few sleep- 
less nights. 

The Presidential campaign of 1828 was 
the first of the many exciting ones waged 
in the county. Partisanship became very 
bitter. One faction held up Jackson as 
the embodiment of goodness, while the 
other cried him down as a monster of evil, 
a slave holder, an aristocrat and dema- 
gogue. His victory at New Orleans went 
as nothing with the siipporters of Adams. 
On the other hand, the Jacksonians threw 
all manner of mud at Adams, whom they 
berated as a "lord of Mas.sachusetts," the 
son of his father (which certainly was no 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



259 



disgrace), and tlioy boldly proclaimed that 
if Adams were placed in the "White House 
the whole country would proceed at once to 
the bow wows with a rapidity that could 
not be cheeked short of the abyss of ruin. 
There were Jackson and Adams meetings 
everywhere, every sehoolhouse resounded 
with praise and defamation, and before 
this memorable campaign closed there 
were not a few bloody noses and blackened 
optics. 

The vox populi was not for a moment 
still. It was pretty hard to convince the 
people of the county that Jackson was not 
a hero, despite the speeches of the Adams 
faction. The glamor of New Orleans had 
not faded. Everybody turned out to the 
political meetings and the whole country 
was turned topsy turvy by the excitement 
of the huskings. "When the election was 
over and Adams was found to be defeated 
the Jacksonians of the county poked all 
manner of fun at their opponents, and Edi- 
tor Fairfield of the Reporter put on sack- 
cloth and ashes and incidentally primed his 
editorial musket for the next campaign. 
There was a great turning out of officials 
when "Old Hickory" assumed the reins of 
government, for his motto was "To the 
victor belong the spoils," and the Adams 
men retired from the public crib, an event, 
however, which did not have much bearing 
upon our own county. 

General "William Henry Harrison was 
a great favorite among the "Whigs of the 
county. His name was sufficient to rouse 
the most intense enthusiasm. In fact he 
was the idol of the party which in after 
years was to lose itself in the new Eepub- 
lican party. General Harrison visited 
this county twice. He first came to Troy 
Julv -ith, 1837. The "Whig countv ticket 



of the previous year was as follows: Au- 
ditor, Jacob Knoop; commissioner, Sam- 
uel Pierce; coroner, N. "W. Tullis; asses- 
sor, John Webb. General Harrison came 
up from Dayton to take part in the Fourth 
of July celebration which had been planned 
at Troy. A great crowd turned out to 
greet him, the people flocking into town 
from every jjart of the county and the en- 
thusiasm was unbounded. On this occa- 
sion Hon. E. S. Hart delivered an appro- 
priate oration and I). H. Morris read the 
Declaration of Independence. A number 
of Revolutionary soldiers were yet living 
in the county and their presence at the 
celebration added greatly to the pleasures 
of the day. There was a banquet in the 
General's honor and many patriotic toasts 
were responded to by prominent citizens. 
In the fall of 1840 General Harrison 
again passed through the county and was 
accorded another enthusiastic welcome. 
As before, he journeyed northward from 
Dayton. The carriage in which he trav- 
eled was furnished by a Mr. Hunter of 
Piqua. "When it was known that this dis- 
tinguished citizen was to pass through the 
county a committee of "Whigs was sent to 
Dayton to invite him to stop at Troy and 
accept the hospitalities of its citizens. The 
letter of invitation prepared on this occa- 
sion follows: 

To General William Henry Harrison: 

Sir: The Whigs of Miami County, learning you are 
to journey through their county town, have deputed the 
undersigned comniittcc to anticipate your arrival and 
press your acceptanee of the hospitalities of its citizens. 

The Committee on this occasion are proud to say in 
behalf of their Whig brethren of Miami County that 
they are no worshipers of men, they bow not the neck 
nor bend the knee to human individuality, but freely 
surrender their hearts to great, good ami glorious ac- 
tions, therefore we pray you to regard this as a tribute 
of deferential resjiect for your character as a faithful 
public servant, a distinguished military leader, a frank 
politician and an honest man. 

But this homage contemplates a still higher object, 



260 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



as connected with the integrity of our political insti- 
tutious. Through you, sir, as a type of all their bright 
hopes for this country, the Whigs of Jliami County con- 
fitleutly expect to realize one of the greatest moral revo- 
lutions enibraeecl in the history of man, a revolutiou that 
is to restore to our abusetl jieople their legitimate sov- 
ereignty, their rights anil prosperity, whieh are now 
despoiled and trodden uuder foot by a dishonest, im- 
perious and reckless faction. 

Levi Hart, 
Asa Colemax, 
William Barbee, 
Th. M. Bosson, 

Committee. 

The county did not see another great 
campaign till that of 1860, which, as all 
know, resulted in the election of Lincoln 
and the inauguration of the Civil War. 
The Fremont campaign of 1856 was a spir- 
ited affair, hut it was as nothing compared 
to the one which followed it. The threats 
of the South that Lincoln's election would 
bring about disunion were either laughed 
at by the Republicans of this county or 
treated with contempt. The political club 
came into vogue with the campaign of 
1860— the Wide Awakes, the Eail Split- 
ters, and kindred organizations. These 
were formed by men of all ages, but large- 
ly by the young men, many of whom were 
soon to lay down their lives in battle. 
There were liarbecues, torchlight proces- 
sions, turpentine balls, and what not. 
There was an ox-roast at Troy, but the 
weather turned cold and the undone car- 
cass was distributed among a great crowd 
of enthusiastic Republicans. Miami County 
at this time had drifted away from what- 
ever Democratic moorings she had had 
and was for Lincoln. The old Whig fam- 
ilies had become Republican and the near- 
ness of war had caused many Democrats 
to desert Douglas ; men who afterward 
became famous in both civil and military 
life stumped the county and excitement 
ran high. Uniformed clubs marched day 
and night. It was the day of the brass 



band and the night of the turpentine ball 
and the skyrocket. When a farmer went 
to a Lincoln meeting at Troy or Piqua he 
took the whole family along and did not 
refuse to array himself in all the Repub- 
lican paraphernalia in sight. It was also 
the day-birth of the political song and 
singing clubs rendered the air melodious. 
Following is a stanza of one of the cam- 
paign songs that were heard throughout 
the length and breadth of the country in 
this never-to-be-forgotten campaign: 

"Then hurrah for Honest Abe, the old Kentucky babe, 
We're going to make him president this fall, 
He'll swing the country back on its old accustomed 
track 
Just as easy as he used to swing his maul." 

The Lincoln campaign was at white heat 
throughout the country from its inception. 
The split in the Democratic party gave the 
members of that organization in Miami 
but little hope of electing Douglas, and 
not a few of them voted for Breckinridge 
and Lane and some iDronouuced Union 
men for Bell and Everett. The election of 
Lincoln was celebrated by bonfires and 
other manifestations of joy and this mem- 
orable campaig-n was over. 

The most exciting political battle ever 
waged in the county took place in 1864. 
This is known as the Brough-Vallandi- 
gham Campaign and for bitterness it ex- 
ceeded anything ever witnessed among our 
jjeople. It was the prelude to the Lineoln- 
McClellan election, as at that time Ohio 
was an October state and the eyes of the 
Nation were centered upon her. At this 
period the war was at its height. Sher- 
man was investing Atlanta and Grant was 
thundering at the gates of Petersburg. 
Vallandigham had made himself odious by 
his vituperative speeches against the war 
I^olicy of the Government. He had been 



AND REPRESENTATRT. CITIZENS 



261 



arrested aud seut tlirongh the rebel Hues 
and found refuge in Canada. The Demo- 
crats had selected him for their Guberna- 
torial candidate, ■while the Kepublicaus 
had nominated John B rough, a war Dem- 
ocrat, who was in favor of a vigorous 
prosecution of the war. 

The campaign as carried on in the battle 
summer of 1864 was the most spectacular 
one ever seen in the county. It was the 
day of the butternut breastpin and the 
display of one of these emblems was pretty 
sure to ]Drovoke a fight. The two great 
parties within the county faced one an- 
other like confronting armies on the field 
of battle. Meetings were held day and 
night. The highways were almost always 
thronged with political processions, gaily 
decorated wagons drawn by four, six and 
eight horses and loaded to the guards with 
men and women ; girls dressed to represent 
Columbia and the various states of the 
Union rode in these wagons and filled the 
air with political songs. Among these 
songs was one the chorus of which ran as 
follows : 

"Long live, long live, long live Broiigh 
Long live, long live, long live Brough, 
Long live Brough, long live Brougli, 
Long live Johnny Brough ! " 

Hundreds of young girls, grandmothers 
now, rent the air with this famous song 
aud were cheered to the echo. Personal 
encounters were numerous everywhere, 
and in some instances the participants 
were seriously injured. One man was 
killed just across the borders of the county. 
A great many soldiers who were home on 
furlough at the time added to the intensity 
of the campaign and some rabid Vallan- 
digham men were forced by them to take 
the oath of allegiance to the general gov- 
ernment. At one time a mob was narrow- 



ly averted in Troy. On the 13th of Au- 
gust, Brough addressed a great crowd on 
the old Troy fair grounds. He was accom- 
panied by the renowned aud eloquent Sam- 
uel Galloway and this meeting was the 
crowning feature of the campaign. 

In order to give the reader an idea of 
the state of the times in the county during 
the Brough- Vallandigham episode I tran- 
scribe a paragraph from an article by the 
late Captain Williams, since one of the 
main actors in the scene was Frank Mc- 
Kiuuey, of Piqua, who represented Miami 
County in Congress. 

"When McKinney and C. L. Vallandi- 
gham were advertised to address a Demo- 
cratic meeting at Sidney, Shelby County 
excitement was at fever heat. Thousands 
of her citizens gathered in Sidney to hear 
the speaking. By a singular coincidence 
a regiment of soldiers were in the town 
awaiting transportation to their homes in 
Michigan. They had encamped on the 
street leading from the depot to the hotel. 
Perhaps some of the Eepublican leaders 
who were desirous of preventing the meet- 
ing took advantage of the bitter feeling 
among the soldiers against Mr. YaHaudi- 
gham to create a disturbance. When the 
carriage containing Mr. Vallandigham and 
Mr. McKinney passed by the soldiers they 
commenced yelling and shooting their 
guns over the top of the carriage and 
frightened the horses, causing them to run 
down a bank and almost upset the vehicle. 
However, the carriage reached the hotel. 
Mr. Vallandigham entered the hotel and 
the doors were closed. Mr. McKinney re- 
mained on the sidewalk and soon a squad 
of soldiers in their uniforms, and carrying 
guns, came to the hotel door and recogniz- 
ing Mr. McKinney as the gentleman in 



262 



HISTORY OF MIA.M1 COUNTY 



the carriage with Vallandigham, demanded 
the surrender of Vallandigham and at- 
tempted to enter the hotel. Mr. McKinney 
placed himself between the soldiers and 
the hotel and refused to allow them to en- 
ter. A riot was imminent. 

"More than two thousand Democrats, 
each armed with a revolver, surrounded 
the hotel waiting for the soldiers to make 
an attack. Mr. McKinney 's cool, deter- 
mined manner and his firmness caused the 
soldiers to hesitate and prevented what 
would have been a scene of bloodshed and 
a terrible riot. A message was sent to 
the mayor of Sidney, S. B. "Walker, and 
he and the leading Republicans were in- 
formed by Mr. McKinney that if blood was 
shed and property destroyed they would 
be held responsible. The mayor was wise 
and cool-headed and persuaded the sol- 
diers to return to camp. This was done 
and the meeting was held." 

Frank McKinney, though a bitter par- 
tisan, was a loyal man, yet he did not yield 
one jot or tittle of his political convic- 
tions to the storm of partisanship that 
then prevailed. At the October election of 
this memorable year Miami Coimty gave 
a tremendous majority for Brough, who 
carried the state by a majority of 101,000. 
The Republicans elected within the county 
that year were: Jonathan H. Randall, 
representative; Moses G. Mitchell, treas- 
urer; Samuel Davis, probate judge; Cor- 
nelius T. Baer, sheriff; James T. Janvier, 
prosecuting attorney; A. G. Conover, sur- 
veyor; Jonathan C. Coate, commissioner; 
John D. DeWeese, infirmary director; J. 
C. Hortou, coroner. All these men have 
passed away. 

The Grant and Colfax (1868) and the 
Grant and "Wilson (1872) and the Hayes 



and Tilden (1876) campaigns witnessed 
the last days of torchlight politics in the 
county. The Hayes and Tilden campaign 
was attended with more or less excitement, 
owing to the long uncertainty that fol- 
lowed it, but the Lincoln and "\"allandi- 
gham episodes were the high water marks 
of political excitement among our people. 

There have been some noted Congres- 
sional battles in the county, notably those 
of 1886 and 1890, when Captain "Williams 
led the Republicans in the former year and 
"W. P. Orr in the latter. A good many ex- 
citing county conventions have been held. 
The old court room, now the I. 0. O. F. 
Hall in Troy, witnessed a number of these. 
It was seldom that Troy and Piqua could 
agree on a ticket in the early days. It 
seemed to be regarded as the religious 
duty of one town to blight the political am- 
bition of the other. For a long time Piqua 
came down to Troy with her candidates 
and went home shorn. In not a few in- 
stances the partisans adjourned to the 
outside of the Convention hall and indulged 
in more than vocal arguments. It was the 
day of the mass and the delegate conven- 
tions. The outside townships were labored 
with industriously and more than once the 
mere fraction of a vote secured a political 
triumph. 

A good many humorous incidents punc- 
tuated the past campaigns and conven- 
tions. Some years ago a certain candidate 
for state senator addressed a Republican 
meeting in one of the smaller towns of 
the county. In the midst of his eloquent 
argument he asserted that the Civil "War 
had cost the Government "the enormous 
sum of two hundred thousand dollars." 
"Aren't you a little low, Mr. G ?" in- 
terrupted one of the listeners. "Don't 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



263 



j'ou mean two billion?" The speaker 
turned to his interrupter and with a look 
of withering scorn exclaimed, "No, sir, I 
won't lower it one dollar! I said two hun- 
dred thousand and I stick to it." Another 
local stumper in defining a particularly 
obnoxious epithet, said that he quoted cor- 
rectly from Daniel Webster's dictionary 
and when reminded that the renowned 
Massachusetts senator was not the author 
of that noted book, he said that "Noah 
was Daniel's brother, anyhow, so it was 
written in the Webster family." 

The older political lights of the county 
have passed away. The Eoes, the two 
McKiuneys, the Johnstons, the Pearsons, 
the Albaughs, the Sloans, the Cables, the 
Ullerys, the Pickerings, the Clarks, the 
Millers, — all these have "wrapped the drap- 
ery of their couch about them and lain 
down to pleasant dreams." A newer gen- 
eration of politicians has arisen where the 
"elder Eomaus" fought the exciting bat- 
tles of partisanship. 

While Miami County is strongly Eepub- 
lican, members of the opposite party have 
frequently been elected to local ofBces. In 
some instances Eepublicans have been 
elected by meager majorities. S. N. Todd 
was elected treasurer by a majority of two 
votes, and S. B. Segner commissioner by 
the narrow margin of eight. Dr. G. Volney 
Dorsey and F. B. McNeal and William 
Cruikshanks, residents of the county, have 
filled state offices and Eobert Furnas, also 



a Miami County man, became Governor of 
Nebraska. 

The mutations of county politics old and 
new, have been varied and iuteresting. 
The introduction of the Australian ballot, 
an innovation of late years, has done away 
with the free-hand system of voting. Dur- 
ing the Civil War tickets were sometimes 
printed on colored paper, a plan intended 
to keep track of the slippery wielder of 
the franchise, but after the war this detec- 
tive system fell into disuse. It was too 
inquisitorial for the masses. There are 
but two great i^arties in the county today. 
Greeubackism had its flurry a few years 
ago, but died with that hobby. The Pro- 
hibitionists have ceased to put out a county 
ticket, though now and then the Labor 
Party nominate a few candidates. The 
great Greenback leader of the county a 
few years ago was the late George W. 
Hafer. 

A number of national leaders have ad- 
dressed political meetings within the 
county, among them William McKinley, 
Thomas B. Eeed, Eutherford B. Hayes and 
James S. Sherman. William Jennings 
Bryan has spoken in the county during his 
presidential canvass. All these men have 
been accorded large audiences and a re- 
spectful hearing. The citizens of Miami 
keep abreast of politics and, though they 
are frequently engaged in warm political 
battles, they never lose sight of one thing, 
— the good of their country. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



SOME COUNTY HISTORY NOT GENERALLY KNOWN 



The General Harrison Land — The Randolph Slaves — Last Indian in Elizabeth Toini- 
ship — Revolutionary Pensioners — The July Fourth Celebration of 1827 at Troy 
■ — Prominent Miami County Lady — John Morgan's Raiders — A Lincoln Letter. 



I shall devote the present chapter to cer- 
tain phases of our county's historj' that 
are not generally known. In the history 
of every community there are many facts 
and incidents that have escaped the eye of 
the general reader. Many of these have 
escaped notice so long that they have 
l^assed into the traditionary age, there- 
fore I cull a few for the reader's infor- 
mation. 

THE GENERAL HARRISON LAND. 

"William Henry Harrison, ninth Presi- 
dent of the United States, was at one time 
a Miami County laud owner, having title 
from the government to the east half and 
northwest quarter of Section 21 in north 
Staunton Townshij). He came into pos- 
session of this hind in 1816 and in 1818 
he sold the southeast quarter to Henry 
Orbison, who is well remembered in the 
county and who resided at the time of his 
death at the corner of Main and Oxford 
Streets in Troy. 

Mr. Orbison paid General Harrison $480 
for this quarter and John Gilmore paid 
$520 for the northeast quarter. David 



Orbison, son of Henry Orbison, came into 
possession of this land and discovered that 
Harrison's wife had never signed the deed, 
so he rode horseback to North Bend, Ham- 
ilton County, during the sunuiier of 1851 
and secured a quit claim deed from Anna 
Harrison, widow of the General. The deed 
bearing her signature is still in possession 
of the Orbison family. 

THE RANDOLPH SLAVES. 

The celebrated John Eandolph, of Vir- 
ginia, although a slave holder, was not a 
lieliever in slavery. "What slaves he held 
he inherited from his father, never pur- 
chasing or selling any himself. He was a 
bachelor and at his death in 1833 it was 
found that his will provided that his slaves 
should be set free and conducted to Ohio, 
where each should have a tract of land to 
be bought for them by the Randolph estate. 
The will was contested, but in 1846 the ex- 
ecutor was able to carry out its provisions. 
It was a long journey from Eoanoke, "\^a., 
to the Miami country, but the ex-slaves 
freed by the humanity of their master 
willingly undertook it. The band of blacks 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



265 



set out ou tlioir long jouruey, crossed the 
mouutaius and reached Ciuciuuati. Then 
four boats were chartered, the party trav- 
eliug ui)ward tlirough Dayton, Piqua, Sid- 
ney, or into Mercer County. They were 
not well received in Mercer County, in 
fact, were driven therefrom, after which 
they turned southward and left some of 
their number in this county. The larger 
nimiber located at and about Piqua, where 
some acquired homes and the conveniences 
of life. The number of the Randolph 
slaves that left Virginia was 380, and while 
perhaps none of these are yet living in the 
county, they have many descendants who 
are still here. The full list of negroes and 
mulattoes liberated by the Randolphs will 
is recorded in the clerk's office at Char- 
lotte County, Va., and the court records 
of our own county contain descriptions of 
the persons thus emancipated. 

Each adult child so liberated was desig- 
nated by a number, but few of them hav- 
ing more than one name. I transcribe for 
the curious reader the following descrip- 
tions of several of the Randolph slaves : 

"No. 215 — Frank, ilark complexion. 5 feet 11 inches 
high, 25 years olil. small scar on forehead, vhitish ap- 
pearance on the hands. 

"No. 218 — Sylvia, dark, 5 feet 5, 25 years old. 

"\o. 221 — Sally, mulatto, 5 feet 2, 28 years old, her 
two children, Craddock aged 7, Jim aged 4." 

For several years the Randolph negroes 
tried to get back their Mercer County 
lands, but all their efforts have proved 
futile, for the latest court decisions have 
been against them. The value of this land 
is now estimated at $250,000 and the de- 
scendants of these ex-slaves now number 
about 4,000 people, residing mostly in 
Ohio and Indiana. 



LAST INDI.\N IN ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP. 

The last Indian to inhabit Elizabeth 
Township and in fact one of the last red- 
men to occupy any part of the county was 
AVauger. He lived in that particular sec- 
tion till 1820, when he left for the far west, 
in the heart of which he died. For some 
years a young Indian, probably his son, 
lived with him, the young buck occupying 
his time in loafing and hunting. CajDtain 
"Williams in his sketch of Wauger says: 

"He l)uilt a rude hut close by a spring 
on a farm afterwards owned by Isaac 
Sheets. That spring, together with a 
brooklet from a spring on the farm of A. 
D. Sayers, that was settled by Christopher 
Knoop, formed a stream that ever since 
has been known as AVauger Creek, which 
flows through Sections 32 and 31 and emp- 
ties into Honey Creek on the old Daniel 
Babb farm, not far from the old mill tliat 
once stood on the Troy and Dayton Road 
east of the Miami River. The laud along 
Wauger Creek was low and marshy, and 
on the farm near the homestead of James 
M. Dye, now owned by Mark Knoop, there 
was a large beaver dam, the remains of 
which were found a few years ago in the 
construction of the Knoop ditch which con- 
verts the swampy land along "Wauger 's 
Creek into fertile fields for corn and wheat. 

"Wauger was a peaceful, quiet Indian, 
and the young buck who remained with 
him, I have no doubt was his sou. They 
gave no trouble to the settlers, and fol- 
lowed closely the business of trapping, 
hunting enough to supply their food, with 
some venison to trade to the settlers for 
meal and flour. He was noted for his love 
of money, for he never spent a cent on 
clothing, di'ink or provisions. 



266 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



"Wauger bad- no squaw with him in his 
hut, but be or the young Indian prepared 
their simijle, frugal meals. The fact that 
he had no wife with him excited some com- 
ment among the old i)ioneers, and the fur- 
ther fact of his remaining away from bis 
tribe was a. source of wonderment among 
the Kuoops, Dyes, Carvers and Jaeksons 
who lived near the old Indian's but. For 
most of those named remembered the In- 
dian village on Pleasant Run on the Sprowl 
farm, where there were a number of 
squaws and pappooses with the band. 

"Wauger gained the good will and con- 
fidence of his white neighbors. When he 
left for the far West he gave no reason 
for his departure, but quietly as he came, 
twenty years before, he left the neighbor- 
hood and the country, leaving no trail be- 
hind him, and no information as to his fu- 
ture home. He was probably the last In- 
dian that lived in Elizabeth Township, and 
while the people with one accord called the 
creek along which he trapped " Wauger 's 
Creek," he was forgotten or dimly remem- 
bered like a half-forgotten dream." 

KEVOLUTIONAKY PENSIONERS. 

Following is a list of citizens of Miami 
County who were granted pensions on ac- 
count of their service in the War of the 
Revolution, and the commands to which 
they belonged : 

John E. BoM, private. A'ow York Militia. 
William C. Bailey, corporal, Virginia Line. 
John Battenhouse, Virginia Line. 
John Byrne, private, Penn. State Troops. 
Benjamin Brandon, private. North Carolina Troops. 
Lewis Boyer, dragoon. Van Hur's Cavalry. 
Joseph Connor, private, Virginia Line. 
John Campbell, jirivate, Penn. State Troops. 
Thomas Rdnar.ls, private, Penn. State Troops. 
Ezekial Farmer, private, South Carolina Troops. 
Daniel Fielding, sergeant, ( untiuental Line. 
John Gerard, private, Virginia Line. 
Patrick Hegan, private, Penn. Militia. 
Isaac Julian, private, Penn. Militia. 



Alexander Jackson, private, Penn. Militia. 
Thomas Kelsey, private, New York Troops. 
David Lloyd, sergeant, Penn. Troops. 
Joseph Line, private, Penn. Troops. 
J. W. Meredith, private, Delaware Line. 
Levi Munsell. private, (.'onnecticut Line. 
Benjamin ^lorris, private, Virginia Troops. 
David Munson, private, Penn. ililitia. 
William Mitchell, private, Penn. Line. 
David H. ilorris, private, Penn. Line. 
Benjamin Pegg, private, Penn. Line. 
Harrison Parsons, private. New Jersey Troops. 
Henry Penney, private. South Carolina Troops. 
Kdward .Sevorno, private. New Jersey Troops. 
Alexander Telford, private, Virginia Line. 
Abram Thomas, private, Peun. Troops. 
Aaron Tuilis, private, Virginia Line. 
Isaac Taylor, private. New Jersey Troops. 
Samuel Wiley, private, Penn. Line. 

All but four of the above soldiers were 
over seventy-five years of age when their 
pensions were granted. This list is valua- 
ble inasmuch as it shows from what locali- 
ties some of the first settlers of the county 
came and enables present residents to 
trace their ancestry back to the days of the 
Revolution. 

On July Fourth, 1827, a great celebra- 
tion was held at Troy, at which a company 
of the veterans of Seventy-six was present 
and marched in the procession. After the 
parade a banquet was served at the tav- 
ern of Azel Skinner, at which all the vet- 
erans of the Revolution were honored 
guests. TJie Miami Reporter of July 17, 
1827, gives a full account of the celebra- 
tion and the toasts drunk at the banquet, 
among them were the following: 

"The day we celebrate; we hail its re- 
turn with joy, may it never be forgotten by 
freemen." 

"The heroes of '76: May their bright 
example stimulate their sons to preserve 
the inestimable jewel of liberty bequeathed 
to them by their fathers unblemished till 
time shall be no more." 

"Henry Clay: The great enlightened 
advocate of Domestick Manufactures, and 
Internal Improvement, he merits our 




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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



269 



wannest thanks for his exertions in their 
favor. ' ' 

"Our National Standard: The Eagles 
of Rome have long since been buried in 
the dust ; the Eagle of Napoleon lies tram- 
pled on and forgotten; but the Eagle of 
North America floats high in the air tri- 
umphant and respected by all the world 
at once the awe of despots and the scourge 
of tyrants, as freemen we will support it." 

' ' The State of Ohio : An infant in age 
but a giant in population and resources, 
may she ever continue to be a home for 
freemen." 

The names of Samuel Winans, and of 
John Day appear in the list of veterans of 
'76 whose names do not appear in the list 
of pensioners given above. 

PROMINENT MIAMI COUNTY LADY. 

It is not generally known that a Miami 
County woman has long been at the head 
of the Andersonville Prison Board, which 
keeps in order that famous burial ground 
for Union Soldiers who were starved to 
death in the South during the Civil AVar. 
This lady, Mrs. Sarah Darst Winans, who 
is a native of Lost Creek Township, has 
long been prominent in Relief Corps work, 
having served as National president of 
that organization, but her greatest work 
has been that of preserving the Anderson- 
ville Prison grounds. Largely through her 
efforts this famous plot of ground has 
been beautified and kept in order. She 
visits Andersonville at stated intervals in 
discharge of her duties and today that 
place, sacred to all loyal people, owes much 
of its beauty to her administrative abili- 
ties. Quite a number of Miami soldiers 
are buried there and the modest head- 
stones that mark their graves tell in silent 



language the story of their awful suffer- 
ings and their devotion to their country. 

JOHN morgan's raiders. 

Very few citizens of the county are 
aware that two of John Morgan's raiders 
were captured at Piqua during the mem- 
orable rebel raid through Ohio in 1863. 
Dr. F. E. Kitzmiller, of that city, has fur- 
nished me with the following interesting 
account of this little known incident of the 
Civil War. 

"In 1863 John Morgan's brigade be- 
came scattered in southern Ohio. In Piqua 
those days all was excitement of war and 
the latest news from the front was upon 
every one's lips. No person in Piqua ever 
expected to see a live rebel in this vicinity, 
and I will never forget old Piqua one 
morning about 9 :30 when ' something hap- 
pened. ' 

"Two men, both young, but tired and 
care-worn, came into Piqua upon the Ur- 
bana Pike to Main Street, then south to 
the Public Square and went west on High 
Street to College, then south to the Cov- 
ington Pike. These men were horseback, 
each riding a small bay horse. The horses 
were also very tired. 

"AVithin five minutes after they went 
west from the public square they were 
suspieioned as being Morgan men. 

"They rode through Piqua very slowly, 
allowing their horses to walk, no doubt to 
avoid suspicion. Within ten minutes after 
they left the public square, my father, E. 
A. Kitzmiller, AVilliam Brooks, the livery- 
man, and myself, started west in my fath- 
er's bugg}'. We drove fast and came up 
to the two men about two hundred yards 
east of the toll gate, which was at the cor- 
ner of Covington Avenue and AVashington 



270 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Pike. Just as we approached the two men 
the town marshal, Samuel Garvey, and 
Zach Shipley came up along side of us, 
horseback. 

"The two men made no effort to escape 
and were ordered to dismount, which they 
did. They were then searched. They car- 
ried no fire-arms and stated that they were 
on their way to Indiana to visit a sister. 

"Attached to the saddle of each horse 
was found a small package containing a 
little wearing apparel, and on the inside 
of each package was found a half of a 
Union cent, the same being cut in two. This 
was considered very suspicious, and they 
were told to mount their horses and pro- 
ceed ahead of us to town. 

"They were taken to the old town hall, 
the present City Building, where they con- 
fessed that they were members of John 
Morgan's brigade and they both said they 
were glad they were under arrest. 

"These fellows were quite intelligent, 
and two men were never better treated in 
Piqua than they. They smoked and ate 
and had a jolly good time until 3 o'clock 
p. m., when they were taken to Columbus 
and confined in the Ohio penitentiary as 
prisoners of war. When they left Piqua 
for Columbus more than a thousand peo- 
ple cheered them a good-bye. 

"For years I have wondered whether 
either of these men were alive, and a year 
ago I wrote a Lexington, Kentucky, news- 
paper, making inquiry. They published 
my letter, but no answer ever came. 

"I recently received a letter from 0. B. 
Gould, warden of the Ohio penitentiary, 
saying the John Morgan men were all con- 
fined there, but they had no record as to 
where they were captured. 



"Mr. Shipley and myself are the only 
persons alive who were connected with the 
capture, and by inquiry I can find no one 
here who seems to remember the matter. 

"I write this that the matter may not 
be forgotten." 

A LIXCOLN LETTER. 

Comparatively few people know that one 
of Abraham Lincoln's characteristic let- 
ters is in the possession of a citizen of this 
county. The owner is Mr. J. L. Hill, of 
Fletcher, and the letter was received by 
his father, who was a personal friend of 
Lincoln's, in 1856. This rare letter from 
one of the greatest men the world ever pro- 
duced is highly treasured by its present 
owner. Mr. Hill in furnishing the Lincoln 
letter for reproduction in this work says 
that the great President often visited his 
(Mr. Hill's) father in Illinois in company 
with Judge David Davis, United States 
senator and associate justice of the United 
States Supreme Court. Mr. Lincoln's let- 
ter is as follows : 

Springfield, III., Sept. 8, 1856. 
Luther Hill, Esq. 

Dear Sir: I understand you are a Fillmore man. Let 
me prove to you that every vote withheld from Fremont, 
and given to Fillmore, in this state, actually lessens Fill- 
more's chance of being President. 

Suppose Buchanan gets all the slave states, and Penn- 
sylvania, and any other one state besides; then he is 
elected, no matter who gets all the rest. 

But suppose Fillmore gets the two slave states of 
Maryland and Kentucky; then Buchanan is not elected; 
Fillmore goes into the House of Representatives, and 
may Ix? made President by compromise. 

But suppose again Fillmore's friends throw away a 
few thousand votes on him, in Indiana and Illinois, it 
will inevitably give these states to Buchanan, which will 
more than compensate him for the loss of Maryland and 
Kentucky; wUl elect him, and leave Fillmore no chance 
in the H. R. or out of it. 

This is as plain as the adding up of the weights of 
three small hogs. As Mr. Fillmore has no possible 
chance to carry Illinois for himself, it is plainly his in- 
terest to let Fremont take it, and thus keep it out of 
the hands of Buchanan. Be not deceived, Buchanan is 
the horse to beat in this race. Let him have Illinois, 
and nothing can beat him; and he trill get Illinois, if 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 271 

men persist in throwing away votes upon Mr. Fillmore, Again, of these three or four Fillmore newspapers, 

Does some one persuade you that Mr, Fillmore can carry two at least are supported, in part, by Buchanan men, 

Illiuois? Nonsense! There are over seventy newspapers so I understand. Do not they know where the shoe 

in Illinois opposing Buchanan, only three or four of pinches? They know the Fillmore movement helps them, 

which support Jlr. Fillmore, all the rest going for Fre- and therefore they help it. Do think these things over, 

mont. Are not these newspapers a fair index of the and then act aceonling to your ,iudgment. 
proportion of the voters, if not, tell, me why? Yours very truly, 

Confidential, A, Lincoln. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



MANUFACTURES OF THE PAST AND PRESENT 



Early Mills and Distilleries — Brick and Tile Making — Present Industries of the 
County. 



The manufactures of Miami County 
have kept pace with its growth from the 
beginning. Today it is one of the largest 
manufacturing counties of the State. Its 
products are diversiiied. AVithin late years 
many new manufacturing plants have 
sprung up. Nearly all have been incorpo- 
rated under the laws of Ohio and, so far as 
known, all are prosperous. 

The first manufactures within the county 
were limited to the scant population. These 
consisted almost wholly of mills, cereal 
and lumber. Later on cooperage was car- 
ried on to considerable extent and when 
the canal came into being this business 
thrived and continued to do so for some 
years. In some parts of the county small 
distilleries were operated, producing a 
great deal of corn whiskey. Much of this 
output was flatboated down the Miami and 
found a ready market in the South. 

One of the first cereal mills built in the 
county was owned by John Yount of Mon- 
roe Township. Yount was rather secretive 
and did not give away his plans to every- 
body. It is told of the erection of this 
mill that the builder "cut down a large 
beech tree that grew in front of his house 



and burned out the center of the stump 
till a hole, shajDed somewhat like the cavity 
of a bowl, was obtained. The charred sur- 
face of the concavity was rubbed with 
sandstone till the charcoal was all removed, 
when the most difficult of the labor was 
comjoleted. A contrivance something like 
an old sweep was erected over the stump. 
Instead of attaching a bucket to one end 
of the sweep they fastened a large round 
stone which was placed in such a position 
that, when lowered, it fell into the burned 
depression in the stump. Owing to the 
fact that this simple contrivance could be 
worked without either steam or water, it 
possessed one advantage over our more 
modern mills. The motor power necessary 
to keep such a machine moving demanded 
such a wonderful expenditure of muscular 
activity that it was not to be wondered at 
that the head of the family felt by no 
means elated when informed by the good 
wife that the flour barrel was empty and 
it was necessary for him to go to mill." 

In 1809 John Freeman of the samfe town- 
ship made an improvement on the Yount 
mill and put up a hopper for grinding corn. 
This hopper was set up in a shed of logs. 



272 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



273 



It was considered a great thing, this primi- 
tive corn-mill. Battle, rattle went the old 
hopper from morning till night and the 
neighbors brought in their grist from the 
surrounding country. The Freeman mill 
existed for a number of years, but at last 
the groanings of the old machinery ceased 
and more pretentious mills came into 
being. 

As early as 1805 Benjamin Leavell, a 
millwright, came to Piqua and engaged in 
his business. It was the first milling done 
in this part of the country. The first man- 
ufacture of linseed oil, a business which 
has given Piqua a name everj'where, was 
engaged in by John McCorkle of that city 
in 1824. The McCorkle mill was run by 
water power, and the crusher was a large 
circular block of limestone. Notwithstand- 
ing Mr. McCorkle 's industry his primitive 
machinery proved a serious drawback and 
there was but a limited demand for his 
output, owing no doubt to this handicap. 
In other parts of the county little flour 
mills sprang up and proved a great benefit 
to the inhabitants. As most of these were 
operated by water power they were to be 
found along streams. Their machinery 
was of the simplest description, built by 
the hands that had erected the pioneer cab- 
ins or guided the first emigrant teams over 
the mountains. 

The people, acknowledging the necessity 
of mills, gave their proprietors their pat- 
ronage. It would require more scope than 
I have at my command to enumerate all 
the mills that were operated during the 
two first decades of our country's history. 
They were busy though primitive institu- 
tions. Their patrons were compelled to 
make long journeys in order to have their 
grists ground and as some of these trips 



were made in the dead of winter, when 
the snow was deep on the ground and the 
icy winds howled through the forests, the 
sufferings of the gristers were intense. 
More than once they were chased by the 
rapacious wolf and sometimes they were 
compelled to wait two days at the mills 
before the grists could be ground, there 
being orders ahead of them and the mill- 
er's motto was "First come first served." 

It was natural that the mills of the coun- 
try were the first industries that appeared. 
The inhabitants must have bread, though 
"Johnny cake" was for some time the sta- 
ple food. When there was no white bread 
in the house the corn-dodger was called 
into requisition and the pioneer boys and 
girls waxed fat on it. It was always a 
good omen when a mill site was selected 
and some enterprising j^erson began to 
set up his burrs and hoppers. It meant a 
food supply and consequently more money 
in circulation, for the miller paid the pre- 
vailing price for grain. Consequently flat- 
boating fell off and the first farmers 
bought more land with their money and 
were not compelled to rely on the cereal 
mills of Dayton and Cincinnati for their 
food. 

There still stand within the limits of the 
county some of the later mills which suc- 
ceeded the first ones. Almost every town- 
ship has one or more of these buildings. 
They were strongly built. Their timbers 
were heavy and well seasoned and the 
gigantic water wheels held out for many 
years, or until modern machinery was 
placed in them, when the old "tail race" 
vanished and the "roller procgss" seemed 
the acme of modern milling. The Edwards 
mill near Troy is a famous milling struc- 
ture, so is the Allen mill at Eldean and 



274 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



numerous ones along the Miami and Still- 
water. One of the well known old flour 
mills of the east side is the Sheets Mill on 
Lost Creek. This mill for many years 
was the mainstay of the contiguous region 
and many of the older inhabitants, who as 
boys carried grists to it viewed its recent 
demolition with real sorrow. Another Lost 
Creek mill is the Burkholder mill, which 
is yet in operation. This old structure, 
along with the one at Sheets ' kept the peo- 
ple in flour and cornmeal sixty years ago 
and survived to witness the changes in the 
milling system which came along with ad- 
vancing years. 

Among the early industries on the west 
side was John Mast's grist-mill in Union 
Township, in connection with which was a 
carding machine, as a good deal of wool 
and flax were then produced in the county. 
In 1820 David Thayer bought and refitted 
the Kelley mills and a loom for weaving 
blankets was put in. This was a needed 
imj^rovement and was well patronized. Mr. 
Kelley erected a cotton factory near West 
Milton and later a scythe manufactory was 
added to the industries of Union Town- 
ship. In 1819 the manufacture of linseed 
oil was commenced in the same locality. 
It is said that powder was made in the 
same vicinity at an early day, but the story 
that Tecumseh once came to the powder- 
mill and gun shop to have his rifle repaired 
is probably a myth. Jacob Embree put 
up a corn cracker of the most primitive 
construction in Newton Township in 1808 
and this mill did considerable business for 
a number of years. Saw-mills which turned 
out a great deal of lumber flourished every- 
where throughout the country and they 
were among the first industries to follow 
the white settlers. 



Also at an early date tile and brick mak- 
ing came into existence. It had been dis- 
covered that different parts of the county 
possessed the right sort of earth for this 
business and tjiere were men who stood 
ready to take hold of it. In course of time 
the cabins and frame houses gave place to 
brick ones, the frame churches also did the 
same, and there grew up a steady demand 
for brick buildings. A number of kilns 
were established and in course of time 
there were many in successful operation. 
A great many brick were carried on the 
canal when that waterway assumed busi- 
ness and boats were built looking to this 
sort of transportation. Many of the first 
industries of the country gave way for 
others which came to supply the increasing 
population. Modern machinery took the 
place of the old and every new invention 
was seized upon and given a trial. The old 
mills disappeared entirely or were reno- 
vated and new machinery added, water 
power was succeeded by steam, until to- 
day every manufactory in the country is 
carried on after the most modern methods. 
The output of the farmer demanded the 
grain elevator and it came at his call. A 
list of even the early manufactories of the 
country would fill a volume. As a rule 
they were conducted by enterprising men 
who were not only anxious to turn an hon- 
est penny, but to serve the best interests 
of the people as well. 

Before the day of the woolen, knitting 
mill and kindred factories the merchants 
of Miami were compelled to go to the east- 
ern marts for their goods. This necessi- 
tated trouble and expense as transporta- 
tion was then in its first stages. Today 
much of the stuff manufactured within the 
county is purchased and consumed at home. 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



277 



Following is an approximately complete 
list of the principal industries of Miami 
County : 

PIQUA. 

The Union Underwear Co. * 

The Atlas Underwear Co. 

The Superior Underwear Co. 

The Piqua Hosiery Co. 

The Stuart Brown Underwear Co. 

The Orr Felt & Blanket Co. 

The Pioneer Shaft & Pole Co. 

The Piqua Handle & Mfg. Co. 

The Piqua Furniture Co. 

The Cron-Kills Co. 

The Wood Shovel & Tool Co. 

The Sprague-Smith Furniture Co. 

The Piqua Gas & Coke Co. 

The Piqua Malt Co. 

The Piqua Foundry & Machine Co. 

The Piqua Packer Co. 

The Piqua Milling Co. 

The George H. Eundle Co. 

The Ohio Marble Co. 

The American Sheet Steel & Tin Plate Co. 

The I\ing Manufacturing Co. 

The Favorite Stove & Range Co. 

The American Wagon Stock Co. 

The American Straw Board Co. 

The Piqua Flour Co. 

The French Oil Machinery Co. 

The Bowdle Bros. Foundry & Machine Co. 

The C. L. Wood Planing Mill. 

The Piqua Blower Co. 

The Eankin Dyeing & Bleaching Works. 

The Piqua Creamery Co. 

TROY. 

The Allen & Wheeler Co. 

The American Fixture & Mfg. Co. 

The Chas. A. P. Barrett Co. 

The Hayner Distillery. 

The Hobart Electric Mfg. Co. 

The Julian Manufacturing Co. 

The McKinnon Dash Factory. 

The Pioneer Pole & Shaft Co. 

The Royal Polished Steel Roaster Co. 

Troy Buggy Works. 



Troy Carriage & Sunshade Works. 

Troy Foundry & Machine Co. 

The Troy Skirt Co. 

The Troy Tile & Brick Co. 

The Troy Umbrella & Canopy Co. 

The Troy Wagon Works Co. 

Troy Marble & Granite Works. 

The Allen & Wheeler Tobacco Warehouse. 

TIPPECANOE CITY. 

Ford & Co.'s Wheelworks. 

The Tippecanoe Strawboard Co. 

The Tipp Furniture Factory. 

The Tipp Whip Co. 

The Davis Whip Co. 

W. H. Ethell & Co., ilillers. 

The Miami Valley Mills. 

The Tipp Underwear Co. 

The Vaughn Gas Engine Co. 

The Tipp Building & Mfg. Co. 

The Saunders & Kerr Tobacco Warehouse. 

The Eli Saunders Tobacco Warehouse. 

The Detrick Milling Co. 

The Detrick Distillery Co. 

The C. W. Jenson Mfg. & Building Co. 

George Honeyraan, Concrete Blocks. 

William Fensteraaker,^ Concrete Blocks. 

COVINGTON. 

Covington Woolen Mills. 

Wagner's Tile & Brick Yard. 

Crampton & Son's Boiler Works. 

Covington Flouring Mills. 

Sugar Grove Flouring Mills. 

The Crescent & Metallic Fence Stay Co. 

The J. W. Ruhl Quarries. 

The C. H. Jackson Quarries. 

The Drees Saw Mills. 

The R. M. Albery Saw Mills. 

The C. F. Drees Talcum Powder Co. 

The Covington Lumber Co. 

The Covington Telephone Co. 

Falls Electric Light Co. 

Covington Steam Laundry. 

PLEASANT HILL. 

The Deeter Brick Yard & Tile Co. 
The M. & P. Tobacco Warehouse. 
The Longnaker Sand & Gravel C<» 
The Busy Mail Order Co. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



Fraternal Orders, Building and Loan Associations, Population, Etc. 



The establishment of fraternal societies 
in the county began at an early date. Many 
of the first settlers belonged to the older 
orders, principally Masonic, and as early 
as 1812 a lodge of that order was estab- 
lished at Troy. From that date the sys- 
tem of fraternalism grew rapidly until to- 
day a great many fraternal societies exist 
in the country. The list that follows is as 
nearly complete as diligent research can 
make it. So far as possible the name of 
the order and the date of organization are 
given. 

MASONIC. 

Ts'ame of Lodge. Organized. 

Franklin Lodge, Troy January 12, 1812 

Warren Lodge, Piqua October 21, 1841 

Tippecanoe Lodge, Tippecanoe City. .. .October 27, 1851 

West Milton Lodge, West Milton November 19, 1896 

Covington Lodge, Covington 1847 

Social Lodge, Lena October 22, 18.52 

Pleasant Hill Lodge, Pleasant Hill October 17, 186G 

Bradford Lodge, Bradford Jun^ 27, 1905 

^ Troy Chapter, O. E. S., Troy November 23, 1906 

Fidelity Chapter, O. E. S., Lena August 6, 1897 

Christian Chapter, O. E. S., Bradford July 14, 1906 

Sharon Chapter, 0. E. S., West Jlilton 

Covington Chapter, Covington 1908 

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS. 

Name of Lodge. Organized. 

Piqua Lodge, Piqua April 29, 1839 

Piqua Council MaVch 27, 1851 

Troy Lodge June 30, 1845 

Tippecanoe Lodge May 12, 1854 

Industry Lodge, Lena June 17, 1854 

Covington Lodge September 7, 1866 

Taylor Lodge, Fletcher June 16, 1857 

Bradford Lodge September 25, 1873 

Stillwater Lodge, West Milton October 19, 1850 

Casstown Lodge .Tune 5, 1869 

Pleasant Hill Lodge June 24, 1874 

Brandt Lodge, Brandt July 3, 1882 

Garfield Lodge (col), Troy 



REBEKAH LODGES, 

Name of Lodge, Organized, 

Begonia Lodge, Bradford June 16, 1875 

Virique Lodge, West ililton December 7, 18S8 

Trojan Lodge, Troy June 22, 1894 

Oriental, Tippecanoe City September 15, 1898 

Violet Lodge, Fletcher June 6, 1896 

Silver Star, Lena June 28, 1896 

Jlildred Lodge, Covington July 6, 1881 

Champion, Casstown August 23, 1903 

Household of Euth, Troy 

MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES. 

Name of Lodge. Organized. 

Piqua Tent, Maccabees September 25, 1889 

Crystal Hive, Maccabees May — , 1891 

Alexander Mitchel Post, G, A. E., Piqua 

October 27, 1866 

Langston Post, G. A. E., Covington 1883 

Grand Army Post, Pleasant Hill September 17, 1883 

A. H. Coleman Post, Troy 1876 

A. H. Coleman Corps.. W.'E. C, Troy. .January 7, 1886 
Maj. W. H. Gross, Camp S. of V.. Covington.... 

.' April 18, 1904 

Veterans of the Spanish War, Piqua 

Chapter D. A. E., Piqua 

Miami Chapter, D. A. E., Troy May — , 1897 

Piqua Tribe, L 0. E. il May 7, 1908 

Amokee Tribe, I. O. E. M., Covington 

February 26, 1891 

Demoiselle Council, D. of P., Covington 

February 26, 1900 

Loramie Tribe, I, 0. E. M., Piqua. ,. .January 1, 1893 

Piqua Council, Eoyal Arcanum 1879 

Eoyal Arcanum Council, Tippecanoe City. . . . 

Piqua Court Foresters December 6, 1893 

Piqua Court Marguerite June 19, 1903 

Patrons of Husbandry, Covington.... 1899 

Patrons of Husbandry, Pleasant Hill. .October 23, 1873 

D. M. Eouser Post, G. A. E., Tippecanoe City. . 

D. M. Eouser., W. E. C, Tippecanoe City 

February 18, 1891 

Chattanooga Castle, K, G, E., Lena April 27, 1892 

Willow Camp, W. O, W., Piqua April 11, 1906 

Miami Grange, Piqua 

Jr, O, U. A, M., Conover February 11, 1905 

Potsdam Council, Jr. O. U. A. M.. . .September 17, 1902 

Miami Lodge, M, B. of A. Piqua May 25, 1897 

Knights of Pythias, Fletcher ^ 1887 

Jr. O. U. A. U., Fletcher 1903 

Milton Lodge, K. of P., West Milton. February 25, 1887 
Pythian Sisters, West Milton 



278 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



279 



Stillwater Lodge, K. of P., Co^ingtim 

Stillwater Grange, Covington 

OrJer of the Gobblers, Covington ■ — 19U6 

Knights of Columbus, Piqua February 25, 1906 

Jr. O. U. A. M., Tippecanoe City 

Lodge of the Maccabees, Tippecanoe City. . 

Modern Woodmen, Tippecanoe City 

Daughters of America, Tippecanoe City. . . . 

Order of Ben Hur, Tippecanoe City 

Royal Arcanum. Tippecanoe City 

Knights of the Golden Eagle, Troy. .September 24, 1S91 

Aerie of Eagles, Piqua 

Aerie of Eagles, Troy 

Knights of Pvtbias, Trov 

B. P. 0. E., Troy ". March — , 1903 

B. P. O. E., Piqua • 

Knights of the Golden Eagle, Troy 

Jr. O. U. A. M., Troy November 10, 1902 

Tonquas Tribe, I. 0. K. M., Troy January 11, 1906 

Trojan Lodge, K. of P., Troy October 19, 1877 

BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS. 

Following is a list of the Building and 
Loan Associations now operating success- 
fully in the county : 

Piqua — Border City Building & Loan 
Association ; incorporated, June 6, 1871 ; 
authorized capital, $1,500,000. Officers- 
President, Henry Flesh; secretary, Seth 
McCuUough ; treasurer, Samuel Zollinger ; 
attorney, M. H. Jones. 

Third Piqua Building & Loan Company; 
incorporated, September 24, 1884; author- 
ized capital, $2,000,000. Officers— Presi- 
dent, A. M. Leonard ; secretary, F. E. Pur- 
sell; treasurer, J. H. Clark; attorney, D. S. 
Lindsey. 

Troy — Peoples' Builidng & Loan Asso- 
ciation Company; incorporated, April 28, 
1890; authorized capital, $3,000,000. Offi- 
cers — President, A. E. Childs; secretary, 
L. 0. Shilling; treasurer, Noah Yount; 
attorney, J. C. Fullerton, Jr. 

Tippecanoe City — IMonroe Building & 
Loan Association; incorporated, July 19, 



1875; authorized capital, $400,000. Offi- 
cers — President, S. D. Hartman; secre- 
tary, A. W. Miles; treasurer, E. L. Crane; 
attorney, E. H. Kerr. 

Covington — Covington Building & Loan 
Association; incorporated, March 2.3, 
1886; authorized capital stock, $800,000. 
Officers — President, S. "\V. Ullery; secre- 
tary, E. S. Mohler; treasurer, C. C. Shu- 
man; attornej', J. Guy O'Donnell. 

West Milton — West Milton Home Sav- 
ings Association; incorporated, December 
1, 1887 ; authorized capital, $100,000. Offi- 
cers — President, J. W. Smithman; secre- 
tary, J. E. Hart; treasurer, P. 0. Vore; 
attorney, W. S. Kessler. 

POPULATION OF THE COUNTY. 

Bethel Township, 1,596; Brown (includ- 
ing Fletcher), 1,631 ; Fletcher Village, 375; 
Concord Township (including Troy), 
7,187; Troy, Ward 1, 1,442 ; AYard 2, 1,263; 
AYard 3, 1,376; Ward 4, 1,800; Elizabeth 
Townshij^, 1,124; Lost Creek (including 
Casstown), 1,146; Casstown Village, 262; 
Monroe Township, 2,931 ; Tippecanoe City, 
1,703; Newberry, 4,869; Covington, 1,791; 
Bradford, in part, 762 ; Newton Township, 
2,537; Pleasant Hill, 557; Spring Creek 
Township, 1,422; Staunton Township, 
1,184; Union Township, 4,309; AVest Mil- 
ton, 904; New Lebanon, 224; Laura, 378; 
AVashington Township, 13,169; Piqua, 
Ward 1, 1,967; AA\^rd 2, 2,461; AA^ard 3, 
3,377; AVard 4, 2,126; AA'ard 5, 2,241. Popu- 
lation of the whole county, 43,105. 




NATHAN HILL 



Representative eitl2en$ 



NATHAN HILL, founder of Hopewell 
Christian Cliurcb. In Eerick's Atlas of 
Miami County, it is stated that Nathan 
Hill was the first settler of Newton Town- 
ship. This should read: "That he came 
to what is now Newton Township with the 
first settlers," for at that time — 1800 — he 
was only a boy twelve years of age. 

He was born in Maryland, near Elli- 
cott's Mills, on the 15th day of March, 
1788. His father's name was Thomas Hill, 
and he and Michael "Williams moved west 
and located in Montgomery County, south 
of Dayton, Ohio. About 1800 these two 
pioneers came north, seeking for lands to 
better their conditions, and it was natural 
for them to keep on the old Indian trail, 
as they did until they reached that part of 
Montgomery County best suited to their 
tastes, and there selected their future 
homes, Michael "Williams taking the part 
next to the river, and Nathan Hill taking 
what is now the old homestead. They each 
had a half section of land. On the north 
side of this land they erected comfortable 
hewed log houses, and the next spring- 
moved their families. Thomas Hill's house 
stood a little to the north-east of the pres- 
ent residence. It has long since been torn 
down. They took part in the organization 
of Miami County, which was taken from 



Montgomery, January 16, 1807. The next 
spring after they moved up, Nathan and 
his brother returned for another load of 
their belongings. At Dayton the river was 
very much swollen and the fording dan- 
gerous. After having gone that far they 
did not want to turn back, and drove the 
team into the river ; the lead horses turned 
around in the middle of the stream, upset 
the wagon and threw his brother into the 
water. He was clinging to the hind wheel 
of the wagon when last seen. Nathan hur- 
riedly cut the hame-string of the saddle 
horse which he was riding to go to his 
brother's relief, but before he could reach 
him he had loosened his hold and was car- 
ried down the river. His body was after- 
ward recovered. The return home with 
the dead body of his brother was the sad- 
dest mission of his life. It was the first 
funeral in the little colony. 

Nathan Hill was married to Frances 
"Williams, a daughter of Michael "Williams, 
on the 29th day of June, 1809. He, with 
the assistance of his father and father-in- 
law, built a hewed log house a little south- 
east of the family residence, and in the 
same yard, moved to it themselves, and 
there laid the foundation of their future 
jn-osperity. They also built a hewed log 
house for his brother John. This was the 



281 



282 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



most spacious house iu the west part of 
the county, aud many people came to see it. 
It came into possession of my father, who 
sold it to Joseph Cox, and he removed it 
to his farm east of town, where it is still 
doing good service. Thomas Hill, the 
father, died in 1821, aged sixty-two years, 
leaving these two sons — Nathan and John 
^in comfortable homes, wherein to rear 
their fast-increasing families. The old 
homestead is still in the name of his heirs, 
having passed down by devise until the 
present time. 

Nathan Hill was a Whig in politics, but 
he was not aggressive; always willing to 
accord to others the same right of think- 
ing that he claimed for himself. Before 
Newton or Pleasant Hill was organized the 
voting was done at his house, and the state 
militia met and drilled in the little field 
east of the house until the law was re- 
pealed. 

He was of a religious turn of mind, and 
on the 4th day of November, 1816, iu an 
upstairs room iu his dwelling house, he 
organized Hopewell Church. I have no 
data as to the number of families at the 
time, l)ut i^resume it was quite small, but 
very detennined. In 1820 they erected a 
church of hewed logs just across the road 
south of the cemeter.y on his farm. This 
building was used for several years. The 
congregation grew beyond the capacity of 
the church. I have seen it packed so full 
of people that their legs were sticking out- 
side at the windows. This may need a 
little explanation. On such occasions, the 
windows, being long and narrow, were 
taken out and those coming late were glad 
to get their heads inside. I remember dis- 
tinctly when the first meeting was held to 
consider the building of the new frame 



church, about 1848. It was well attended 
and they easily agreed to go ahead aud 
put up the new structure. It was built the 
next summer, and the work never lagged 
for want of funds. It was a very large 
building, but I am not able to give the di- 
mensions. It served the purpose of the 
congregation until about 1868, when it was 
blown down by a storm. The new brick 
church was then erected on the present site 
at Pleasant Hill. Mr. Hill was always 
present at the services, chopped the wood, 
made the fires and swept the house, and 
kept the grounds in order. He always took 
part in the praying, singing and exhorting, 
aud in a great many other ways encour- 
aged the attendance of the members and 
others. He was a charitable man and gave 
largely to the poor and needy, visited the 
sick and ministered to their wants. His 
influence went out and did good in many 
ways. I remember an incident that hap- 
pened when I was in college at Cincinnati. 

Mj- roommate was Thomas Coppock, a 
most excellent boy from near Ludlow Falls, 
long since deceased. One Sunday morning 
Mr. Cojipock was coimting his money; I 
had none to count. I saw a tear in his eye, 
and asked him what the trouble was, as he 
was usually of a jolly nature and cheerful 
disposition. He said : ' ' My mind is up at 
old Hopewell Church, and I would give 
that five dollar bill to hear Grandfather 
Nathan Hill sing his old hj-mn, 'Amazing- 
Grace, How Sweet the Sound.' " At that 
time there were two boys there with tears 
in their eyes. 

One winter the roads had been almost 
impassable and grocery supplies could not 
be had even in Dayton. He hitched a horse 
to a sled and went to Cincinnati for a bar- 
rel of salt. A very hea\'y snow fell and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



283 



he was absent nearly two weeks. The 
weather was very severe, and an old In- 
dian, by name Amokee, came to the house 
with his gim reversed on liis shoulder to 
show that he meant no harm. He wanted 
something to eat. Grandmother told him 
the situation — that her husband was gone, 
and that they had nothing to eat in the 
way of meats, as there was no salt, and 
they had not butchered. She baked him a 
corn pone, and he ate heartily and left. 
In the evening he returned, di-agging the 
hind part of a deer that his trusty rifle had 
slain, anil said, it was bad that her little 
pappooses did not have any meat. He 
remained with them until in the spring 
and then departed as he came. The Amo-- 
kee Lodge of Bed Men, of Covington, was 
named after this Indian. 

^Ir. Hill reared a family of ten children, 
and some orphan children made their home 
with him. All this large family are de- 
ceased, except Mary, the wife of Thomas 
Hill, who resides with one of her sons in 
Kansas City, Mo. He loved company, and 
on Sunday, especially, the first Sunday of 
each month, when the monthly services 
were held, large crowds would go over to 
his house for dinner. I know it from ex- 
perience, as I have had to wait and sit at 
the fifth table. I thought at that time that 
the procedure ought to be reversed, and 
the "kids" allowed to eat first. His wife 
was an excellent companion for him. She 
did not attend church as much as he did, 
but remained at home attending to her 
family cares, and made it possible for him 
to go. She never opened the oven to take 
out her bread without thanking the Lord 
for his bounties. She survived him about 
eight years, living with her youngest son 
Nathaniel, recently deceased. She died on 



the 10th day of Novembei", 1870, aged 
eighty years, ten months, and twenty-one 
days. 

A fine stream of water, clear as crystal, 
crept out through a rift in the rock, and 
emptied into a large basin, almost at the 
back door of the house, and from there it 
wandered into the springhouse among 
myriads of milk crocks, which made a place 
not equalled by the best modern refriger- 
ators, from there on through the wash 
house into the meadow, where it irrigated 
the soil and slaked the thirst of his stock. 
Myriads of song birds were flitting about 
the farm and among the branches of the 
large elm trees, which he allowed to grow 
and cast their shadows over his barn yard; 
and I am informed that the old elm tree is 
still the roosting-place of the beautiful and 
noisy blackbirds, which have made that 
tree their home for the last hundred years 
or more. 

It was an ideal home for him in his old 
days, where his grand-children gathered 
around him and ministered to his wants. 
He was proud of it and spent most of his 
time there. He was good to his wife and 
children, raised a great deal of garden 
truck ; was an apiarist and had large quan- 
tities of bees that gathered in the honey 
from the wild flowers. His cattle waded 
in pastures knee-high, and his table liter- 
ally flowed with milk and honey. 

I have seen him many times laboring in 
the fields. Even when he was an old man 
he would ride his family mare in the field 
with a sack of wheat on her shoulders, a 
handkerchief tied over her ears to keep 
the grain out of them, and go back and 
forth across the field sowing wheat, and 
his grandchildren harrowing it in. 

It was the custom in those davs for the 



284 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ladies to ride horseback. Tliey would 
gather in and take the family mare iu the 
pasture back of the barn and practice while 
he was at church. This went on for a long 
time before he found it out. It was about 
all the old mare could do during the week 
to recruit up for her Sunday task. When 
he learned of it his sympathy for the old 
mare was stronger than his desire to see 
the girls learn to ride, so he cut it out. 

He was a great horticulturist, and plant- 
ed a large orchard of apple, peach, pear, 
and cherry trees. He also erected a large 
beam cider-press, that could be manipu- 
lated by a small boy so as to exert a press- 
ure of several hundred tons, and cider was 
to be had from August to f reezing-up time, 
free to all comers. His orchard produced 
an abundance of fruit and it was always 
free to the public. "When apples could 
not be had in the orchard there were al- 
ways plenty in the cellar. At one time two 
of his neighbors' boys went there for 
l^ears and, a little out of the ordinarj', one 
of them went to the house and requested 
the privilege of picking a certain tree. 
Grandfather told the one that called at the 
house that he was saving that particular 
tree for his own use, that he might till his 
sack from some other tree. The boy went 
off but soon returned and told him that his 
brother had the pears in the sack and was 
on the way home with them. Instead of 
being offended, he took it as a good joke 
and often related it. 

He had the iinest sugar grove in the 
county — some of the trees are yet stand- 
ing — and in the spring of the year he would 
have tapped several hundred trees and 
make sugar by the barrel and large quanti- 
ties of molasses. The young folks would 
gather at night, boil water, stir off the 



syrup, and make wax, and sometimes boil 
eggs and even roast chickens, after he had 
gone to bed. He was always so good na- 
tured that the egg shells, nor even the 
chicken bones, would attract his attention 
the next morning. 

The Old Indian Trail, or Eoadway, went 
through the east part of this section, a 
little west of the C, H. & D. Railroad, and 
just where it crossed the half-section line 
they erected a log school-house. Owing to 
their being good mechanics, this house was 
better than the average schoolhouse of 
those days. It was built of hewed logs, had 
slab benches, sawed writing-desks around 
the wall, and glass windows, and was heat- 
ed with a stove. I started to school there 
in 1846, together with my friend, Jacob 
Reiber, and some others. Uncle Nathaniel 
Hill was teacher, and on bad days I would 
ride home on his back. One night the 
schoolhouse was robbed of all the books. 
On my way to school I found them all in 
a neat pile on about the fifth rail from the 
ground, with the balance of the fence rest- 
ing upon them. They were too heavy for 
me to carry, so I reported the fact, and 
teacher and all the school repaired to the 
spot, and the books were restored and 
school went on. 

Whipping was required of every teacher 
in those days. Some teachers would call 
out a whole school and stand them in a 
row and with a long whip strike the whole 
bunch. If one should dodge forward to 
escape the lick, he was put in another line 
and whipped with a shorter stick, and so 
on until the teacher felt that he had done 
his duty; and that was when he was about 
exhausted. 

These improvements were not all made 
by the Hill Brothers. They were ably as- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



285 



sisted by the "Williams family, especially 
John and Henry. 

At my birth my mother named me John 
Calvin, perhai^s thinking that if I could 
cultivate a taste for chickens, I might be- 
come a preacher. When I was about two 
years of age he said to her, "I want you 
to call that boy Nathan; I want a grand- 
son to bear my name, and you may not 
have another chance." After some delib- 
eration as to whether or not it was bad 
luck to change a name after it was given, 
my mother consented, and my name was 
changed to Nathan. The name of John 
Calvin has been praised from one end of 
the country to the other, but with all that, 
there never was a more noble, upright, 
honest, charitable example to be followed 
than that of Nathan Hill. He was a large 
portly man, weighed about two hundred 
pounds, had a keen eye, dark brown hair, 
and in his declining years stooped a little 
forward, and walked with his hands clasped 
together on his back. His firm step, his 
elastic limbs, and his undimmed senses, 
were so many certificates of good conduct, 
or rather jewels or orders of nobility, with 
which nature had adorned him for fidelity 
to her laws. His fair complexion showed 
that his blood had never been corrupted; 
his pure breath that he had never yielded 
his digestive apjiaratus to the vintage cess 
pool; his exact language and keen appre- 
hension, that his brain had never been poi- 
soned by the distiller or tobacconist. En- 
joying his appetite to the highest, he had 
preserved the power of enjoying it. De- 
sjiite the moral of the schoolboy's story, he 
had eaten his cake and still kept it. As 
he drained the cup of life there were no 
lees at the bottom. His organs all reached 
their goal of existence together. Pain- 



less as the sun sinks below the western 
horizon, so did he expire on the 15th day 
of January, 1862, aged seventy-three years 
and ten months. 

Nathan Iddings. 

FRANCIS GRAY, deceased, who was 
the founder of and principal owner in the 
F. Gray Company, for years one of the 
largest and most important industrial en- 
terprises of Piqua, was born in Erie 
County, Pennsylvania, August 10, 1821. 
His parents were William and Ellen Gray, 
and on the paternal side he is of Scotch- 
Irish ancestry. William Gray was a na- 
tive of the Keystone state and a soldier 
of the War of 1812. 

The subject of this sketch, after he had 
attained his majority, engaged in the busi- 
ness of rafting lumber down the river to 
Pittsburg and Cincinnati. He also carried 
on a store in Pittsfield. He was doing 
very well in a business way when Fortune 
suddenly frowned upon him — a sudden 
and violent flood, in the sirring of 1850, 
carrying off his logs and lumber and caus- 
ing him a severe loss. Finding it neces- 
sary to make an assignment, he made one 
of his creditors the assignee. This man, 
however, proved dishonest ; turning every- 
thing he could into money, he departed 
leaving the other creditors unpaid. 

Finding it necessary to seek employment 
elsewhere, ]\Ir. Gray put his family on a 
raft and started down the river to Cov- 
ington, Ky., where he arrived in Septem- 
ber, 1851, with about $150 as his sole cash 
capital. Being acquainted in the lumber 
trade, he succeeded in finding work in 
measuring lumber on the wharves. He also 
received a commission of fifty cents per 
thousand for selling shingles and gradu- 



286 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ally built up for himself a small trade in 
this line. He was, however, for some time 
in very reduced circumstances. One day, 
having earned a larger commission than 
usual, he found himself in possession of 
two hundred dollars, a larger sum than he 
had been able to accumulate since his mis- 
fortune. He carefully invested this money 
so that it brought a profitable return, and 
with this for a new beginning he subse- 
quently carried on various trading trans- 
actions until he foimd his capital increased 
to one thousand dollars. He now embarked 
once more in business for himself, having 
in the meanwhile added to his business 
knowledge by taking a course in a com- 
mercial institution. Finding a partner 
with equal capital, he again entered into 
the lumber business, having a yard in Cov- 
ington. The value of a good reputation 
here came to his aid, for an extensive lum- 
ber dealer who knew his history offered 
him as much lumber on credit as he might 
require, and with brightening prospects he 
now looked forward to the time when he 
should be able to pay off all his old debts. 
He returned East and arranged with bis 
former creditors to make payment, giving 
them notes with approved security. 

In 1859 Mr. Gray enlarged his biisiness 
interests by becoming half owner in a 
flouring mill with J. D. Patch of Cynthi- 
ana, Ky. This line of business giving 
promise of greater returns than that in 
which he was engaged, he sold out his lum- 
ber interests and went to Cynthiana. He 
had now paid off some of his indebtedness 
and had but two thousand dollars with 
which to embark in the new venture, and 
this small capital was counter-balanced by 
two thousand dollars of old debts that he 
still owed. 



Mr. Gray enjoyed six prosj^erous years 
in Cynthiana, his returns from the flour- 
ing mill enabling him to pay off all his old 
debts, to purchase a half interest in the 
mill, and to establish a woolen mill. In 
the spring of 1865 he wound up his busi- 
ness affairs in Cynthiana and returned to 
Covington, having a bank account of $28,- 
000. Here he engaged in the woolen busi- 
ness, leasing a large building, which he 
fitted up with improved machinery. This 
mill he operated until 1869, when, the wa- 
ter supply proving inadequate, he looked 
about for another location and found it in 
the beautiful Miami valley at Piqua. His 
first business operations here were con- 
ducted in partnership with Dr. O'Farrell 
and Thomas L. Daniels, the firm conduct- 
ing a prosperous business until the finan- 
cial panic of 1873, which put a stop to the 
profitable manufacture of woolen goods 
for the time being. 

Not proposing to remain idle, however, 
longer than was absolutely necessary, Mr. 
Gray planned another enterprise, which 
subsequently developed into one of the 
most flourishing industrial enterprises of 
Piqua. He had some time previously be- 
come interested in the subject of felt pa- 
per manufacture, having succeeded in ob- 
taining the rudiments for manufactures of 
various kinds from an old Englishman, 
who had worked at the business in Eng- 
land, and as the result of his investiga- 
tions he believed there was room for a 
good mill of that kind in this section of 
the country. His partner, Dr. O'Farrell, 
however, was distrustful of the new proj- 
ect, and not wishing to embark in it, Mr. 
Gray, with the aid of some friends in the 
East bought out his interest in the former 
mill and proceeded to establish the new in- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



287 



dustry. At first there were many discour- 
agements and some loss. Some processes 
had to be perfected through experiment, 
but headway was gradually made until, 
through perseverance and energy Mr. 
Gray succeeded in making felts that were 
able to compete with those manufactured 
by the great concerns that had had for a 
long time a monopoly of the business. 

In 1881 the F. Gray Company was incor- 
porated, the leading stockholders and own- 
ers being Francis Gray, H. C. Nellis, and 
"William C. Gray. In the following year 
the old plant was destroyed by fire and a 
new one erected, the buildings composing 
the plant being comparatively modern in 
structure. They were built substantially 
of brick and fitted iip with the most up-to- 
date machinery known to the trade. The 
product of the company consisted of paper- 
makers ' felts and jackets, flannels and 
yarns, the orders, especially for felts, com- 
ing from all j^arts of the United States 
and Canada and even from across the 
ocean. Their cylinder felt jackets earned 
the reputation among paper mill men of 
being the best in the world. Their prod- 
uct also included laundry machine cloth- 
ing, mangled cloths, scarlet flannels for 
imderwear, and sleeping car blankets. The 
utmost care was taken in every depart- 
ment of this large concern, the best grades 
of wool only being selected ; and every step 
in the process of manufacture was watched 
over by thoroughly comijetent foremen 
and suiierintendents, the most skillful 
workmen being employed. The pay-roll 
of the works numbered one hundred and 
fifty hands. The paper makers' felts and 
laundry machine clothing were made spe- 
cially to order to suit the requirements of 



the different manufactures, the product 
going directly to the trade throughout the 
country. 

Mr. Gray's success was the result pri- 
marily of his own efforts and he reaped the 
reward in large measure of his foresight 
and perseverance. Everything about his 
vast business was given his jDersonal atten- 
tion, no detail being so small as to be over- 
looked by the eye of the master. He was 
both just and liberal to his employees, pay- 
ing them good wages, and his business deal- 
ings with others were marked by a strict 
regard for honesty and fair dealing. He 
was quick to record faithful service, and 
every one of his em^jloyees knew that so 
long as the wheels of the factory might 
turn he could keep his position if he were 
faithful and attended to his work with dili- 
gence and sobriety. Mr. Gray's death 
took place March 30, 1901, after an illness 
of several months, the news being received 
with a feeling of deepest regret by the citi- 
zens of Piqua generally. The local jour- 
nals and those throughout the county 
paid sincere and graceful tributes to his 
memory, all realizing that the county had 
lost one of its foremost citizens and bene- 
factors. 

Mr. Gray was married in 1844 to Miss 
Rebekah Arthur, who died in 1855, leaving 
a son, W. C. Gray, who was associated 
with his father in the business. 

In 1857 Mr. Gray married for his second 
wife Mrs. Jane E. Penney, of Covington, 
Ky. She died June 16, 1875, leaving a son, 
"Walter E. Penney, of her former mar- 
riage, who was born in 1852. The latter 
is now engaged in the oil business in Lima, 
Ohio. Mr. Gray was a third time mar- 
ried to Mrs. Sarah Ann Kendall, widow 
of Dr. F. S. Kendall, of Lima, Ohio, who 



288 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



now survives him and who resides at No. 
621 Broadway, Piqua. 

In his early uiauhood Mr. Gray was a 
member of the Whig party, but on its dis- 
sohition joined the ranks of the Eepub- 
licans and was afterwards a stanch sup- 
porter of Kepublican principles. He was 
made a Mason in Covington, Ky., in 1852, 
joining Colonel Clay Lodge, No. 159, F. & 
A. M., and was an esteemed member of the 
brotherhood. As a useful and public spir- 
ited citizen of Piqua few, if any, held a 
higher place than he. 

JOHN EDWARD NOLAN was born on 
his father's farm in Staunton Township, 
Miami Coimty, Ohio, February 13, 1864, 
and is a son of Michael and Phebe Cath- 
erine Nolan. 

The Nolan family is of Irish extraction, 
and the grandfather, Isreal Nolan, was 
born in New Jersey. He was married to 
Fanny Corrington. They emigrated to 
Cincinnati, Ohio, at an early date, whei'e 
he worked as a weaver, but prior to the 
birth of their son ]\Iichael, in 1818, they set- 
tled on a fai-m in Miami County, three 
miles east of the present Nolan farm. 
Eight children were born to them — John, 
James, Daniel, Michael, Elizabeth, Han- 
nah, Sarah and Mary — all of whom are de- 
ceased. 

Michael Nolan followed an agricultural 
life until he went to California in 185.3, in 
the days of the gold excitement there, and 
during the three years that he remained 
there, made enough by mining to give him a 
fair start in life, buying property situated 
east of the present Nolan farm, which was 
then owned by Daniel Nolan. In 1860 he 
married Mrs. Phelie Catherine (Courad) 



Kaw, she having one daughter, Caroline 
Kaw. 

Phebe Catherine Conrad was born in 
Bavaria, Germany, and came to America 
at the age of nineteen years. To this 
union six children were born, namely. 
Emma J.; John Edward; Elizabeth A.; 
Cory H. ; Hattie M. and Nora B. On the 
death of Daniel Nolan, Michael bought the 
farm, and with his family moved on it, and 
here he passed away June 6, 1889, at the 
age of 66 years, 9 months and 5 days. 

John Edward Nolan was educated in the 
district schools and at Ada College, Ohio, 
where he graduated in the commercial de- 
partment, in 1888. His life has been main- 
ly devoted to agricultural activities, al- 
though he learned and for several years 
worked at the carpenter trade. He carries 
on general farming and gives his estate 
the careful attention which brings him 
bountiful harvests as a result. He is one 
of the township's intelligent, practical 
men, takes a good citizen's interest in pub- 
lic matters, particularly those pertaining 
to his own township. He votes with the 
Republican party. He is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a 
Knight Templar Mason and a member of 
the Masonic lodge at Troy, Ohio. 

SAMUEL EAPER FERGUS repre- 
sents important business interests of Mi- 
ami County. He was born October 27, 
1848, in Bethel Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, and is a son of John Shannon and 
Susan (Black) Fergus. 

The paternal' grandfather, Gen. James 
Fergus, was a native of Virginia and 
gained his military title on account of his 
activity in the militia. He came to Bethel 
Township, Miami County, in 1807, and was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



289 



one of the most prominent citizens of Mi- 
ami County in his day. He served in many 
offices and responsible positions, was both 
county surveyor and county commissioner, 
and he also served acceptably as a member 
of the General Assembly. Almost all of 
his mature life was passed in Bethel Town- 
ship and his death took place at the home 
of a daughter, in Tippecanoe City. His 
children bore the following names : James, 
Samuel, Alexander, John Shannon, Jane, 
Evaline, Mary, Elizabeth and Amanda. 
Of the above family, John Shannon was 
the only one who lived and died in Miami 
County. The others scattered far apart, 
one dying in California, one in Missouri, 
two in Nebraska, one in Illinois, two in In- 
diana, and one in Cincinnati. 

John Shannon Fergus followed an agri- 
cultural life. He married Susan Black, 
who was a daughter of John and Eliza- 
beth Black, farming people who lived and 
died in Clark County, Ohio. John S. Fer- 
gus died in 1888, at the age of sixty-nine 
years and was survived until 1892 by his 
widow, when her age was about the same. 
Three sons were born to them, namely: 
James Corwin, Samuel Eaper and John 
Franklin. James Corwin Fergus settled 
in Nebraska soon after the Civil War, 
where he engaged in farming and stock- 
raising until his death. John Franklin 
Fergus has made a name for himself in the 
law. He graduated from the Ohio State 
University and has been a successful prac- 
titioner at Columbus, for a number of 
years. 

Samuel Raper Fergus was educated in 
the common schools and the university at 
Lebanon, Ohio, after which he taught 
school, and assisted in the home fai'ming. 
He also was interested in the nurserv busi- 



ness and from 1880 until 1902 conducted 
this business in Bethel Township, and 
since 1902 the organization of which he is 
president, has maintained the business in 
Tippecanoe City, Init from September 1, 
1908, the offices have been at Troy. The 
Farmers' Nursery Company, of which Mr. 
Fergus is president, is one of the largest 
concerns of the kind in the State and it has 
a capital of stock of $200,000, $50,000 of 
which is preferred. Everything in the line 
of hardy nursery stock is carried, and the 
business territory extends all over tlic 
United States and into Canada and ]\lex- 
ico, a particularly good field being in On- 
tario. Mr. Fergus was one of the found- 
ers and president of the Citizens' National 
Bank of Tippecanoe City, which was or- 
ganized in January, 1908. 

J\Ir. Fergus was married to Miss Pris- 
cilla Freeman, a daughter of Robert and 
Mary Freeman, of Bethel Township, on 
December 29, 1873, and they have had six 
children, namely: Guy C, who is an elec- 
trician, married Miss May E. Dodd and 
resides at Zanesville ; they have one daugh- 
ter, Hortense; Clyde Shannon, who is en- 
gaged in stock and sheep raising in Texas, 
practiced dentistry in Van "Wert, Ohio, and 
married Bernice McMillan. The others — 
Fern, Jean, Maud E. and Mary Ruth— all 
reside at home except Jean, who died when 
in her fourteenth year. Mrs. Fergus was 
reared in the German Reformed Church 
and her daughters are Lutherans. The 
family home, a beautiful one, Mr. Fergus 
built at Tippecanoe City. 

W. W. V. BUCHANAN, a venerable and 
highly respected citizen of Piqua. Ohio, 
now living in retirement, was for many 
years prominently identified with the af- 



290 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



fairs of this vicinity. He was at one time 
mayor of the city, and was magistrate in 
Washington Township for more than a 
quarter of a century. He was born in 
Montgomery County, Ohio, September 15, 
182(3, and was about six months old when 
his parents moved to Newberry Township, 
Miami County. 

Mr. Buchanan was reared in Newberry 
Township, and after the district schools 
attended Lebanon Normal School when it 
was organized in 1856. He was then en- 
gaged for seven years in teaching and in 
1849 moved to Piqua, where he taught in 
the public schools continuously imtil 1872. 
In that year he embarked in the insur- 
ance business, in which he attained high 
success. He was elected mayor of Piqua 
in 1875 and served as such one term, and in 
the meanwhile was made magistrate of 
Washington Township. A scholarly and 
capable business man, imbued with the 
l^roper public spirit, he has always been a 
leader in the matter of iniblic improve- 
ments and a supporter of enterprises and 
measures tending to add to the material 
prosperity of the community. 

In 1849 Mr. Buchanan was joined in 
marriage with Miss Phoebe Dye, a daugh- 
ter of Andrew Dye, and they have five 
children living. The eldest of them, A. C. 
Buchanan, is a well known lawyer of 
Piqua. He was born October 9, 1850, and 
was reared to maturity in Piqua. He is a 
graduate of the Piqua High School and of 
the Normal school at Lebanon. After 
leaving the latter institution he engaged 
in teaching in the Troy schools, and in the 
meanwhile prosecuted the study of law. 
He was admitted to the bar in 1877, and 
has since been engaged in practice with 
unqualified success- During his school 



days he studied civil engineering with a 
view to making that his life work and he 
has followed that profession more or less 
since. He was married in 1874 to Miss 
Anna Belle Shoemaker, a daughter of Da- 
vid Shoemaker, now deceased. Mrs. Bu- 
chanan also is a graduate of the high school 
at Piqua. 

Mr. Buchanan was the organizer and 
first president of the Piqua Memorial As- 
sociation organized for the purpose of per- 
petuating Memorial Day. 

MRS. FEEN BENSON, whose home is 
the old Mitchell farm in Section 3, Eliza- 
beth Township, Miami Count}', Ohio, on 
which she was born, resides on land which 
has been in the possession of the Mitchell 
family for ninety-seven consecutive years. 
This farm was entered from the Govern- 
ment December 24, 1811, by William Mitch- 
ell, the great grandfather of Mrs. Benson. 

William Mitchell was born in Virginia 
in 1785. His father, Samuel Mitchell, was 
a soldier in the Revolutionary AVar and a 
prominent Mason. W^illiam served in the 
War of 1812, after securing his land in 
Ohio, and after the close of his military 
service he engaged in clearing and culti- 
vating the wilderness to which he had 
come. He married Catherine Stafford, 
who was born in Ireland in 1878, and died 
on his farm in 1867. They had eleven 
children. 

William S. Mitchell received from his 
father a portion of his land, an acre hav- 
ing been deeded by the latter to the church, 
and which is now occupied by McKendree 
Church and Cemetery. In its shadow rest 
William Mitchell and many of his de- 
scendants. He had 160 acres of land and 
his entire life was given to agricultural 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



291 



pursuits. He died iu 188-4, aged sixty- 
three years. In 1843 he married Mary 
Eobinson, a daughter of Adin and Jane 
Eobinsou. She was born in 1821 and died 
in 1902. They had two children — Eliza- 
beth and Milton G. Elizabeth was born 
March 15, 1844, and was married Novem- 
ber 7, 1872, to George Brier, no issue re- 
sulting. He was a soldier iu the Civil "War 
and participated in the battles of Cham- 
pion Hill, Vicksburg, and Pittsburg Land- 
ing or Shiloh. 

Milton G. Mitchell, father of Mrs. Ben- 
son, was born August 30, 1845, and died 
September 17, 1901; he was buried at New 
Carlisle. He was a soldier in the Sixteenth 
Ohio Battery during the Civil "War. In 
politics he was a Republican but took no 
active part in public affairs. In Free Ma- 
sonry he had reached the Knight Templar 
degree. He was a consistent member of 
McKendree Church. He married Celestia 
Iliff, a daughter of James and Mary (Um- 
ble) Iliff, and they had four children — 
Fern, Quinn B., Mildred, and an infant, 
deceased. Quinn B. graduated from the 
Bethel High School and also attended the 
Ohio State University for one year. He 
married Angeline Wright, a daughter of 
Dr. T. M. Wright, and they have a daugh- 
ter, Priscilla. Quinn B. represents the 
fifth generation to reside on and cultivate 
the Mitchell farm. All the Mitchell fam- 
ily have been members of McKendree 
Church. Mildred is a graduate of the 
Bethel High School and also spent one 
year at the Springfield High School and 
one year at the Ohio Wesleyan University 
at Delaware, Ohio. She is now residing at 
home. Mrs. Mitchell, the mother of these 
children, taught school for nine years. 

Fern Mitchell grew to young woman- 



hood in the parental home. She was grad- 
uated from the New Carlisle High School, 
after which she spent one year at the Ohio 
Normal University at Ada and a similar 
length of time at the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- 
versity at Delaware. She married Aus-' 
tin Benson and they have two children — 
Raymond Mitchell and Mary A^irginia. 

Austin Benson is a son of Janies C. and 
Anna (Dunkelbarger) Benson, and a 
grandson of Abraham and Mary (Runkle) 
Benson. The children of the grandpar- 
ents were Barbara, Sarah, Mary, John, 
Abraham, Daniel, James C, Jesse, and 
Simeon. Abraham Benson was born in 
Pennsylvania and after coming to Ohio 
lived in Clark County. 

James C. Benson, now living, was born 
March 2, 1851, and married Anna Dunkle- 
barger, born February 6, 1851, a daughter 
of Samuel Dunklebarger ; they had two 
children — Austin and Charles. Austin 
Benson is well known throughout Miami 
County as a composer and music publish- 
er. Charles, who married Daisy Hall, 
daughter of John Hall, is a physician at 
Tippecanoe City. 

GEORGE W. SCOTT, president of the 
Star Storm Front Company, with plant on 
the corner of East Main and Clay Streets, 
Troy, has been a resident of this city for 
the past thirty-five years. He was born 
in 1849, in Elizabeth Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a son of the late John 
Scott." 

John Scott came to Miami County from 
Pennsylvania, very early and as he was 
a millwright, he built many of the pioneer 
mills here. The later years of his life 
were passed on a farm in this county. He 
was a man of sterling character and deep 



292 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



com-ictions and was one of the first two 
men who bad the courage to vote the Abo- 
litionist ticket in Miami Coimty. 

George W. Scott was reared in bis na- 
tive county and attended the coimtry and 
Troy schools. His first work was done in 
connection with a nursery and he re- 
mained interested iti that for some ten 
years or more, when be was appointed 
deputy-treasurer of Miami County. After 
the close of bis official term he engaged in 
the bugg}^ manufacturing business, found- 
ing the Troy Buggy "Works in 1880, with 
which concern he continued until 1903, 
when he sold his interest, having been 
both president and general manauger of 
the enterprise from its incorporation. Mr. 
Scott then engaged in the manufacture of 
buck-boards until the fall of 1895, when 
be patented the storm front, in the manu- 
facture of which he has been concerned 
ever since. In 1906 the business was incor- 
porated as The Star Storm Front Company, 
of which he has since been president. The 
business includes the manufacture of five 
different styles of storm fronts, all of 
which Mr. Scott invented. It is due to 
Mr. Scott's ability, energy and talent that 
many of the largest manufacturing plants 
now located in Troy have been developed. 
He is an active citizen so far as encourag- 
ing public-spirited efforts go and never 
shirks responsibility for himself. 

In 1873 Mr. Scott was married to Miss 
Emma M. Knoop, who is a daughter of 
"William Knoop, who was a pioneer of the 
county. They have five children, namely : 
Eugene, who is superintendent of the Troy 
factory; Guy, who represents the business 
in Indiana; Beatrice, who is a talented 
vocalist and soloist in the Congregational 
Church choir, at Toledo ; and Euby and 



Marguerite, who reside at home. Mr. 
Scott is a charter member of the order of 
Knights of Pythias. 

JOHN H. CLARK, who holds a fore- 
most place among the enterprising busi- 
ness men of Piqua, is a native of this city, 
his birth having taken place here on Octo- 
ber 16, 1852. He is a son of Harvey Clark, 
who was born in Essex County, New Jer- 
sey, in 1823, and who, coming to Piqua in 
1845, was long numbered subsequently 
among the enterprising and successful 
business men of the city. 

Harvey Clark was for fifteen years a 
member of the grocery firm of Clark & 
Zollinger, and later became a member of 
the firm of Rouzer, Evans & Clark, found- 
ers and machinists. In 1873 be sold his 
interest in the latter concern and engaged 
in the quarrying of stone as a member of 
the firm of H. Clark & Son, they being- 
owners of one of the valuable stone quar- 
ries south of Piqua. He also became one 
of the stockholders and directors of the 
Picjua Strawboard & Paper Company, and 
superintended the building of one of their 
large plants in this city. After having 
thus coutributed for a number of years by 
bis active enterprise to the prosperity and 
upbuilding of Piqua, he retired in 1890 
from active business life. His retirement 
was followed at no great interval of time 
by his death, which took place March 30, 
1902, and which was sincerely regretted 
by his numerous friends and bis old busi- 
ness associates. 

He was prominent in the local councils 
of the Republican party, and was elected 
and served for a while as mayor of the 
city, which position, however, be was 
forced to resign, on account of the press- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



293 



ing nature of his business interests. In 
his latter years he had a winter home at 
Eedlands, California, where he spent a 
portion of his time. He also owned valu- 
able property in that State, including a 
fine, ten-acre orchard, besides quite an 
amoimt of city property in Piqua. In re- 
ligion a Methodist, he belonged to the 
church of that denomination on Green 
Street, of which he was a liberal sup- 
porter. His activity was exercised along- 
various lines in the improvement of local 
conditions and exerted a marked influence 
in business circles. In 1849 he was mar- 
ried to Mary J. Kitchen, a daughter of 
Henry Kitchen, and he and his wife were 
the parents of seven children, all worthy 
and useful members of the community in 
which they reside. 

John H. Clark, or Harry Clark, as he is 
familiarly called, passed his boyhood days 
in the city of his birth, receiving a liberal 
education, including a high school and 
commercial course. He was still quite 
young when he became his father's part- 
ner in the operation of the stone quarry 
before alluded to, and he continued in that 
enterprise until 1889, when the firm sold 
out. Some nine years later, however, they 
repurchased the quarries, which they aft- 
erwards leased. In the spring of 1890 Mr. 
Clark became connected with the Piqua 
Lumber Company, and continued as one 
of the officers of the concern until it was 
merged into the Piqua School Furniture 
Company, when he sold out his interest 
therein. Previously he became interested 
in the Piqua Hosiery Company, which he 
had assisted to organize in 1886, and which 
has an authorized stock of $16,000. The 
company manufactures all kinds of knit 
underwear, their trade amounting to over 



$75,000 annually and the output being 
shiiDj^ed to many of the most prominent 
markets. The business, which is now es- 
tablished on a very solid foundation, is 
still growing and its outlook is very prom- 
ising. Besides being manager of the com- 
pany Mr. Clark holds the office of vice- 
president therein. 

He was a director of the Third National 
Bank until it liquidated, which office his 
father held for many years formerly ; also 
a director in the Piqua National Bank. He 
is besides a stockholder in the French Oil 
Mill Machinery Company and in the Ohio 
Marble Com^jany, and is a member of the 
firm of Clark & Zeigenfelder, engaged in 
real estate operations and engineering. 
Mr. Clark is both a good general business 
man and an excellent financier. He is 
quick to see and take advantage of a good 
business opportunity, but never loses his 
judgTnent and is conservative whenever 
conservatism is the price of safety. 

As his father was, he is a staunch Ee- 
publican in politics. He is now serving as 
one of the members of the Eepublican 
County Central Committee and lends act- 
ive aid in promoting the success of his 
party. He is also president of the City 
Council. He is a member and trustee of 
the Green Street Methodist Episcopal 
Church. His character is one that com- 
mands the respect of the community at 
large and the warm esteem of a wide circle 
of personal friends. Mr. Clark belongs 
to Warren Lodge, F. & A. M., of Piqua, 
and is a thirty-second degree Mason. 

ALBA LLOYD HAESHBAEGEE, sec- 
retary of the Tipp Whip Company, manu- 
facturers of buggy whips, has been a con- 
tinuous resident of Tippecanoe City 



294 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



throughout the entire course of his busi- 
ness life, with the exception of two years. 
He was born November 21, 1859, in Bethel 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a 
son of Isaac D. and Hannah E. (Kable) 
Harshbarger. 

The grandparents of Mr. Harshbarger 
on both sides, were natives of Virginia. 
Henry Harshbarger was an early settler 
in Miami County and died in Monroe 
Townshij). James Kable settled first in 
Greene County, not far from Osborn and 
later moved to Bethel Township, ]\Iiami 
County and from there in 1867, to Illinois. 
He died while on a visit at Tippecanoe 
City. 

Isaac D. Harshbarger was born in Bethel 
Township, Miami County, later resided at 
New Carlisle and still later at Tippecanoe 
City, where he died in 1874, aged thirty- 
seven years. His widow survives and has 
l^assed her seventy-first birthday. They 
were the parents of the following chil- 
dren: Harry J., who is a member of the 
Tijip Whip Company, and married Mary 
Hogendobler, of this city; Mrs. F. G. 
Davis, who resides at Tippecanoe City; 
Mrs. H. S. Hutchins, who resides at Tole- 
do, where her husband is principal of one 
of the public schools; Mrs. H. J. Collins, 
who is the wife of a minister of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church, who is stationed 
at New ]\Iilford, Illinois; and Alba Lloyd. 

Alba Lloyd Harshbarger attended school 
at New Carlisle and the common and high 
-schools of Tippecanoe City, after which 
he took a commercial course at Dayton. 
His first business situation was that of a 
bookkeeper for a business firm at Hamil- 
ton, Ohio, in which he remained for two 
years and then returned to Tippecanoe 
City and here entered into the drug busi- 



ness, with which he continued to be iden- 
tified for eight years. In 1889 he began 
to manufacture whips, organizing with 
others the Tipp AVhip Company in that 
year. The industrj' is in a ijrosperous 
condition and employment is afforded 
thirty-five workmen. 

In 1895 Mr. Harshbarger was married 
to Miss Kittle Staley, a daughter of Sam- 
uel C. Staley. Mr. and Mrs. Harshbarger 
are members of the Lutheran Church. 
Fraternally he is a charter member of the 
Modern Woodmen of Tippecanoe City, be- 
longs to the Eoyal Arcanum, and is a 
member of Tippecanoe Lodge No. 174, F. 
& A. M., Franklin Chapter, No. 24, of 
Troy, and Eeed Commandery No. 6, of 
Dayton. In politics he is identified with 
the Republican party and he has been an 
active and useful citizen and at present is 
serving as a member of the School Board. 

C. G. SNOOK, who is superintendent of 
the Troy Carriage Sunshade Company, one 
of Troy's important business enterprises, 
has been a resident of this city for a quar- 
ter of a century, but he was born in Knox 
County, Ohio. After completing his pub- 
lic school education, Mr. Snook learned the 
trade of carriage trimming, at Mt. Ver- 
non, Ohio, where he remained for four 
years, going from there to McKeesport, 
Penna., for a year and a half and subse- 
quently to Henderson, Kentucky, for the 
same length of time. He then spent one 
year at his trade in Fort AVayne, Indiana, 
and one year again at Mt. Vernon, after 
which he came to Troy and for fifteen 
years thereafter was connected with the 
Troy Buggy "Works Company, during a 
large i^art of this time being foreman of 
the trimming department. In 1900 he be- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



295 



came identified witli tlie Troy Carriage 
Sunshade Company, accepting the super- 
iutendeucy of the plant and acquiring 
stoclv in the concern. In 1893 Mr. Snook 
was married to Miss Anna Counts, of 
Troy, and they have two children, Ade- 
laide Elizabeth and John Lloyd. Mr. 
Snook and family belong to the Episcopal 
Church, of which he is junior warden. 

In politics a stanch Kepublican, Mr. 
Snook takes considerable interest in local 
matters of a public nature and is serving 
as a member at large of the City Council 
of Troy. Fraternally, he is a Knight of 
Pythias and socially is a member of the 
Troy Club, of which he is a director. 

SAMUEL HOEFLICH, one of Coving- 
ton's most substantial citizens and for a 
number of years a leading business man, 
has been engaged in the tobacco business 
here for the past seven years, his large 
warehouse standing on the corner of 
Bridge Street and the C. H. & D. railroad. 
He was born at Dayton, Ohio, December 
31, 1857, and is a son of Charles and Cath- 
erine (Ramph) Hoeflich. The parents of 
Mr. Hoeflich moved from Dayton to Piqua 
in 1858, and from there, aliout 1862, to a 
farm near Covington, on the Gettysburg 
Turnpike, where the father died. He op- 
erated a small distillery. In March, 1864, 
the mother of Mr. Hoeflich moved with her 
children to Covington and conducted a 
boarding house here. She was married 
(first) to John Andrew Kraus and had 
two children, John and C. 6. Of her sec- 
ond marriage, to Charles Hoeflich, was 
born one son, Samuel. 

Samuel Hoeflich was educated in the 
Covington schools. For a number of years 
of business life he dealt in wines and 



liquors, but later turned his attention to 
the tobacco business, in which he is largely 
interested. He erected his large ware- 
house and gives continuous employment to 
five exj^erienced men and several girls. In 
1886 he erected his handsome brick resi- 
dence. Mr. Hoeflich married Miss Lizzie 
Popp and they have three children, Carl, 
Lafayette, and Cleo Cathaiine. He is a 
man of pleasant, social qualities and be- 
longs to the Red Men and the Knights of 
Pythias. Mr. Hoeflich is notably chari- 
table and has done a great deal in the way 
of benevolence in this section. He has 
also generously contributed to various 
public-spirited enterprises which have 
greatly furthered the prosjjerity of Cov- 
ington. 

CHARLES LEONARD WOOD, pro- 
prietor of the Piqua Planing Mill and 
Lumber Company, of Piqua, is one of the 
city's old and reliable business men, one 
whose activities have been almost alto- 
gether in the line of manufacturing. He 
was born June 28, 1841, in New Hamp- 
shire, and is a son of Charles A. "Wood. 

The late Charles A. "Wood came with his 
family to Piqua, in 1843, and for about ten 
years conducted a cooperage business. He 
then resided on a farm for some years but 
later embarked in the manufacture of 
staves and heads, at Dunkirk, Indiana, 
where he lived for seven years. Upon his 
return to Miami County he engaged in the 
lumber business at Piqua, in which he con- 
tinued until he retired. His death oc- 
curred March 17, 1906. 

Charles Leonard "Wood was two years 
old when his parents came to Piqua, in 
which city he was educated both in litera- 
ture and the law, and after studying under 



296 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Attorney McKiuney, lie was admitted to 
the bar in 1865 and entered into practice 
with W. N. Foster, under the style of 
Foster & Wood. After one year of law 
in-actice, Mr. AVood turned his attention 
to manufacturing and has been concerned 
in mamifacturiug i)lants ever since. For 
seven years he was so connected at Dun- 
kirk, Indiana, and for thirty years he has 
been in the lumber business at Piqua, op- 
erating a planing mill and manufacturing- 
doors, sash, blinds and all house wood- 
work. For twenty years he has been in- 
terested in the operation of a large paper 
mill at Kokomo, Indiana. While Mr. 
Wood's natural inclinations led him to 
adopt an industrial rather than a profes- 
sional life, he has never i-egretted his 
early training, realizing that all kinds of 
knowledge are useful to those who are at 
the head of enterprises which atfect the in- 
terests of many employes. 

In 1870 Mr. Wood married Miss Julia 
A. Miller, daughter of William Miller, and 
they have three children, namely : Martha ; 
Mrs. George H. Taylor, of Hartwell, Ohio ; 
and William W., of Kokomo, Indiana. Mr. 
Wood and family are members of the 
Green Street Methodist Eiiiscopal Church, 
of the board of trustees of which he has 
been a member for twenty years, and for 
eleven years he was superintendent of the 
Sunday school. He has been identified 
with many charitable and benevolent move- 
ments; at present he is one of the board 
of trustees of the Ball Memorial Hospital, 
and for twelve years he served on the 
board of directors of the Y. M. C. A. His 
interest in educational matters has always 
been marked and for fifteen years he 
served on the School Board and for ten 
years was president of that body. Coming 



of Eevolutionary stock, he is a member 
of the board of managers of the Ohio So- 
ciety of the Sons of the Revolution. For 
many years he has been a Mason and be- 
longs to Blue Lodge and Chapter at Dun- 
kirk, Indiana. 

DANIEL LONGENDELPHER, whose 
fine farm of 168 acres lies in Concord 
Township, on both sides of the Covington 
Turnpike Road, about two and one-half 
miles northwest of Troy, carries on 'gen- 
eral farming and for many years has also 
engaged very successfullly in the horse 
business. He was bom July 23, 1866, on 
the first farm on which his father settled, 
in Concord TownshiiJ, Miami County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Casper and Eliza- 
beth (Favorite) Longendelpher. 

Casper Longendelpher was born in Ger- 
many and was five years old when his 
widowed mother brought him to Amei'ica. 
She came immediately to Miami County, 
where she later married a Mr. Rose but 
no children were born to that union. Cas- 
per was frequently called by his step- 
father's name. He remained at home until 
his marriage and then purchased a farm 
of forty acres, the same being now a part 
of the Robert McCurdy farm, which he 
later sold and bought 120 acres from Sam- 
uel Oaks. This second farm was situated 
about five miles froni Troy and there Mr. 
Longendelpher lived for a number of 
years. He subsequently acquired other 
farms and now owns 100 acres adjoining 
his old home farm, and also the old Scott 
farm of 143 acres and a comfortable home 
in Troy, where he now resides, at the age 
of sixty-nine years. He married Eliza- 
beth Favorite, who died in June, 1905. 
She was a daughter of Daniel Favorite, 



AND REPRESENTATI^^E CITIZENS 



297 



one of the pioneer settlers of Concord 
Township. They had seven children born 
to them, as follows: Daniel; Sallie; Ida, 
who married Joseph Sigel; Elizabeth, who 
married Elmer Fish; Ella, who married 
John McCurdy; Lillian, who married Lee 
Thompson; and "William, who married 
Mary "Wilhelm. 

Daniel Lougendelpher was two years old 
when his parents moved to the farm on 
which they resided until they retired to 
Troy. As he was the eldest son much of 
the hard work of the farm fell to Ms lot, 
his only brother being the youngest of 
the family. During the winter seasons 
through boyhood, he attended the district 
schools but when he was fourteen years of 
■ age he did the work of a man. He re- 
mained at home and helped his father until 
he was twenty-one years of age and when 
he started out for himself it was entirely 
without capital. He went to work with a 
will and as he had been trained by a strict 
father, he knew everything necessary per- 
taining to the management and develop- 
ment of a farm and also, knowing the 
value of money, he was able to be careful 
in its expenditure, investing only when he 
foresaw adequate returns. This, in a 
measure, explains why Mr. Lougendel- 
pher, although only a middle aged man, 
has been able to build up a comfortable 
fortune for himself, with not one dollar of 
initial help. He has given a great deal of 
attention to raising fine stock, particularly 
horses, and lie has the right idea, that 
only the best is worth all the trouble, time 
and expense that has to be expended. He 
owns eighteen head of horses on his place 
and owns five registered mares and two 
imported mares. Two of liis registered 
stallions are known all through this sec- 



tion. One is "Bud," a four-year-old 
Percheron Gray, and the other is "Billie 
Taft," sold for $800 on May U, to Andrew 
Dewese, also a Percheron Gray two-year- 
old, the former weighing 1,600 pounds and 
the latter 1,400. They are magnificent 
animals. Mr. Lougendelpher bought his 
present farm in 1900, from Freeman Skin- 
ner, and moved on it two years later. In 
1901 his buildings burned and he replaced 
them with the present substantial struc- 
tures, his comfortable residence being an 
eight-room house of large size. 

In 1896 Mr. Lougendelpher was married 
to Miss Emma F. Eosenberger, who was 
born in Virginia, a daughter of Abraham 
Eosenberger. Their family contains four 
children, all sons — George, Joseph, Dan- 
iel, and Eaymond. In politics, Mr. Lou- 
gendelpher is a Eepublican and he has 
frequently been called upon to serve in 
township offices. At present he is a mem- 
ber of the Concord School Board. During 
the time he was in the office of road super- 
visor, the township highways were very 
carefull}^ attended to. Whatever Mr. 
Lougendelpher does at all he does well,' 
aud his thorough-going methods have con- 
tributed largely to his own material pros- 
perity. 

ALEXANDEE M. HEYWOOD, resid- 
ing in his pleasant home at No. 301 East 
Franklin Street, Troy, now retired from 
active participation in- business, is one of 
the honored surviving veterans of the 
great Civil War. He was born October 17, 
1840, in Staunton Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Nathaniel 
Heywood, who was a j^ioneer settler and 
farmer in Miami County, and died when 
his son was two months old. 



298 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



In 1853, wlieu thirteen years of age, Mr. 
Heywood came to Troy and here attended 
school almost uj) to the time of entering 
the military service of his country, in 1861. 
He enlisted in Company H, Eleventh Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry, for three months, be- 
ing the first youth to enlist from Troy. 
He passed safely through his first enlist- 
ment and returned home only to re-enlist 
in Company B, Ninety-fourth Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry, in which he served until the 
close of the war. He was attached to the 
Army of the Cumberland and he partici- 
pated in the following engagements: 
Tate's Ford, Ky. ; Perryville, Ky. ; Stone 
River and Tullahoma, Teun. ; Dug Gap, 
Chickamauga, Ga. ; Lookout Mountain and 
Missionary Ridge, Tenn. ; Ringold, Dalton, 
Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain and 
Marietta, Ga. ; Chattahooche River; Peach 
Tree Creek; Atlanta; Siege of Atlanta; 
Jonesboro; Siege of Savannah; Benton- 
ville; the Raleigh campaign; Johnson's 
surrender and then followed the Grand 
Review at Washington City. 

Mr. Heywood went into the service with 
the rank of sergeant and was promoted to 
be second lieutenant, first lieutenant and 
acting adjutant for one year, and in Janu- 
ary, 18G5, was commissioned captain. Aft- 
er he had reached home he was still further 
honored by being brevetted major. Dur- 
ing his long, arduous and dangerous serv- 
ice he was never seriously injured, al- 
though his place was many times where 
the battle raged thickest. 

For al)out one year following his return 
from the army, ]\Iajor Heywood engaged 
in a grocery business and then retired to 
his farm, on which he lived for the next 
twelve years. Upon his return to Troy he 
conducted an agricultural implement busi- 



ness for six years and was then elected 
sheriff of Miami County and was reelected 
to a second term. He retains business in- 
terests but does not devote much personal 
attention to them. He is a director of the 
Troy National Bank. On October 17, 1865, 
Mr. Heywood was married to Miss Ade- 
laide Harker, who was born and reared at 
Troy. They are members of the First 
Presbyterian Church, Mr. Heywood be- 
ing one of the trustees. He is identified 
with the Grand Army of the Republic. 

HON. THEODORE SULLIVAN, son of 
Samuel and Maria (Crook) Sullivan, was 
born in Montgomery County, Ohio, in 
March, 1843. His grandfather, James Sul- 
livan, emigrated from the South at an 
early day and settled in Clark County, 
this state, where the father of our subject 
was born. Samuel and Maria Sullivan 
were blessed with eleven children, of whom 
Theodore was the third. He attended the 
common schools of Montgomery County 
until sixteen years of age, after which he 
entered Linden Hill Academy, and later 
Antioch College, from which institution, 
however, he did not graduate. 

Deciding to adopt the law as a profes- 
sion, he studied for the bar at Dayton, in 
186-1, where he practiced for a long time. 
In 1867 he moved to Miami County and 
took up his residence in Troy in 1871, in 
which year he was nominated and elected 
county treasurer on the Republican ticket. 
From 1876 to 1891 he practiced law con- 
tinuously and exclusively at Troy, where 
he was connected with some of the most 
important cases that came before the bar 
during this period. In 1891 he was elected 
judge of the Court of Common Pleas of 
Miami County, which position he ably 




HON'. THEODORE SULLIVAN 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



301 



filled imtil liis promotion to the Circuit 
Bench, which event took place in 1899. 
Jiidge Sullivan is still occupying the posi- 
tion of judge of the Circuit Court, Second 
Circuit of the State of Ohio. Such in brief 
is the story of the life of the subject of 
this sketch. 

Judge Sullivan in all the legal phases of 
his life has won the encomiums of all. Bred 
to the law in early life, by careful prepara- 
tion for its sterner duties, he has merited 
the several important positions which he 
has reached. A careful student, a good 
analytical lawyer and an imi^artial judge, 
he has served the jieople to the best of his 
abilit}^ His experience at the bar and on 
the bench has given him a wide range of 
acquaintance, and his genial and courteous 
manners have surrounded him with a host 
of warm friends. He is accessible at all 
times, and when not engaged in the oner- 
ous duties of his position he turns to the 
best literature for reci-eation, finding it 
sometimes an incentive to the more labori- 
ous work of the judge. Possessed of a keen 
legal mind which enables him to grasp the 
intricacies of the causes which beset judges 
of our higher courts, he is eminently fitted 
for the place which he holds today. 

The laity know little of the real work of 
those who are called upon to fill the bench 
of Ohio. These men are too often under- 
rated, and only those who meet them in a 
legel capacity are fitted to estimate their 
true worth. Judge Sullivan has reached 
that period of life when the mind of the 
trained lawyer is at its best, when it is 
superiorly fitted to judge between man and 
man without fear or favor. The home of 
Judge Theodore Sullivan is always open to 
his friends. He knows no distinctions of 
humanitv. Rising from the ranks of his 



own exertions and the endorsements of the 
people, ho is honored whei'ever he is 
known. In politics, as has been said, he is 
a Republican and has often been called 
into the councils of his party. But he pre- 
fers above all things the profession which 
he has followed so long. Judge and Mrs. 
Sullivan have one son, AValter, who resides 
in New York City. 

WILLIAM H. SOWERS, a highly es- 
teemed citizen of Covington, Ohio, where 
he has been living a retired life for the 
past few years, is a veteran of the great 
Civil War, and was born January 9, 1842, 
in Covington, Miami County, Ohio, a son 
of John and Mary (Thompson) Sowers. 

John Sowers was born in Berks County, 
Penna., where he was reared, and as a 
young man came to Covington, Ohio, where 
he was married to Mary Thompson, who 
was born in Newberry Township, the 
daughter of Jolm Thompson. Sylvester 
Thompson, the grandfather of Mrs. Sow- 
ers, came from North Carolina in 1808, 
and for many years ran a still house on 
the home farm in Ohio. His son John, who 
was born in 1798, in North Carolina, ac- 
companied the family to Ohio, and grew up 
on the farm in Newberry Township, south 
of Covington, which adjoined that of the 
Sowers. John Thompson married Katha- 
rine Rench, who was born in Pennsyl- 
vania, and they became the parents of 
twelve children, of whom Mrs. Sowers was 
the eldest ; three died in infancy, and but 
two are now living — Mrs. Catherine Falk- 
ner and Mrs. Lavina Marlin of Covington. 
John Sowers died in 1898, and his widow 
survived him until 1902, at which time she 
was the oldest native-born woman in 
Miami County. 



302 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



William H. Sowers was reared in Cov- 
ington, where on April 19, 1861, he enlisted 
for three mouths' service in the Eleventh 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. On 
Octoher 11th of the same year he became 
a member of the Sixty-fourth Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry, and with that regiment he 
sei'ved until being mustered out of the 
service October 12, 1S6-1-, at Columbus, 
Ohio, he being stationed for nearly all of 
that period at Louisville, Ky. After his 
service, Mr. Sowers returned to Coving- 
ton, but later went to Bradford, where for 
some time he was engaged in the mill and 
grain business, also operating a general 
store with his father and brothers, the 
warehouse and store being in one build- 
ing. In addition to this, Mr. Sowers was 
agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad at 
that time. In 1883 he removed with his 
family to Chicago, where for seven years 
he was iu the employ of the Adams Ex- 
press Company, and he then took charge 
of the parcel room and bureau of informa- 
tion at the Union Depot, Chicago, con- 
tinuing in that capacity until 1905. At this 
time Mr. Sowers returned to Covington, 
where he has since lived a retired life. 
Mr. Sowers has not been in the best of 
health for the past few years, due, no 
doiibt, to his army service, and he spends 
his winters at Hot Springs, Ark. 

In 1862, while at Louisville, Mr. Sowers 
was united in marriage with Luella Dun- 
ning, who is a daughter of James Barry 
and Sarah (Porter) Dunning, the former 
a native of Virginia and one of the early 
grocers of Covington, and the latter a na- 
tive of Kentucky. Two children were born 
to Mr. and Mrs. Sowers, namely: Ed- 
ward, who died at the age of thirteen 
months ; and Nettie, who married Wintield 



Freeman, and died after a married life 
of one year. 

W. S. EBY, secretary of the Piqua 
Granite & Marble Company, doing busi- 
ness at Xo. 521 West Wood Street, Piqua, 
was born at Piqua, Ohio, in 1858, and is a 
son of the venerable William Eby. 

William Eby was born at Hagerstown, 
Maryland, in 1825. He learned the car- 
penter trade and after coming to Piqua, 
in 1852, did a large amount of work in his 
line iu this city, much of which endures. 
He has reached the age of eighty-four 
years and still resides here, one of the 
oldest aud most esteemed citizens. 

W. S. Eby grew to manhood in his na- 
tive place and obtained his education in 
her schools. For about three years in his 
early business life he was interested in 
broom making and then went into the mar- 
ble and granite business with J. F. Hum- 
mel, with whom he continued for nine 
years. Following this, Mr. Eby carried on 
a stone contracting business for ten years, 
after which he formed a partnership with 
J. A. Flatz, under the style of Flatz & 
Eby. This partnership existed for six 
years, when Mr. Flatz was succeeded by 
Mr. Hauk, and the style became Eby & 
Hauk, which continued for four years, 
when the present organization was effect- 
ed. The Piqua Granite & Marble Company 
was formed, with a capital stock of $25,- 
000, and the success of the concern is in- 
dicated by the almost immediate intention 
of advancing the ca^^ital stock to $35,000, 
and the erection of a plant, which in con- 
struction and equipment, will be one of the 
most complete in the State. The new 
plant is to be located on the corner of Col- 
lege aud Water Streets, one of the best 



AND REPRESENTATI\^E CITIZENS 



303 



sites for the purpose that could be se- 
cured. The officers of the compau)- are 
all men of substance and i-eliability : C. 
N. Adlard, president ; P. Hauk, manager 
and treasurer; and W. S. Eb}', secretary. 
The board of directors is made up of the 
following capitalists: C. N. Adlard, J. H. 
Clark, Paul Hauk, J. A. Flatz and W. S. 
Eby. The products manufactured by this 
concern include everything from the mar- 
ble plaything to the most expensive mau- 
soleum. They give constant employment 
to twelve men and this force will be greatly 
increased when their new quarters are 
completed. Mr. Eby has additional busi- 
ness interests, one of these being the Piqua 
Furniture Company. 

In 1881 Mr. Eby was married to Miss 
Eose C. Duncan, a daughter of George 
Duncan, of Piqua, and they have four 
children : Grace D., who is the wife of 
Paul B. Flack, who is in the coal business 
in this city; and Edna, Florence and Car- 
roll. Mr. Eby is a Mason and an Odd Fel- 
low, belonging to the higher branches in 
both organizations. 

JOHN H. EACEE, dealer in real estate 
and breeder of fancy poultry, at Troy, 
formerly was very prominently identified 
with the construction of the leading in- 
terurban railroad lines in this section of 
the State. He was born in 1858, near Lit- 
tle "Washington, in Rappahannock County, 
Virginia, and when sixteen years of age 
accompanied his parents to Greene Coun- 
ty, Ohio, where he lived until grown to 
manhood. 

After completing his education, Mr. 
Eacer entered into newspaper work, be- 
coming editor of the Bellbrook Moon, of 
Bellbrook, Ohio, where he resided for 



eleven years, identifying himself with the 
town's various interests, including the 
building of the Magnetic Hotel. Later he 
l)ecame interested in interurban traction 
and was the first secretary of the Dayton 
& Xenia and the Dayton & Spring Valley 
railroads. There was much opposition to 
the building of these lines and in all the 
complications which arose during their 
construction, Mr. Eacer was prominent, 
the final success of the enterjDrise being 
largely due to his tact, judgment and ex- 
ecutive ability. He then removed to Day- 
ton and was associated there with "Winters 
& Clegg, in the construction of the Dayton 
& Troy Eailroad, having charge of the se- 
curing of the private rights and the fran- 
chises through the incorporated towns. He 
was identified with this road for three 
years, going then to the Cincinnati & Love- 
land Eailroad in the same capacity. His 
health becoming impaired, he retired from 
railroad activity one year later and set- 
tled at Troy. Here he embarked in the 
business of raising thoroughbred poultry, 
and his yards contain many exceedingly 
valuable specimens. He breeds the "White 
Plymouth Eock, the single coml) "White 
Leghorns, the "White Wyandottes, the 
Barred Eock, the Silver Spangled Ham- 
])urgs and others, with the English Eing- 
neck and Golden pheasants. One speci- 
men of the latter is of such beauty and 
value that Mr. Eacer has refused $100 for 
it. His fowls have frequently been on ex- 
hibition and he has the world record of 
96 3-4 "White Leghorns and 951-2 "White 
Plymouth Eocks. During the past year 
Mr. Eacer has done a large business in 
handling Canadian laud, in addition to his 
other activities. He owns 160 acres of 



304 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



laud adjoining- New Dayton, Alberta Prov- 
ince, Canada. 

In 1901 Mr. Racer was married to Miss 
Marj' E. Enyeart, who was born and 
reared at Troy. She is a daughter of John 
L. and Lydia (Martendale) Enyeart, na- 
tives of Bedford County, Pa., and Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, respectively. Mr. 
Racer's fraternal interests include mem- 
bership in the Knights of Pythias and the 
Odd Fellows. 

ENYEARTS— The latter part of the 
Sixteenth Century, two brothers, younger 
sons of the Prince of Holland, of noble 
birth and great wealth, emigrated to Amer- 
ica. The elder went to Pennsylvania and 
settled, the younger to New Jersey. About 
the year 1816, a descendant of the elder 
came west to Ohio and settled in Butler 
County. A few years later several fam- 
ilies of Enyearts settled in Ohio, Warren, 
Butler, Montgomery and Miami Counties 
and some going to Indiana and Illinois. 

The Enyearts are lineal descendants of 
the Black Prince, famous in English His- 
tory, and of Louis XIV. of France, who, 
although perhaps very wicked and proud, 
well deserved the title of "Louis Le 
Grand" as he was called by the French 
people. With two such ancestors the 
Enyearts have every reason to keep a 
family record. William Enyeart, one of 
the descendants, married Jane Vorres. 
William was the father of twenty-one chil- 
dren; his descendants are James, Joseph, 
Silas, Benjamin, Thomas, Levi, Abraham, 
(sisters) Jane, Elenor, Margaret, (half 
brothers and sister), David, John, William 
and Jacob, Rebecca. A number did not 
come west; the writer cannot give the 
names of those. James Enyeart, son of 



William and Jane Enyeart, was born in 
Pennsylvania, 1787, and was married to 
Mary Kessler in the year 1809. He emi- 
grated to Ohio about the year 1819, settled 
on a farm east of Troy, where he lived 
until his death, in 1831, and was buried in 
Knoop's graveyard, east of Troy, on 
Springfield Pike. 

John L. Enyeart, sou of James Enyeart, 
and familiarly known as "Long John," to 
distinguish him from a cousin of same 
name, was born in Bedford County, Penn- 
sylvania, February 2nd, 1812, and came 
to Ohio with his parents in a road wagon, 
as there were no railroads then. He mar- 
ried Lydia Martindale, daughter of Sam- 
uel and Elizabeth Campbell Martindale, 
in the year 1840, and moved on the farm, 
formerly owned by his brother, one mile 
east of Troy, on the Springfield Pike. He 
lived there until the year 1853, when he 
bought 160 acres one mile south of Troy 
on Dayton Pike. In March, 1864, he 
bought another farm, which is now in the 
corporation of Troy, and there lived until 
his death, January 25th, 1867; he was 
buried in the beautiful Riverside Ceme- 
tery. To this union ten children were 
born. Sarah married David Coppock, who 
moved to Superior, Nebraska, and both 
died there. Hester R. married H. H. 
Miller and they are both living in Mound 
City, Missouri. Thomas J. married Eliza- 
beth E. Pearson ; both live in Troy. Eliza- 
beth A. married L. A. McDonald and lives 
in Troy. William died just after return- 
ing from the war. Martha married P. 
Feidt and lives in Sidney, Ohio. Rebecca 
S. married Daniel Elliott and died in May, 
1883. Samuel died at the age of sixteen. 
John M. married ]\Iargaret 'Conner and 
both died a few years after their marriage. 






AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



305 



Mary E. married J. H. Kater aud they live 
in Troy. 

J. A. BKUBAKER & SON, buyers aud 
shippers of graiu and dealers in mill feed, 
coal, flour, drain tile and fertilizers, are 
representatives of the leading business in- 
terests at Rex, Miami County, and their 
trade relations extend over a wide terri- 
tory. James A. Brubaker, the senior mem- 
ber of the lirni, was born in Virginia, De- 
cember 11, 1848, a son of Abraham Bru- 
baker, a part of whose life was spent in 
Virginia. 

AVlien about twenty-tive years of age, 
Mr. Brubaker spent some time in Illinois, 
working as truck gardener, farmer and 
thresher. He came to Ohio, living in Clark 
Coianty until 1876, when lie married and 
moved to Montgomery County and resided 
near the town of Dayton, Ohio, for five 
years. From there JNIr. Brubaker came to 
Miami County and rented a farm of 120 
acres, situated one mile northwest of 
Brandt, in Bethel Township, on which he 
lived for six years, when he moved to a 
farm of thirty acres on Honey Creek, 
Bethel Township, which he cultivated for 
sixteen years. He then sold that property 
and moved to Brown Station or Rex, as 
the ])ostoffice was named, and located at 
his ]u-esent place of business iu 1904. He 
worked occasionally as a painter and be- 
gan in his present large business by buying 
and selliug grain aud hay, but later bought 
out O. L. Sullivan's elevator interests. Mr. 
Brubaker then admitted his son to part- 
nership and the firm has developed into a 
very large concern. They have added 
modern machinery to the original plant 
and make grinding feed and flour a sjiec- 
ialty, in addition to their other indus- 



tries. Mr. Brubaker is a stockholder in the 
First National Bank of New Carlisle. He 
resides on a small jilace of ten acres in 
Bethel Township, and also owns a farm of 
140 acres in I'ratt County, Kansas. 

James A. Brubaker married Miss Eliz- 
abeth C. Arnold, a daughter of Henry H. 
and Magdalene (Crist) Arnold, and they 
have the following children: Alfred A., 
wlio married ^''iola. Rymon, aud has two 
children, Arthur R. and Walter; Adria 
Alice, now deceased, who was the wife of 
Charles Frantz and had one son, Eoy 
(also deceased) and two daughters, 
Arthena and "\'irgie; Henry J., who is the 
junior partner in the firm of J. A. Bru- 
baker & Son; Etta M., who resides at 
home ; and Carson A., who is a member of 
the class of 1912 in the Bethel High School. 
^Ir. Brubaker is a member of the German 
Reformed -Baptist Church. In his polit- 
ical opinions he is a Democrat, but in no 
sense is a politician. 

Henry J. Brubaker was born in Bethel 
Township, IMiami County, Ohio, March 6, 
188(), and his education was secured lirst 
in Glenwood District No. 9, in Bethel 
Township, later in the Bethel High School, 
and afterwards in the Dayton Commercial 
College, at Dayton, Ohio, where he received 
his business training. Upon his return 
home he entered into partnership with 
his father and is a very enterprising mem- 
ber of this business house. He is also 
identified with the Democratic party, but 
only as a worthy and intelligent citizen. 

ABSALOM ROUTSON, who was for 
many years one of the leading business 
men of Covington, passed out of this life 
Novemlier 9, 1908. and was actively en- 
gaged in business when stricken with the 



306 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



brief illness which resulted in his death 
at the age of eighty-three. He was born 
near Fredericksburg, Maryland, Decem- 
ber, 1825, and when quite young his parents 
located for a time in Pennsylvania, later 
moving to Shelby County, Ohio. In 1843 
he came to Covington in order to learn the 
tailoring business from an elder brother. 
Avho died before he had tinished learning 
the trade. He shortly afterward deter- 
mined to engage in business for himself, 
although entirely without capital. He 
l)orrowed $2.50 and with a similar 
amount of his own, went to Cincinnati, 
where, through letters of recommendation 
he jiurchased stock for the store which he 
opened in Covington. He conducted it 
successfully for many years, when he 
merged the store into the largest dry goods 
store in Covington. Mr. Koutson was one 
of the substantial men of Covington, al- 
ways taking a deep interest in the promo- 
tion of the city's welfare, and enjoyed the 
confidence and good will of his fellow citi- 
zens. He was a member and an elder of 
the Presbyterian Church of Covington. 

Mr. Routson was first united in mar- 
riage May 7, 1846, with Martha ^^'. Clark, 
their union resulting in the birth of seven 
children, Hire? of whom are living— Mrs. 
James '1'. Bailniess, of Cnvington; [Tonry 
'\\'ard Beecher Routson, of Covington ; and 
Mrs. Dr. Charles Martin, of Findlay, 
Ohio. ]\Ir. Routson fonneil a second mari- 
tal union March .'^l, ISG!), with Sarah Mar- 
garet Birely, who died January 21, 1906. 
On March 26, 1907, Mr. Routson was 
joined in marriage with Ermina Purdy, a 
native of Covington and a daughter of 
James L. and Prudence (Billingsley) 
Purdy. 

James L. Purdy was born in Perry 



County, Pennsylvania in 1816 and in 1825 
with his father, Thomas Purdy, moved to 
Miami County, Ohio, where they settled 
in AVashington Townshij). His education 
was obtained in the local schools and for 
some years after completing his education 
he taught in the Washington Township 
schools. After his marriage Mr. Purdy 
came to Covington, where he engaged in 
manufacturing chairs, and also conducted 
an undertaking establishment, being for 
many years the only undertaker in the 
citj'. Mr. Purdy was a man of prominence 
and education, and during his later years 
assisted in compiling a history of Miami 
County, the history being in the posses- 
sion of his daughter, Mrs. Routson. Mr. 
and Mrs. Purdy were the parents of two 
children, Ermina. widow of the subject of 
this record; and Thomas, who was killed 
in a railroad accident February 17, 1907. 
He married Kate Darner and to them were 
born four children — Mrs. Grace Brandon, 
of Piqua ; Lucy, wlio resides in Covington, 
and is a stenographer at Geo. Rundle's in 
Piqua ; Ethel, engaged in the millinery 
business in Covington; and John, a book- 
keeper residing in Dayton, Ohio. 

HON. JAMES CLARE HUGHES, one 
of the most prominent members of the 
Miami County bar, now serving as mayor 
of the city of Piqua, was born in Ports- 
mouth, Ohio, February 5, 1875, son of Rev. 
Thomas L. and Horteuse (Clare) Hughes. 

His grandparents on the paternal side 
were Hon. Thomas L. and Ann (Jones) 
Hughes, l)oth natives of AVales, who were 
married in Cincinnati, Ohio. The grand- 
father came to this country when in his 
thirty-fifth year and for some years was 
engaged in mercantile business at Oak 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



307 



Hill, Jackson County, Ohio. He was after- 
wards a prominent official and stockholder 
in the Jefferson Furnace Company, en- 
gaged in the manufacture of pig iron. He 
was a prominent factor in Jackson County 
politics and at one time was elected to the 
Ohio State Legislature on the Republican 
ticket. He became quite well-to-do, and 
was also a man of good education and lit- 
erary ability. He died at the age of ninety 
years in March, 1896. His wife had pre- 
ceded him to the grave many years before, 
dying in 1857 when in her thirty-eighth 
year. They were the parents of five chil- 
dren. 

Kev. Thomas L. Hughes was born in 
Jackson County, Ohio, April 27, 1850. Aft- 
er attending the common schools, he en- 
tered, at the age of fourteen, the Ohio Uni- 
versity, from which he was in due time 
graduated. Subsequently he took a post- 
graduate course at Princeton University. 
He then entered upon the study of law in 
the Cincinnati Law College and in 1874 he 
was admitted to the bar in Jackson County, 
(having previously declined the Repub- 
lican nomination for the State Legisla- 
ture). He practiced his profession in 
Jackson County for two years, during 
which time he served one terai as city solic- 
itor. He began his theological studies in 
187(5 and was licensed to preach in June, 
1877. His first charge was at Eckmans- 
ville and he was subsequently pastor of 
Presbyterian churches at Pomeroy, Ohio 
and at Shelbyville, Indiana. In the fall of 
1892 he became pastor of the Presbyterian 
church at Piqua, Ohio, where he remained 
until his death, which took jilace June 17, 
1900. The degree of I). L). was bestowed 
upon him by Hanover College, and he was 
a man most highly esteemed for his 



scholarly attainments, his pulpit power 
and eloquence and his capability as a prac- 
tical worker along religious and social 
lines of endeavor. By his wife, Hortense, 
who was a native of Jackson County, 
Ohio, he had six childi'en, namely : James 
Clare, whose name heads this article; 
Catherine, wife of J. B. Wilkinson, of 
Piqua; Anna, Thomas L., Mary, and 
Emma. 

James Clare Hughes, after laying the 
foundation of his education became a stu- 
dent at "Washington and Jefferson Col- 
lege, at Washington, Penna., from which 
he was subsequently graduated. He was 
graduated from Indiana Law School, In- 
dianapolis, in June,- 1899, and he was ad- 
mitted to the bar in June, 1900, beginning 
the practice of his profession in Picjua. 
In April of the following year he was elect- 
ed city solicitor of Piqua, and he was again 
elected to the same office in 1903. He was 
first elected mayor of Piqua in 1905 and 
his re-election in 1907 is evidence that he 
gave the citizens an honest and capable 
administration, which may be said, indeed, 
of his entire incumbency of the office. 

Mr. Hughes was married September 22, 
1904, to Anna Blaushe Matthews, of Piqua, 
of which union there is one son, Thomas 
Lloyd Hughes, born jNIay 10, 1906. Mr. 
Hughes is a Presbyterian in religious be- 
lief. As a lawj'er he has made a good 
reputation for ability, and as a citizen and 
public official he is held in high esteem for 
his public spirit, his devotion to duty, and 
liis possession in large measure of those 
magnetic personal qualities which, with- 
out any sacrifice of principle, are potent 
to win and retain friends. All who know 
him will watch his future career with in- 
terest. 



308 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



E. W. LAPE, wlio fills the important 
offices of secretary and treasurer of one 
of Miami County's largest industries, The 
Favorite Stove and Range Company, of 
Piqua, is one of the city's representative 
business men. He was born at Cincinnati 
but in childhood his parents moved to 
Newport, Kentucky, where he received his 
early educational training. This was sui> 
plemented by attendance at Chickering In- 
stitute, at Cincinnati. 

From school Mr. Lape entered the em- 
ploy of Nicholas Patterson & Company, 
with which firm he remained three years, 
going then to W. C. Davis & Co., stove 
manufacturers, and continuing with them 
and their successors until they came to 
Piqua from Cincinnati and entered into 
business as The Favorite Stove and Range 
Company, and for some years he has been 
an important official of this enormous cor- 
poration. 

On October 31, 1890, Mr. Lape was mar- 
ried to ^liss Florence Jeannette Smith, of 
Piqua, and they have four children — E. 
Walter, Martha Taylor, Robert Frame and 
Catherine Jeannette. Mr. Lape is a mem- 
ber of the Church of Christ and belongs to 
the official board. He is a Mason, having 
taken the Knight Templar degree; has 
served New]iort Lodge as Master and was 
Eminent Commander of Newport Com- 
mandery. He is a member also of the 
Piqua Club. 

ELIAS BARNHART, one of Concord 
Township's most substantial citizens, who 
resides on his splendid farm of 240 acres, 
which is situated on the Swailes Turnpike 
Road, about two and one-half miles south- 
west of Troy, Ohio, was born March 18, 
1845, in Montgomery County, Ohio, and is 



a son of Tobias and Sarah (Basore) Barn- 
hart. 

The parents of Mr. Barnhart were born, 
reared and married in Pennsylvania. 
AVhen they decided to move to Ohio, hop- 
ing to secure better farming land than they 
then owned, they jirocured great wagons 
and in them the family and household pos- 
sessions were brought over the mountains 
and across the State line and into Mont- 
gomery County. Tobias Barnhart bought 
a small farm near Dayton and while he 
resided on it took his produce to the mar- 
ket in that city, over roads which no town- 
ship supervisor or road overseer would 
countenance at the present day. Finding 
better farm conditions in Miami County, 
in 1849, he removed his family to Concord 
Township and bought 160 acres of the 
present farm, from a Mr. Dilts, and on 
this place he passed the remainder of his 
life. He erected the present comfortable 
residence after the railway line was built. 
His death occurred when he was aged 
eighty-six years, he having survived his 
wife for some time. They had eight chil- 
dren, namely: AVilliam, Tobias and Ben- 
jamin, all three now deceased; David, who 
lives in Miami County; Elias; Susan, who 
is the widow of James A\ estfall ; Cath- 
erine, who is the wife of Jacob Harlacher, 
of Miami County; and Sarah, who resides 
at Pleasant Hill. 

Elias Barnhart was about four years old 
when his parents came to the present farm 
and his memory goes back to the long 
journey in the covered wagon and his am- 
bition to ride on the top of it. "With his 
twin sister, Sarah, he attended the district 
schools and they were the youngest pupils 
there. He lived at home until after his 
marriage and then bought eighty acres ad- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



309 



joining liis fatiier's farm of 160, on the 
west, and purchased the homestead when 
his fatlier died. He put up all the excel- 
lent buildings on the eighty-acre tract and 
keeps his whole big farm in fine condition. 
He carries on a general line of agricul- 
ture and gives some attention to growing 
tobacco. 

In January, 1871, Mr. Barnhart was 
married to Miss Rebecca Long, a daughter 
of Israel Long, who brought his family 
from Pennsylvania to Miami County. Mr. 
and Mrs. Barnhart have two children : 
Ida j\lay, who is the wife of Charles Chase, 
a well known artist residing at West Mil- 
ton; and Charles, who operates the eighty- 
acre farm. Mr. and Mrs. Barnhart are 
members of the Christian Church and his 
attendance has been so regular that he 
secured a medal, in the shape of a gold 
button, as proof of it. He has seldom 
cared to leave Miami County and while 
he enjoyed a trip to Florida in 1907, he 
was glad to return home. He is a Repub- 
lican in his political sentiments but has 
uever cared to seek public office. 

ROBERT M. WILSON, president of the 
Concord Township School Board and the 
owner of a farm of fortj'-iive acres of well 
improved land, which lies three miles 
southwest of Troy, on the Swailes Turn- 
pike Road, is one of the representative 
citizens of this section and a member of 
one of the old and leading families. He 
was boru in the old log house on the home- 
stead in Concord Townshiji, Miami Coimty, 
Ohio, ]\Iarch 6, 1849, and is a son of John 
and Elizabeth (Debra) Wilson. 

John Wilson was born in Maryland and 
in boyhood accompanied his fatlier, Rob- 
ert Wilson, to iMiami County. Grand- 



father Wilson settled in the woods in Con- 
cord Township, not far from the farm of 
Robert M. Wilson, and there built a log 
cabin, which later gave way to a handsome 
brick house. Robert Wilson subsequently 
moved to a farm in Shelby County, on 
which he lived until his active years were 
over, when he retired to Sidney and died 
tiiere when aged eighty-five years. 

John Wilson, father of Robert M., was 
one of the older members of a large family. 
He assisted his father to clear the farm 
and later cleared one for himself in this 
township and resided on it until the close 
of his life, following farming and truck- 
ing, and for a number of years he had cus- 
tomers in Troy who dejjended upon him 
for their earliest and best vegetables. His 
death occurred May 26, 1907, when he was 
aged eighty-seven years. He married 
Elizabeth Debra, who was born in Union 
Township, Miami County, and survived 
her husband for only three weeks. They 
had the following children : Robert M., 
Henry, Ella, AVilliam, Charles, Mary, 
Rijah, Arthur and Walter, twins; and 
John. Of these Arthur and John are de- 
ceased. 

Robert ^f. Wilson had but meager edu- 
cational opportunities during his boyhood, 
but for a season, while living with his 
grandfather, he went to school in one of 
the old log structures w^here slabs served 
as benches and greased paper took the 
place of glass in the window apertures. 
His father needed his help on the farm, as 
he was the eldest son, and he worked for 
him until he was twenty-four years old. 
In 1874 he purchased the farm from his 
father and later put up all the present ex- 
cellent buildings. He carries on general 
farming to some degree but makes truck- 



310 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ing a specialty and for several years ran 
a wagon to Troy. Formerly he had a nur- 
sery of fruit trees and conducted the busi- 
ness as a representative of the Fanners' 
Nursery Comi)aDy. 

On September 17, 1875, Mr. AVilson was 
married to Miss Allie B. Brown, who was 
born and leared in Concord Township and 
is a daughter of George Brown. They 
have tliree children, namely : Clarence W., 
Yiona May, and Anna. Clarence W., wlio 
lives at Tippecanoe City, was married 
(iirst) to Mary AYeikert, who at death left 
one son, Forest H., who lives with Mr. 
AVilson. He married, second, Ethel Dye 
and they have two children — Ralph M. and 
Mabel F. Yiona May, who married How- 
ard Robins, of Montgomery County, Ohio, 
has two daughters, Martha and Mary 
Anna is the wife of "William Hartman, of 
Concord Township. 

Mr. and Mrs. AVilson are members of the 
Christian Church. In politics he is a 
stanch Republican. For a number of years 
he has been a member of the School Board 
and is serving in his second term as presi- 
dent of this important body. Fraternally 
he is connected with the Odd Fellows and 
the Elks, both lodges being at Troy. 

JOHN G. AVETZEL, one of Covington's 
leading business men, whose interests have 
been centered in this city for the past nine 
years, was born in Union Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, on a farm not far distant 
from the village of Laura, March 8, 1872. 
His parents were Gottleib and Rose 
(Trost) Weizel. The parents of Mr. Wet- 
zel moved from Miami County to a farm in 
Franklin Township, Darke County, Ohio, 
in 1874, and there the father died in 1888. 



The mother still survives and lives on the 
Franklin Township farm. 

J. G. Wetzel remained at home until he 
was twenty-one years of age, helping on 
the farm and securing his education in the 
public schools. His first outside work was 
in a butcher shop at Potsdam, where he 
was emijloyed for one year and he then 
bought the business and conducted it for 
a year and a half, after which he sold and 
engaged in the wagon and horse business 
at the same place, continuing until 1900, 
Avhen he came to Covington. In j\Iarch, 
1902, he suffered considerably from fire, 
his stables burning down, and, although 
he succeeded in getting out his own and a 
number of boarding horses, amounting to 
thirty-seven head, he lost buggies and all 
his stored hay and feed. Ever since conn- 
ing to Covington, his livery stable has 
been his main interest, although in 1906 
he entered into partnership with C. A. Dit- 
mer, under the firm name of Wetzel & 
Ditmer, and carried on a carriage and 
buggy business for one year. Immediate- 
ly following his fire loss in 1902, he trans- 
ferred his horses to the Fosdick barn 
and on the morning following was ready 
for business again. In the fall of 1906 he 
purchased the McGowau barn and tore it 
down, in its place building a fine new 
barn, into which he moved March 4, 1907. 
Again misfortune fell upon him, fire de- 
stroying his stables for a second time, on 
May 27, 1908, in which conflagration he 
lost six head of horses, twenty-two buggies 
and all his feed and hay, meeting with a 
total loss of over $4,000. Mr. Wetzel, how- 
ever, was not discouraged, on the other 
hand he immediately began the erection of 
still larger and more substantial stables 
and by August 10, 1908, he was established 



AND RErRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



311 



in his new quarters. He keeps thirteen 
head of horses, oonducts a first-class livery 
and deals in both horses and buggies. Mr. 
"Wetzel is a good citizen but is not partic- 
ular!}' active in politics. He is a member 
of the order of Ked Men. 

December 29, 1892, Mr. Wetzel was mar- 
ried to Miss Lillian Martzall, of Gettys- 
burg, Ohio, daughter of Martin and Cath- 
erine (Hice) Martzall, natives of Pennsyl- 
vania. Mr. and Mrs. Wetzell became the 
parents of three children — Bryan, Lova 
Bell and Nora. Mrs. Wetzell died at Pots- 
dam, Ohio, May 31, 1900. 

E. E. EDGAR, treasurer of the Hobart 
Electric Manufacturing Company, one of 
Troy's leading manufacturing plants, has 
made this city his home for the past twen- 
ty years. He was born in Wilmington, 
Ohio, in 1870, and is a son of Rev. George 
M. Edgar, a minister in the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 

Mr. Edgar attended various public 
schools through Southern Ohio, where his 
father held charges, until he was eighteen 
years old. He then came to Troy and ac- 
cepted a position as clerk with the Troy 
Buggy Works, going from there to the 
Troy Carriage Company, which he left in 
190-I-, in order to accept his present office 
with The Hobart Electric Manufactur- 
ing Company. He is interested in other 
successful enterprises as a stockholder. 
In 1895 Mr. Edgar was married to Miss 
Elizabeth Campbell, who is a daughter of 
John M. Cam]ibell, of Troy. They have 
one son, John Campbell Edgar. Mr. Ed- 
gar is a member of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church and he is associated with the 
Troy Club. He is a public-spirited citi- 



zen, taking a hearty interest in all that 
pertains to the progress of Troy. 

SETH McCOLLOCH, attorney-at-law 
and secretary and treasurer of the Border 
City Building and Loan Association at 
Piqua, has been a resident of this city 
for the past twenty years. He was born 
at Ridgeway, Hardin County, Ohio, in 
1857, but accompanied his parents to 
Logan County in his childhood. 

Mr. McColloch takes a worthy pride in 
tracing his lineage from those sturdy 
l)ioneers who were the fore-runners of our 
s])lendid civilization. He is a direct de- 
scendant from Robert Zaue, who came over 
with William Penn in 1682, and settled in 
Pliiladelphia, and whose great grandson, 
Isaac, was captured by the Indians, in Vir- 
ginia, while on his way to school, at the 
age of nine years, and who was carried to 
Sandusky, Ohio, and adopted by the Chief 
of the AVyandottes and kept until he ar- 
rived at manhood; and later mari'ied the 
Chief's only daughter, Myeera, but whose 
mother was French. Isaac Zane became 
in'omineut as a member of the Virginia 
House of Burgesses, and exerted a power- 
ful influence in bringing about peace be- 
tween the whites and Indians. 

Mr. McColloch 's grandfather, William, 
married Xancy Zane, one of Isaac Zane's 
daughters, and history says that their 
first child was the first white child born in 
Muskingum County, Ohio. William and 
Nancy McColloch removed to Logan 
County, Ohio, and some of their children 
became her most distinguished citizens. 
Mr. McColloch 's grandfather was a cap- 
tain of scouts in the War of 1812, and was 
killed at Brownstown. now Detroit. 

After completing the common school 



312 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



course aud tlie high scliool course at Kusli- 
sylvania, Logan County, Setli McCollocli 
attended Delaware College and the Ohio 
Wesleyan University. For a munber of 
years I\Ir. McCollocli then taught school, 
after which he took up the study of law 
with the firm of Johnson & Johnson, at 
Pi(|ua, and in lSi*5 was admitted to the 
bar. He immediately located in this city, 
at the same time taking an active interest 
in city politics and suhseciuently serving 
eight years as city clerk. In addition to 
attending to the demands of his practice, 
for the past seven years Mr. McColloch has 
been officially connected with the Border 
City Building and Loan Comjjany. 

In 1888 Mr. McColloch was married to 
Miss Effie G. Wright, of Eushsylvania, 
Ohio, and they have two children, Frank 
J. and Gerald W. ^h: and Mrs. ]\fcCol- 
loch are members of the Presbyterian 
Church, in which lie has been r.ii elder for 
sixteen years. He is fraternally associat- 
ed with the Odd Fellows, the Royal Ar- 
canum and the jNlaecabees. 

NATIIAX IDDIXGS, familiarly known 
as Nate Iddings, president of the Bradford 
Bank, and a member of the grain firm of 
Ai-nold & Iddings, of Bradford, may well 
be called one of the fathers of the town, 
of which he has been one of the most prom- 
inent and stirring citizens for a period of 
forty years, or since 1869. 

He was born on a farm near Pleasant 
Hill, in Newton Townshi)*. this count}', 
jMaicli 17, 1841, son of David and Sarah 
(Hill) Iddings. His paternal grandfather 
was Josei)li Iddings, whose father (great- 
grandfather of the subject of this sketch) 
came to Ohio from South Carolina, settling 
on a large farm situated on the boundary 



line between Montgomery and Miami Coun- 
ties, a part of the farm lying in each 
county. This immigration occurred in 
171)6, at which time Joseph, grandfather of 
Nathan, was but a boy. He followed agri- 
culture, as did also his son, Davis Iddings, 
who was born in the locality southeast of 
Pleasant Hill, and who, as has already 
been seen, married Sarah Hill. 

The subject of this sketch was reared 
on the farm and in his boyhood attended 
the country schools. He afterwards taught 
school for four years in Miami County, in 
the vicinity of Troj" and Pleasant Hill, and 
])roved a successful teacher. Subsequent- 
ly, in the furtherance of a laudable ambi- 
tion, he took uj) the study of law, under 
the guidance of Alexander Long, and after 
thoroughly mastering the principles of the 
]n-ofession, was admitted to the bar at Cin- 
cinnati, in Ai)ril, 1862. Instead of at once 
devoting himself to the practice of his pro- 
fession, he took up the business of court 
reporting, which he followed thereafter 
for thirty-five years, serving as court re- 
])orter in ten different coimties in the west- 
ern ]iart of the state. He reported in 
shorthand the first trial in Miami County, 
at which Judge "Williams presided. Dur- 
ing all this time he made his home in Brad- 
ford, taking an active part in the imiu-ove- 
ment and development of the town, and 
being generally recognized as one of its 
foremost citizens, as he was also one of its 
first comers. Indeed it is said that he had 
but one predecessor — John S. Moore — who 
opened a grocery store in the place when 
there was scarcely anything here but a 
primitive railway station, consisting of a 
box car set up at the side of the track, and 
a woodyard, where the locomotives were 
accustomed to replenish their stock of fuel. 




NATE IDDINGS AND GRANDCHILD 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



313 



Mr. Iddings was right ou the heels of 
Mr. Moore, opening a general store almost 
before the latter had liad time to get his 
trade well started. From that day until 
the present he has been an active factor 
in the business life of the town; and not 
only in its business life, but in practically 
every part or phase of its development as 
a progressive community. In the early 
days, he, with Frank Gulich, organized the 
voting precincts, and in spite of opposi- 
tion from the towns of Covington and Get- 
tysburg, had the village incorporated, and 
the special school district of Bradford, 
]\Iianii and Darke Counties established. 
He was one of the members of the first 
board of education, and was, more than 
any other member, responsible for the es- 
tablishment of the schoolhouse on its pi-es- 
ent site, which result was secured only 
after a long and determined fight on his 
part, the question being finally settled by 
an appeal to the popular vote. An inter- 
esting account of this contest may be 
found in the historical part of this volume 
— in the chapter devoted to Education. 

For over thirty years Mr. Iddings has ' 
been attorney for the Pennsylvania Eail- 
road Company. In 1893 he organized the 
Bradford Bank, of which he has since been 
the efficient president. lie is the owner of 
a large amount of valuable agricultural 
jH'operty, including some ten farms in Mi- 
ami and Darke Counties, Ohio, aggregat- 
ing about 1,500 acres. He also owns about 
400 acres south of Pleasant Hill— the old 
home place — on which farm stands the 
largest barn in the state, 100x50 feet in di- 
mensions and three stories in height, with 
mansard roof. 

During his long and strenuous career, 
IMr. Iddings has been able to devote a few 



leisure moments to literary pursuits, and 
his interesting historical sketches, dealing 
with local subjects, and embodying for the 
most part his personal reminiscences of 
men and things, have appeared from time 
to time in the local journals to the intei*- 
est and edification of our citizens. His 
own life is an integral part of the history 
of the town — and, it may be said, of the 
best part of it. He has never shirked his 
duty as a good citizen, but on more than 
one momentous occasion, has stood to his 
guns and maintained his positon in spite 
of the resolute efforts of those who were 
opposed to his ideas and who were in the 
majority; and this he has done, not fi'om 
any unreasoning spirit of obstinacy, but 
from the fact that he had carefully studied 
the situation and knew that the plan he 
advocated would in the long run be for the 
best interests of the community. He has 
always been a man of action, quick to seize 
the salient point of a position and profit by 
his advantage while others were still en- 
gaged in reconnoitreing. As General 
Grant said, when ho saw his opportunity 
at Fort Donelson, "The one who attacks 
first will win, and the enemy will have to 
be quick if he gets ahead of me." so Mr. 
Iddings in every important turning-point 
of his career, has acted on the same prin- 
ciple, — with wliat success those who know 
him will be ready to testify. 

~S\v. Iddings was married in 1868 to 
Nancy Patty, a daughter of Charles Patty. 
T]ie\' liave had one child, a son Frank, who 
married Lillian Allies, and has a daughter, 
]\nidred. 

In addition to the agricultural property 
owned by Mr. Iddings, which has been 
already referred to, he is also the owner 
of about sixtv houses m Bradford, which 



314 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



he rents. He is a member of the Masonic 
Order, and is at once the guide, jihiloso- 
pher and friend of every interested en- 
quirer into the history of the town in 
which he has for so many years made his 
home. 

JACOB P. DOLL, wliose vahiable farm 
of sixty acres is situated in Concord Town- 
shij), about two miles west of Troy, on the 
north side of the McKaig road, was born 
at Troy, Ohio, Marcli 26, 1861, and is a 
son of Frederick and Barbara (Frank) 
Doll. 

Conrad Doll was the paternal grand- 
father and when his son Frederick was 
about five years old, he brought his family 
from Germany to America, coming direct- 
ly to Troy, Ohio, which was then a small 
village. His house stood on the present 
site of the big Haner warehouse, and from 
there he moved to the present farm of his 
son, Frederick, which is in Monroe Town- 
ship, six miles southwest of Troy. He 
started to clear his land but met with an 
accident, a tree falling on him, which 
caused his death fifteen hours later, in 
March, 1861. He had two children to sur- 
vive infancy, Frederick and Jacob, both 
natives of Germany and both living in 
Monroe Township, Miami County. 

Frederick and Jacob Doll were both 
young when they were left fatherless but 
th^'y had been thriftily taught to be indus- 
trious and each one did his share in clear- 
ing up the farm, attending school when 
they could spare the time. Frederick Doll 
married Barbara Frank, who had accom- 
panied her parents from Germany when 
seventeen years of age. They lived at 
Troy until after the birth of their oldest 

* « 

son, Jacob P., and then went back to the 



farm, where they still reside. Their other 
children were: Samuel, now deceased; 
Catherine, wife of Newell Kerr; Mar}% i 
who married George Runnings and resides 
in Chicago ; Elizabeth, wife of George 
Butts; George, Fred and Charles; and 
Dora, wife of Harry Fox. 

Jacob P. Doll attended the district 
schools and lived at home until his mar- 
riage in 188-1, when he went to housekeep- 
ing on the i)reseut Levi Switzer farm in 
Concord Township, which he rented for 
one and one-half years. He then rented 
the Henry Eyer fai"m in Lost Creek Town- 
ship for four years, after which he bought 
his present farm from the Williams 
Brothers. A residence was in course of 
construction and Mr. Doll completed it 
and later, when the old barn burned down, 
he relniilt it. He carries on a general line 
of farming, giving seven acres to tobacco, 
and is numbered with the prosperous 
farmers of the township. 

On July 24, 1884, Mr. Doll was married 
to Miss Dora Kerr, a daughter of John C. 
Kerr, of ]\Iiami County, and to this mar- 
riage have been born six children, namely: 
John, who lives in Monroe Township, mar- 
ried Elizabeth Knife, and they have one 
son, Ralph ; Nina ; Clarence, who attends 
the Troy High School ; Frank, who died 
when aged two years and eight months; 
and Mary and Stella. Since he was six- 
teen years of age, Mr. Doll has been a 
member of the German Lutheran Church. 
Mrs. Doll was reared in the Christian 
Church. In politics he is a Democrat but 
no office-seeker. 

CHARLES A. BILLETT, a progressive 
and substantial citizen of Brandt, where he 
conducts a general mercantile business, is 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



315 



also associated with his sister, Miss Caro- 
line E. Billett, ill a general store at Miami 
City, of which he is half owner. Mr. Bil- 
lett was born Se^iteinber 17, 1866, a native 
of Miami City, Ohio, and is a son of Ru- 
dolph and Sarah (Doggett) Billett. 

Mr. Billett attended school at Aloony 
until he was fifteen years of age. He 
then went into the country and worked on 
a fann until he was twenty-two years old, 
after which he spent one year in the capa- 
city of salesman for a carriage and buggy 
firm, selling fruit trees as a side line. 
Again he turned his attention to farming, 
buying eighty acres of land in Illinois, but 
four years later sold out, in the meanwhile 
acquiring a farm of fifty acres which is 
situated near ]\Iiami City. This lie sold in 
1898, and became an active partner with 
his sister in merchandizing, their combined 
enterprise resulting in the successful op- 
erating of two stores. Mr. Billett now is 
sole proprietor and owner of the Brandt 
store and he took up his residence at 
Brandt on March 12, 1900. He is an expe- 
rienced merchant, having previously con- 
ducted a general store at Tij^pecanoe City 
and at Kessler Station, disposing of his 
interest at the latter point in 1899. He is a 
stockholder in the City Bank of Tippe- 
canoe City and he owns a handsome resi- 
dence and valuable store property at 
Brandt. 

Mr. Billett married Miss AVilda Fern 
Neal, a daughter of William and ]Martha 
Neal, and they have three children, ]\rarie. 
Homer D. and Floyd E. He is a member 
of the Lutlieran Church, and like his late 
father, early identified himself with the 
Democratic party. He is a member of the 
Odd Fellow's lodge at Brandt. 



REV. ANTHONY J. .MENTINK, the 
esteemed pastor of St. Patrick Church, 
Troy, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, De- 
cember 11, 1877, being one of the six chil- 
dren of Anthony and Rosalie (Weiters- 
hagen) Mentink. ITis father, a native of 
Holland and a blacksmith, is now a resi- 
dent of Cincinnati, where he still follows 
his trade. 

The subject of this sketch received his 
earlier educational training in St. Gregory 
Seminary and completed his theological 
studies at St. Mary's of the West. He was 
ordained to the priesthood in 1902 by the 
Most Rev. William H. Elder, then bishop 
of Cincinnati, l)ut now deceased. His first 
charge was as assistant priest at St. An- 
thony's Church, Cincinnati, where he re- 
mained until 1906, when, on March 80th 
of that year, he was transferred to his 
present parish as pastor. 

This parish, which has an interesting 
history, dates back to 1858, which year saw 
the erection of the first Catholic church 
edifice in this locality. Previous to that 
date, however, it had been customary for 
the few Catholics who lived in and near 
Troy to gather at the home of John Dana- 
her, now deceased, but who then resided 
on East Main Street. Here the first Holy 
Sacrifice of the Mass was offered in 1857, 
the congregation then numbering about 
twenty families. Divine service was held 
about once a month. Their increasing 
number soon made more commodious quar- 
ters a necessity, however, and accordingly 
when the Hon. J. E. Pearson, probate 
judge, offered them the use of his court 
room, which was located on the second 
floor of the building on AVest Main Street, 
east of the sheriff's present residence, they 
gratefully accepted the offer. But while 



318 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



inakiug use of this room they looked for- 
ward to the day when they might have a 
House of Prayer which they might call 
their own and which they might enter at 
any moment to worship the one true God, 
and all worked with might and main to 
that end. As the result of their efforts the 
edifice to which reference has already been 
made, was erected on the southeast corner 
of Crawford and AVater Streets and was 
dedicated by the Rt. Eev. Bishop Rose- 
craus, brother of General Rosecrans of 
Civil War fame. Twenty-five years later, 
in 1883, the church was enlarged to its 
jn'esent dimensions liy the Rev. J. M. Peld- 
mann and rededicated l)y the most Rev. 
Archbishop William Henry Elder. 

The need of the growing parish now de- 
manded a parochial school for the proper 
education of its youth, and under the able 
direction of the Rev. F. H. Bene, the con- 
gregation worked unitedly and persistent- 
ly until the pi-esent school was erected, 
completely equi[)ped and without the en- 
cumbrance of a debt. There are now sixty 
pui)ils in the school, which is in charge of 
two Sisters of the Precious Blood. The 
members of the Parish include about sev- 
entj' families, including about 320 souls. 
In September, 1908, tlie congregation cele- 
brated the Golden Ju))ilee of the church- 
its fiftieth anniversary, upon which occa- 
sion suitable services were performed^ 
among them a solemn requiem High Mass 
for the deceased founders and benefactors 
of St. Patrick Church. — The parish at the 
present time is gathering funds for the 
erection of a new church in the near future. 

EDWARD L. SWITZER, who very suc- 
cessfully operates his father's farm of 160 
acres, which is situated in Concord Town- 



ship, about four and one-half miles west 
of Troy, on the Troy and Pleasant Hill 
Turnpike Road, eighty-three acres lying on 
each side, was. born December 11, 1873, on 
a farm in Xewton Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio. His parents, now living retired 
in great comfort at No. 213 May Street, 
Troy, are Levi and Sarah (Zeigler) 
Switzer. 

Levi Switzer was born in 1837, in Penn- 
sylvania, and was a boy of fourteen years 
when the long trip was made from there, in 
a great covered wagon, to a wilderness 
farm in Miami County. His father, Will- 
iam Switzer, settled about three miles 
northeast of Pleasant Hill, in Xewton 
Townshii), and lived there for many sub- 
sequent years. AVilliam died at Pleasant 
Hill, to which he had retired, at the age of 
eighty-six years. He had accomplished the 
clearing of the farm, which he sold to his 
son, Jacob Switzer, who still owns it. He 
had four daughters and two sons, namely: 
Mary, who is the widow of Samuel Divens ; 
Cassie, who is the widow of John Varner ; 
Eliza and Sarah, both deceased; and Levi 
and Jacob. 

Levi Switzer grew to manhood on the 
home farm and then married Sarah Zeigr 
ler, also a native of Pennsylvania. For 
some years after their marriage they lived 
on rented farms but later Levi Switzer 
bought the farm in Concord Township, 
from Nathan Frazier and resided on it un- 
til he retired from active life. His two 
sons are Jesse, who resides at Dayton, and 
Edward L. 

Edward L. Switzer was twelve years 
old when his jjarents came to the farm 
under consideration and this place has al- 
ways been his home. He obtained his 
education in the district schools, after 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



317 



wliirli he worked for his father until his 
marriage, when he took charge. He car- 
ries on a general farming line, growing 
ten acres of tobacco, and feeds considera- 
ble stock. 

On November 12, 1896, Mr. Switzer was 
m;irric>d to Miss Bertha M. Wilson, a 
daughter of R. F. AVilsou, a leading citizen 
of this section. Mr. Switzer and wife have 
many friends. They are members of the 
Christian Clmrcli. In politics, he is a 
Republican. 

JOSEPH E. WILKINSON, a respected 
resident of Piqua, was born in Shelby 
County, Ohio, in 1844, son of Isaac A. and 
Ruth R. (Persinger) Wilkinson. His pa- 
ternal grandfather came to America from 
near Antrim, in the north of Ireland. The 
subject of this sketch, who is the young- 
est of six brothers, was reared on a farm 
and remained with his parents until reach- 
ing the age of eighteen years. He then 
enlisted — on August 1, 1862 — in the Nine- 
ty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Com- 
pany C, the regiment being organized at 
Lima. He served with it in the Kentucky, 
Tennessee and (Jeorgia campaigns, and 
participated in the battles of Stone River 
and Chickaniauga, one of his brothers be- 
ing killed in the latter engagement. 

On Sunday after this battle, while ren- 
dering assistance to a wounded comrade, 
he was ca]itured by the rebels. After serv- 
ing a long i)eriod of imprisonment he was 
finally released and returned home in Oc- 
tober, 1865. He then attended school for a 
time and prepared himself for teaching, 
which profession he followed for about 
eight years. In 1875 he married Mary A. 
McKee, of Piqua, Ohio, a daughter of John 
and Catherine (Kerns) McKee, and soon 



afterwards located at Sidney, where he 
engaged in the lumber and planing-mill 
business. In 1881 he sold his interest in 
this industry to accept the appointment of 
postmaster of Sidney. Mr. Wilkinson's 
family consists of three children, Kather- 
ine L., John A., and Thomas R. Mrs. Wil- 
kinson died January 4, 1909. 

Having spoken of his long imprisonment 
during the war, it is fitting that we speak 
more fully on the subject, as illustrating 
some of the horrors and barbarities in- 
flicted by a people of pretended civiliza- 
tion and culture ui)on the helpless prison- 
ers of war. We will present a sketch of 
Mr. Wilkinson's life in southern prisons 
just as he narrated it to us. 

"I was captured at Chickamauga, Sep- 
tember 20, 1863, and conveyed to Belle 
Island, Virginia, where I was confined a 
few days. 1 was then taken to the city of 
Richmond and conliued there until in De- 
cember, at which time it became under- 
stood there would be no further exchange 
of jn'isoners, and about five thousand of 
us were transported to Danville, Virginia, 
and confined in tobacco-houses until the 
following April. During our confinement 
at this place smallpox broke out among the 
])risoners and proved very malignant in 
type. Unfortunately I was prostrated by 
the disease, but passed through it and 
acted as nurse for several weeks in what 
tliey called the "hospital." It did not de- 
serve the name, for we had no medicine 
whatever, except red pepper pods, which 
we boiled and administered the tea to the 
sick, with apparently beneficial results, as 
it seemed to hasten the striking out of the 
disease. At this time there were twenty- 
three of my regiment with nie, but, alas, 
nineteen of the number died in the prison 



318 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



pen, and only four ever saw the old flag- 
again. 

"In April, 18G4, we were moved to An- 
dersonville, Georgia, a distance of about 
seven hundred miles. AVe were transport- 
ed over this distance in close box cars, 
there being from sixty to ninety of us in 
each car. The trip occupied seven days, 
and during that time none of us were per- 
mitted to leave the cars for any purpose 
whatever. When we reached Andersou- 
ville a number of dead men were found in 
each car. The sight of this new prison 
made many of the boys look down-hearted, 
as they contemplated the evidences of hor- 
rid cruelty, and thought of the govern- 
mental policy which refused exchange of 
prisoners. The question. Can we endure 
another eight months of this torture! was 
staring us in the face and demanding an 
answer we could not give. Arriving April 
19, 1864, we found but few prisoners on 
our arrival, but each day brought in old 
prisoners from other places of confine- 
ment. Andersonville is situated about one 
hiuidred and sixty miles south of Atlanta, 
and is quite an obscure place, scarcely 
worthy of a village name. The prison pen 
W'as out in the open field, in which a num- 
ber of tref s and stumjvs were yet standing. 
We made pood use of the time laying in a 
supply of wood, which we buried in the 
groimd, and then slept over it to prevent 
it being stolen. All the time our number 
increased by the arrivals each week, until 
in August the number reached thirty-five 
thousand. 

We remained until September, 1864, 
when the advance of Sherman after the 
captui'e of Atlanta alarmed the Eebel Gov- 
ernment touching our safety, and it was 
determined to remove us. We were then 



transported to various points in the south, 
about one-third being sent to Florence, 
South Carolina, a similar prison, but one 
which proved even more destructive to life 
than Andersonville. With many others I 
was sent to Charleston, South Carolina, 
and put in such a position as to defy our 
government and prevent our army from 
further shelling the city. After being kept 
in this position about thirty days, we, too, 
were sent to Florence. My experience at 
Andersonville is too horrid to relate, and 
almost beyond belief. It is sufficient to say 
the rebel history makes this statement 
touching the fatality in the prison: April, 
1864, one in every seventeen died; May, 
one in every twenty-six; June, one in every 
twenty-two; July, one in every eighteen; 
August, one in every eleven; September, 
one in three; October, one in two; and 
November, one in every three. 

Think of it for a moment. To realize it 
fully put yourself in our position and see 
the increase of the death-rate, iintil after 
risking a thousand chances you find in No- 
vember that the chances are even, and 
then think of that mortality which carried 
oft' thirteen thousand of our boys, actually 
starved to death in a land of civilization 
and plenty. To add one mure horror to 
the picture, recall the infamous and dia- 
bolical order of John H. Winder, com- 
mander of prisons, who, hearing of the 
capture of Atlanta, and fearing for our 
safety, issued the following notice, which 
he posted prominently before the i)ris- 

onei'S : 

" 'Order No. 1.3. 

" 'The officers on duty and in charge of 
the Battery of Florida Artillery at the 
time, will, upon receiving notice that the 
enemy has approached within seven miles 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



319 



of this jtost, open upon the stot-kade with 
grapesliot, without reference to the situa- 
tion beyond these lines of defense. 

"'(Signed.) John H. AVinder, 

" 'Brig.-Gen'l Com'g.' 

"Think of a man issuing an order for 
foiiy guns to open a deadly fire upon thir- 
ty-tive thousand unarmed, sick and help- 
less prisoners. It is an infamy so dia- 
bolical that history need not be asked for 
a parallel. It has been said that this man 
"Winder 'died a peaceful death.' Perhaps 
so ; in such case justice had not yet been 
meted out to him, and stern must that jus- 
tice be which will ever pay him back in 
currency of his own coinage. 

"At Florence the prisoners numbered 
about eleven thousand. Most of us had 
already been imprisoned about twelve 
months, and were wearing the same cloth- 
ing in which we had been captured. That 
clothing had become so ragged and tat- 
tered that it scarcely covered our naked- 
ness. Winter was approaching and no 
])rospects of release further than the ad- 
vance of Sherman. Mortality was tliin- 
ning our ranks and our jirison was a char- 
nal house. Rations were reduced. For 
four months one pint of coarse corn meal 
was a daily ration, no salt or meat of any 
kind, and iialf the time no nciod to cook it. 
All we could do was to mix our meal in 
water and drink it without boiling or oth- 
erwise cooking it. Such surroundings, 
such starvation and exjjosure told terrilily 
against us, and the monthly mortality foot- 
ed up forty per cent. In my eighteen 
months' ])rison life none was more severe 
than that at Florence. 

'"From Florence I arrived at Richmond, 
March 10, 1865, about one year after leav- 
ing it. AVe were sworn not to take up 



arms against the Confederate Govern- 
ment until duly exchanged. Six hundred 
of us were then taken down the James 
River and turned over to United States 
officers. Quite a number of these were old 
l)risouers. For myself, it had been eight- 
een months since I had seen the old flag 
beneath which I had marched and fought. 
We were all -sick and weak, but as we came 
in sight of the starry banner we yelled 
wildly and crazilj- at the top of our voices. 
The rebel authorities threatened to pre- 
vent our outbursts of cheers, but we were 
in sight of our men and could not be re- 
strained. We told them we would yell and 
every one of us kept our word. The happi- 
est moment of my life was when I stepped 
ashore. Stepping from the boat we were 
met by Northern ladies, who had provided 
sandwiches and coffee for our reception. 
One of them— she seemed an angel — hand- 
ed me a cup of coffee, which I gladly ac- 
cepted and drank, but my stomach revolt- 
ed at an article it had not known for a 
year and a half. The lady saw and appre- 
ciated my difficulty, and, as if I were her 
own child, she uttered the words 'Poor 
fellow' so sympathetically that they almost 
overcame me. Those words were the first 
I had heard uttered by a woman from the 
time of my captivity, and they came like 
an angel's lienediction. 

"This is all long .since passed, but while 
men)ory lasts I will not forget that the 
])risons of the South were conducted by 
heartless and murderous agents. It . is 
needless to add anything to this Inief re- 
cital. The words convey horror enough, 
but a more revolting chapter may be read 
between the lines. We know that the 
South, with all the dignity of insulted 
])ride, has denied the charge of inhuman 



320 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



treatment of war prisoners; but the boys 
who suffered, as well as the thousands who 
died, attest tlie trutli of the charge with 
an unanimity which cannot be cliallenged 
by a reasonable man." 

WILBUR DeBOIS UPDIKE, who 
farms the DeAVeese farm of eighty acres 
in Concord Townshi}), Miami County, 
Ohio, was born on a farm in AVarren Coun- 
ty, Ohio, September 26, 1875. He is a son 
of Gideon (1. and Louisa (Carson) Updike, 
and a grandson of Jacob L^pdike. 

Jacob Updike was born and reared in 
New Jersey, and there cast his first presi- 
dential vote for William Henry Harrison 
in 1840. Upon his removal to Ohio, he 
located in Warren County, but the last 
days of his life were spent in Miami Coun- 
ty, on a farm north of Troy. He and his 
wife both lived to advanced age. They 
were ])areuts of two children : Gideon 
Gray; and Addie, who is the wife of Frank 
Vandeveei'. 

Gideon Gray Updike was born in New 
Jersey, on Christmas Day, 1848, and was 
reared to manhood in that state. As a 
young man he came west to AVarren Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and worked at carpentering a few 
years. One year after his arrival he re- 
turned to New Jersey and was married to 
^liss Louisa Carson, whom he brought 
back to his new home. Thej' lived in War- 
ren County a short time, then moved to 
Miami County and rented the Culberson 
farm north of Troy. After renting for a 
few years he purchased a farm in Eliza- 
betli Township, near the Children's Home, 
where they have since lived. He has 
raised tobacco quite extensively and has 
done well in a l)usiness way. He and his 
wife became parents of two childreri: Wil- 



bur I). ; and Ada, deceased wife of Larkin 
Hole. 

AVilbur D. Updike was about four years 
of age at the time of his parents' removal 
to Miami County, where he received his 
schooling and grew to maturity. As a boy 
he worked in a nursery and when seven- 
teen years old began farming, continuing 
on the home place until his marriage. Since 
1906 he has farmed the place of his wife's 
mother, located about three miles south- 
west of Troy, in Concord Township, and 
has made good business progress. He 
confines his activity to general farming. 

In October, 1902, Mr. I'pdike was united 
in marriage with Miss Ora J. DeAVeese, a 
daughter of Alexander and Sarah (Say- 
ers) DeWeese. Mr. DeAVeese died in 1903 
and is survied by his widow. The subject 
of this record and his wife have one son, 
Robert F., who was born in September, 
1904. Religiously, they are members of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a 
Eepublieau in politics. He is a member of 
Troy Lodge No. 43, I. 0. 0. F. ; and Con- 
cord Encampment No. 23, I. 0. 0. F. 

PETER APPLE, who owns 106 acres of 
very fine land in Lost Creek Township, 
the old Isaac Stensman farm, was born 
March 12, 1849, on his father's farm near 
St. Paris, Champaign County, Ohio, and 
is a son of Adam and Mary Ann (Pence) 
A])ple. 

Adam Apple was born in Pennsylvania, 
of German jDarents. He came to Ohio in 
early manhood and started out in life with 
a sole capital of twenty-five cents, all he 
could call his ovm. Considering that he 
lived to be the owner of eleven farms of 
eighty acres each, his material success was 
verv remarkable. He settled in the neigh- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



321 



borhood of St. Paris, when he came to 
Ohio, and lived there at the time of his 
death, when aged seventy-five years. He 
was twice married and the children born 
to his first union were: Daniel, John, 
Adam J., Abraham, Godfrey, Lucy, Sarah, 
Nancy and David (killed in Civil War). 
Some are still living. His second marriage 
was to Mary Ann Pence, who died when 
aged sixty years. The children of this 
union were: James, who is deceased; Pe- 
ter; Ella; Augusta, deceased, and two that 
died in infancy. 

Peter Apple remained at home in Cham- 
paign County until his own marriage, 
working for his father on the farm and in 
boyhood attended the district schools when 
possible. His father was a strict and fru- 
gal man and expected a large amount of 
hard work from his sons. After marriage, 
Mr. Apple lived on his own farm of seven- 
ty-eight acres, which was situated in John- 
son Township, Champaign County, until 
1906, when he sold it to his brother Abra- 
ham and then bought his present projierty, 
which lies on the north side of the Peter- 
son Turnpike Road, in Lost Creek Town- 
shiiJ. ^Ir. Apple found it unnecessary to do 
much improving, as substantial fann build- 
ings were already on the place. He raises 
the usual grains that do well in this sec- 
tion and enough good stock for his own 
use. 

In April, 1869, Mr. Apple was mai'ried 
to Miss Barbara Poorman, a daughter of 
Jacob Poorman, who came to Ohio from 
Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Apple have 
had the following children : Alfred, who 
lives near St. Paris, married Annie Hawes, 
and they have four children — Ella, Grace, 
David and Paul; Elizabeth (deceased), 
wlio married Pierce Maggert; Maggie. 



who died young; Jacob, wlio operates the 
home farm for his father, married Doska 
Sturm, and they have two children — Marie 
and Leon; and Mary, who married Charles 
Curtis, a farmer in Brown- Township, and 
has three children — Goldie and Gladys 
(twins), and Helen. Mr. Apple and fam- 
ily are members of the Lutheran Church 
at 8t. Paris. In politics he is a Democrat. 

JESSE BUEKETT, one of Troy's 
prominent retired citizens, formerly coun- 
ty treasurer and for a number of years a 
public official of Miami County, is also a 
surviving officer of the great Civil War, 
having given a long period of his young 
manhood to the service of his country in 
her hour of need. He was born in 1835, 
in Jefferson, North Carolina, and was 
brought to Darke County, Ohio, when he 
was eleven years of age. In 1847 his par- 
ents removed to Fredericksburg, Miami 
County, and there Young Burkett went to 
school and worked in his father's black- 
smith shop. 

On Aug-ust 16, 1862, he enlisted in the 
Federal Army, from Miami County, con- 
tracting for "three years or during the 
war." and on August 24th he was mus- 
tered into Company D, under Capt. R. P. 
Hutchins, and the Ninety-fourth Regi- 
ment, Ohio Vohmteer Infantry, under Col. 
Joseph W. Frizell. Four days later, this 
regiment, without uniforms or camp equip- 
ments, having never even been drilled, was 
ordered to Kentucky, which State, at that 
time, was being invaded by Gen. Kirby 
Smith. The regiment went first to Cin- 
cinnati, thence to Lexington, Kentucky, 
where Col. Frizell succeeded in getting 
three rounds of ammunition to the man, 
and. with the assistance of some citizens. 



322 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



passable quarters. Soon afterward the 
regiment was assigned to tlie First Brig- 
ade, First Division, Fourteenth Army 
Corps, Army of the Cumberland, and on 
August 31st, participated in the engage- 
ment at Tate's Ferry or Fort. In that 
first battle, Mr. Burkett was seriously 
wounded in the left hand, so much so that 
he was incapacitated for service for some 
time. On February 15, 1863, he was trans- 
ferred to Company M, Fifth United States 
Cavalry, Gen. George H. Thomas com- 
manding. This regiment was later as- 
signed to Gen. Torbett's Division, Army of 
the Potomac, and participated in the fol- 
lowing engagements: Beverly Ford, Vir- 
ginia; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Brandy 
Station; Todd's Tavern; Trevelyan Sta- 
tion; Deep Bottom; "Winchester; Dinwid- 
die Court House; Five Forks; and Appo- 
mattox Court House. On April 9, 1865, 
Mr. Burkett was again wounded, a gim- 
shot shattering his left foot to such an ex- 
tent that he had to submit to its amputa- 
tion and at first suffered .untold misery in 
a field hospital, later being transported to 
the Armory Square Hospital, at Wash- 
ington, D. C. In addition to these sad mis- 
fortunes of war, Mr. Burkett also suffered 
imprisonment, being captured by the en- 
emy, at Lexington, Kentucky, at the be- 
ginning of his service. Three days later 
he was paroled and within two months was 
exchanged. He received his final honor- 
able discharge, at Carlisle Barracks, Penn- 
sylvania, August 27, 1865, by reason of 
disability and the close of the war. His 
service included many heroic actions and 
his record is one that reflects credit on him 
as a brave man and a patriot. He is a 
member of Coleman Post, No. 159, G. A. E. 
In 1874 Mr. Burkett came to Trov and 



for four years served in the office of deputy 
sheriff of Miami County, for seven years 
as deputy auditor of the county, for four- 
teen years as deputy treasurer, and then 
was elected county treasurer and served 
for two terms (four years) in that office. 
Since leaving the treasurer's office he has 
lived retired. He was a conscientious and 
faithful official and during the long period 
of public life, enjoyed the confidence of 
his fellow citizens at large and the hearty 
friendship of more intimate acquaintances. 
On December 29, 1874, Mr. Burkett was 
married to Miss Flora P. Tenney, who 
died in 1878, leaving one daughter, Adda 
E., who is the wife of Dr. Marsh, of Gou- 
verneur. New York. Mr. Burkett was 
married (second), January 8, 1885, to 
Anna Casley Moody, and they have three 
sons, J. Earl, Ealph C. and Burton B., all 
of whom are residents of Troy. In former 
years Mr. Burkett took quite an active in- 
terest in politics. He is one of Troy's best 
known citizens, to advance the welfare of 
which place he has given his best efforts 
ever since becoming a resident. 

FORREST 0. FLOWERS, one of 
Piqua's progressive and enter^jrising 
young l)usiness men, who stands very high 
in commercial circles as the president of 
the Miller-Flowers Company, clothiers and 
furnishers, at Piqua, was born in 1881, at 
Stafford, Ohio. 

After his school attendance was fin- 
ished, Mr. Flowers taught school very suc- 
cessfully for three years in Monroe County 
and then accepted an office position with 
the Buckeye Manufacturing Company, at 
Anderson, Indiana. He continued with the 
Buckeye people for one year and eight 
months, when the company was merged 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



323 



with the Pioneer Pole and Shaft Company, 
of Piqua. He then came to Piqua and was 
in their office from 1903 to February, 1908, 
when he bought Mr. Eogan's interest in 
the Miller-Eogan Company, and the pres- 
ent firm style was assumed, Mr. Flowers 
becoming president and J. D. Miller sec- 
retary and treasurer. This is the leading 
firm of clothiers and furnishers in Miami 
County. 

On AjDril 16, 1907, Mr. Flowers was mar- 
ried to Miss Essie Mae Miller, a daughter 
of "William F. Millei', a leading business 
citizen of Troy. Mr. and Mrs. Flowers are 
members of the Green Street Methodist 
Ei^iscopal Church. He is active in the Y. 
M. C. A., is a member of the board of di- 
rectors of the Piqua Business Men's Asso- 
ciation and is identified with the Odd Fel- 
lows and the Cosmopolitan Club. 

HENEY OEBISON EVANS, formerly 
county surveyor and engineer for Miami 
County, Ohio, resides on the old home farm 
in Staunton Township, about three hun- 
dred yards from the limits of the city of 
Troy. He is a man of wide experience in 
his professional work, which has taken 
him very thoroughly over the west and 
southwest and into Old Mexico. He was 
born in Troy, Ohio, March 20, 1846, and is 
a son of Albert G. and Nancy E. (Orbison) 
Evans. 

Both the paternal and maternal great- 
grandfathers of the subject of this record 
were the first of their respective families 
to become established in this country and 
came from Wales. The paternal great 
grandfather and his wife reared the fol- 
lowing children: Samuel; Hugh; Lavina, 
Sarah, Eichard, Nancy, Amos, Daniel and 



Sophia. Samuel, grandfather of Henry 0. 
Evans, was born March 31, 1771, and at 
an early date settled on a farm near Hills- 
boro, in Highland County, Ohio, where he 
lived until his death, August 10, 1853. In 
1793 he was united in marriage with Polly 
Foreman, and their children were John, 
Nancy, Amos, Elizabeth, Foreman, Simp- 
son, Tabitha, Lavina and Albert G. 

Albert G. Evans was born at Hillsboro, 
Highland County, Ohio, March 5, 1811, and 
spent his boyhood days on the home farm. 
When a young man he moved to Defiance, 
Ohio, where he was a pioneer storekeeper 
and Indian trader. About the year 1841 
he located at Troy, Ohio, which at the time 
was but a small village. With his brother 
John he engaged in the mercantile busi- 
ness, and later he formed a partnership 
with William Jay, with whom he continued 
until 1852 under the firm name of Evans 
and Jay. He then took into the business 
as partner, Franklin Elliott, and the firm 
of Evans and Elliott continued until Mr. 
Evans retired in 1857. He at that time 
located on the old John Harker farm in 
Staunton Township, which he had pur- 
chased in 1853 from Mr. Elliott. He died 
on this place November 29, 1889. He was 
married October 13, 1842, to Nancy E. Or- 
bison, a daughter of Henry Orbison, a 
prominent citizen and well known lecturer 
of Miami County. Mr. and Mrs. Evans, 
for a wedding trip, went overland to New 
York City and returned by way of Cincin- 
nati. The last leg of th«ir journey home 
was made on a packet on the canal from 
Cincinnati to Troy, that waterway having 
but recently been completed. Two children 
were the issue of this union: Dr. John 
Eush Evans, formerly of Troy and now of 
Pittsburg; and Henry 0. Evans, who was 



324 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



named in honor of liis maternal grand- 
father. 

Dr. John R. Evans graduated at the 
Troy High School in 1860 and Miami Uni- 
versity in 1865, after which he received a 
thorough training in the science of medi- 
cine in the University of Michigan at Ann 
Arbor, Michigan, and in the Belleview 
Hospital Medical College at New York 
City. He practiced many years at Troy, 
where he established an enviable prestige, 
and tlien moved to Pittsburg, where he has 
been successful in connection with a manu- 
facturing, firm. He was first united in 
marriage with Miss Julia Denice of Frank- 
lin, Ohio, by whom he has four children: 
Albert G., Edwin B., George D. and Henry 
0. His second marital imion was with 
Miss Elizabeth Sharp of "Williamsburg, 
Ohio. 

Henrj^ Orbison Evans spent his youth- 
ful days in Troy, where he attended the 
grade and high schools. He left high 
school in his junior year to enter Miami 
University, from which he was graduated 
in 1867 after a four years' course, "with the 
honor of A. B., and in 1887 the degree of 
A. ]\r. was conferred on him by that uni- 
versity. In 1868 he entered upon liis pro- 
fession as civil engineer, being engaged in 
railroad work for seven years, when he re- 
turned to Troy, and was elected to the 
office of county surveyor on the Republican 
ticket, and at the same time served as city 
and county engineer. He built many of the 
new pikos in the western part of the coun- 
ty. In 1891 he went to California and un- 
til 1894 followed engineering in connection 
with irrigation work, and then until 1908 
worked in many parts of the West and 
Southwest in raih-oad construction work. 
Two years of this time he was in Old Mex- 



ico, and for nine years was in the employ 
of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul 
Railroad as assistant and di\Tision en- 
gineer. He returned to Troy in 1908 and 
established his home on the old farm in 
Staunton Township, which he purchased 
from his father's estate in 1853. It is lo- 
cated at the intersection of the Troy-Ui'- 
bana and Troy-Piqua pikes, on the inter- 
urban railway, and the residence is now 
being rebuilt and improved, and is being 
made one of the most modern and attract- 
ive homes in Miami County. 

Mr. Evans was joined in marriage in 
1875 with Miss Jennie Jefferson, a daugh- 
ter of John Jefferson of Fayette County, 
Ohio. She died in 1885, leaving a daugh- 
ter, Nannie J., who is now the wife of 
Philip A. Shaffer of New York City, a 
chemist by profession, who has charge of 
the Loomis Laboratory. They reside at 
Flushing, Long Island, and have a daugh- 
ter, Jane, who was born in 1907. Mr. Ev- 
ans formed a second union in 1889 with 
Miss Ella Hawthorne, who was for a num- 
ber of years connected with the public 
schools of Troy as teacher. She is a 
daughter of George Hawthorne and was 
born at Morgantown, W. Va. Religiously, 
they are members of the Presbyterian 
church. Fraternally, he is a member of 
Franklin Lodge, No. 14, F. & A. M. ; and 
Coleman Commandery, No. 17. K. T. He 
is a man of wide acquaintance in the coun- 
ty, and enjoys great popularity. 

RICHARD LORENZO BROWN, M. D., 
is a prominent practitioner of Casstown, 
Miami County, Ohio, where he has been 
located since Mai'ch, 1908. He has estab- 
lished a wide acquaintanceship and made 
many friends during his short residence 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



325 



here. Dr. Browu was boru in Coviugton, 
Keutiu'ky, March 28, 18(37, and is a son 
of L. W. and Seliua (Penny) Brown. 

L. W. Brown was a young man when he 
learned the trade of a cornice maker and 
sheet metal worker. He became an exjjert 
workman in the latter capacity and was 
engaged with Post and Company at Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio, until their jjlant was de- 
stroyed by fire. He was then with the 
same comj^any at Ludlow, Kentucky, until 
1882, when he accompanied the general 
manager of that concern, John Kirby, to 
Dayton, Ohio. Here he continued in charge 
of the sheet metal department the re- 
mainder of his days. He died in 1895, at 
the age of fifty-eight years. He had the 
distinction of making the first metal casket 
for the National Cash Eegister Company 
at Dayton, and while with Post and Com- 
pany drew the first plans accurately show- 
ing the position for the chimney for the 
headlight for locomotives. He was united 
in marriage with Selina Penny, who sur- 
vived him two years. She came to the 
United States from England when four- 
teen years of age, going down the canal to 
Cincinnati, Ohio, where one of her broth- 
ers was one of the early tailors. She be- 
came an expert vest maker and operated 
the first sewing machine in tliat city. Four 
children were born of their union, namely : 
Nina, wife of John W. O'Brien; Richard 
Lorenzo ; "William A., of Dayton, Ohio ; 
and Minnie, who died at the age of seven 
years. 

Richard L. Brown spent his early boy- 
hood in Cincinnati and Covington, and at- 
tended the public schools at the latter place 
and Ludlow, Kentucky. In 1885 he began 
the study of medicine under the preceptor- 
ship of Dr. Scherbenzuber of Dayton, and 



the following year matriculated at the Cin- 
cinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, 
from which he received the degree of M. D. 
in 1889. He then embarked in practice at 
Dayton, where he continued until 1894, 
after which he was located at Jamestown, 
Greene County, Ohio, some years. In 
1900 he returned to Dayton and remained 
until 1 905, when he located at Springfield, 
Ohio. Shortly afterward he located at 
Thackery, and still later at St. Paris, Ohio, 
but did not remain long in either place. 
He took up his residence and professional 
work in Casstown in March. 1908, and has 
already become well established. He is a 
man of recognized professional skill and 
knowledge, and maintains an office on 
Main Street. 

In November, 1903, Dr. Brown was unit- 
ed in marriage with Mrs. Shirley B. 
(Riggs) Altick, widow of Arthur AJtick, 
-and a daughter of Philip Riggs, who was 
a soldier in the L^nion Army, and after the 
close of the Civil War was a revenue ofiB- 
cer. Her great-grandparents, the Drakes, 
were among the early settlers of Miami 
County. She has a son by her first mar- 
riage, Arthur Riggs Altick, who attends 
the Troy High School. Politically, Dr. 
Brown is a Republican, but has been a 
strong supporter of Bryan. He is a char- 
ter member of Gem City Lodge, No. 795, 
T. 0. 0. F., of Dayton : and formerly was 
affiliated with Montgomery and Greene 
County medical societies. Religiously, he 
and his estimable wife are members of the 
Lutheran church. 

ANDREW STALEY, one of Bethel 
Township's most respected retired citi- 
zens, resides on the old Staley homestead, 
a tract of 160 acres, situated in the north- 



326 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



western part of Section 12, Bethel Town- 
sliijj, Miami County, Ohio, on which he was 
born May 26, 1833. His parents were 
Elias and Hannah (Bitter) Staley. 

Elias Staley was born in Maryland and 
when he came first to Ohio he settled as a 
millwright on Mad Eiver, not far from 
Dayton, and also bought a farm of eighty 
acres, on which he built a mill and a dis- 
tillery. He later sold this property, sub- 
sequently built and sold another distillery 
near Dayton, and in 1816 came to Bethel 
Township and bought the farm of 160 
acres which is now owned by his son An- 
drew. He never engaged in farming the 
place although he made all the improve- 
ments, building the mill and distillery 
which are old landmarks of the county. He 
carried on distilling and milling for many 
years, his death occurring in 1866. In 1826 
he married Hannah Eitter, who died in 
1880, and both are interred in Saylor's 
Cemetery, in Bethel Township. There were 
seven children born to Elias Staley and 
wife: Sarah, Mary, Simeon, Andrew, 
John, Levi and Elias, the three survivors 
being Andrew, Simeon and Levi. 

Andrew Staley attended the district 
schools in his home neighborhood during 
his boyhood and then gave his father as- 
sistance on the farm, in the distillery and 
in the flour and saw-mills. The father 
built three saw-mills on the place, the last 
one of which is still standing, although it 
is not in use any more, and the distillery 
and flour mill have not been operated since 
1905. During his active years he was a 
very busy man and was able to turn his 
hand to almost anything, being a good car- 
penter and millwright as well as distiller, 
farmer and miller. On account of failing 
eyesight he was obliged to retire some 



years ago. He owns an additional farm 
of 105 acres, which lies in Elizabeth Town- 
ship. Although his father erected all the 
farm buildings now standing, he has kept 
them in excellent repair. In his political 
views, Mr. Staley is a Democrat. 

GEORGE F. PARSONS, senior member 
of the Arm of Parsons & Clawson, drug- 
gists, doing business on East Main Street, 
Troy, was born in 1847, in Miami County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Hon. E. and Caroline 
(Culbertson) Parsons. The late Judge 
Parsons was a native of Connecticut and 
he came to Miami County in 1839, becom- 
ing a prominent member of the bar, serv- 
ing for ten years as common pleas judge 
and also being elected prosecuting attor- 
ney. After a long and useful life he died 
in 1869. He married Miss Caroline C. Cul- 
bertson, also now deceased, who was a 
daughter of Robert Culbertson, an old 
pioneer of this county. They reared the 
following children : Clara, who is the 
widow of Mr. Temple, and resides with 
her brother, George F. ; Emma, who is the 
wife of J. G. Detmer, of Brooklyn, Xew 
York ; George F. ; Caroline, who is the 
widow of C. P. Thomas, and resides at 
Tryon, North Carolina; Robert H., who 
lives at Troy; Laura, who is the wife of 
M. G. Nixon ; Estella K. ; and Mary J., who 
is the wife of Charles C. West, of Mt. Clair, 
New Jersey. 

George F. Parsons was reared and edu- 
cated at Troy and during his entire busi- 
ness career he has been associated with his 
present line. The present firm of Parsons 
& Clawson was established in 1892 and 
does a large business. Mr. Parsons is a 
Knight Templar Mason and belongs to the 
Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the 




DANIEL W. SMITH 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



329 



Troy Club of Troy and to the Troy Busi- 
ness Men's Association. 

DANIEL W. SMITH, cashier of the 
First National Bank of Troy, is one of the 
older residents of this city, with the inter- 
ests of which he has been identified since 
he was twenty-seven years of age. He was 
born jVIarch 9th, 1835, in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Lester Smith, 
who was a pioneer in the business of man- 
ufacturing cut shingles here. After his 
years of school attendance had passed, 
Daniel W. Smith was taken into a general 
mercantile store as a clerk, where he con- 
tinued until 1862, when he began work in 
what was then known as a branch of the 
State Bank of Ohio, which developed into 
the present First National Bank of Troy. 
He was advanced from the position of 
bookkeeper to be teller, then assistant 
cashier and since 1882 has been cashier of 
this institution. He has not only the es- 
teem of the financiers with whom he is 
associated, but he has also the confidence 
of his fellow citizens to a marked degree, 
who, for forty years have elected him 
treasurer of Concord Township. In poli- 
tics he is a Kepublican and has also served 
in the City Council of Troy and for several 
years was trustee of the City "Water 
Works. For twelve years also he was a 
member of the Board of Education and 
has been for a number of years a member 
of the City Board of Sinking Fund, of 
which he is now president. 

In 1864 Mr. Smith was married to Miss 
Angeline Janvier, who is a daughter of 
J. T. Janvier, who was a prominent mem- 
ber of the Miami County bar, public prose- 
cutor of the county, and a man of wide in- 
fluence and much talent. Mr. and Mrs. 



Smith have had six children, namely : Rob- 
ert J., who is an attorney in practice at 
Mercedes, Texas; Margaret, who died at 
the age of eleven years ; Walter S., who is 
superintendent for the E. W. Bliss Com- 
pany, of Brooklyn, New York; Frederic 
H., a graduate of West Point, who is a lieu- 
tenant in the United States Army; Eu- 
gene, who is connected with the office force 
of the E. AV. Bliss Company; and Adeline, 
who is the wife of Herbert Johnston, gen- 
eral manager and chief engineer of the Ho- 
bart Electric Manufacturing Company 
of Troy. Mr. Smith and family are mem- 
bers of the Presbyterian Church. 

IRWIN A. HOLLOWAY, who has 
been a resident of Piqua, Ohio, almost con- 
tinuously during the past nineteen years, 
is a railway postal clerk, running on the 
Pennsylvania line between Indianapolis 
and St. Louis. 

Mr. Holloway was born in Covington, 
Kentucky, in 1880, and was nine years of 
age when his i^arents moved to Piqua, Ohio, 
where he was reared to maturity and at- 
tended tlie public schools. He completed 
a course in a commercial college, after 
which he was employed at office work for 
some fifteen months. He then was in the 
employ of an uncle at Syracuse, New York, 
for six months, at the end of which time he 
entered the railway postal service, at 
which he has since continued. He is a man 
of wide acquaintance in this city and makes 
his home at No. 507 South Main Street. 
In 1903 Mr. Holloway was married to Miss 
Cleo Collar of Ligonier, Indiana, and they 
have two children, Eleanor Alda and Mar- 
tha Elizabeth. The family attend the 
Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church 
of Piqua. 



330 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



WILLIAM H. DETEICK, farmer and 
fruit grower, residing on bis estate of 
eighty acres of valuable laud iu Betbel 
Towiisbip, situated four and one-half 
miles southeast of Tippecanoe City, is one 
of the leading men of this section of Miami 
County. He was born in Betbel Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, December 15, 18-18, 
and is a son of Benjamin and Catherine 
(Forney) Detrick. 

The grandfather, Adam Detrick, was of 
German extraction but was born in West 
Virginia. He was a slave owner but set all 
bis slaves free when coming to Ohio. On 
arriving here be located iirst in Wayne 
Township, Montgomery County, and find- 
ing it suited him, continued to reside there 
until his death, which was followed by that 
of his wife. He engaged in farming and 
also operated a sawmill. He was one of 
the founders of the German Baptist 
Church in that section and 1)oth he and 
wife were buried in the cemetery adjoin- 
ing the Hickory Grove Churcli. 

Benjamin Detrick, father nt' William II.. 
was thirteen years old when he accompa- 
nied his parents to Ohio from ^'irginia. 
He assisted on the farm and in the niill and 
also worked in the timber, cuttnig wood 
for twenty-five cents a cord, and working 
the mill at night in order to make a little 
money for himself. In that way he got 
bis start in life, adding penny to penny 
and watching his capital grow until he hail 
enough to invest, and when he died many 
years later he owned three farms, one of 
eighty acres, one of seventy-three acre>: 
and one of seventy-four acres, all in Bethel 
Township. He woi-ked in a saw-mill for 
some years and sawed the first luml)er that 
was used in the ('(mstrurtion of the first 
house in Brandt, ^liami County. Tie mar- 



ried Catherine Fornej', a native of Penn- 
sylvania, and they had eleven children : 
William H., Samuel, Jacob, David, and 
Benjamin, all living, and Harvey, Jeffer- 
son, Adam, Sarah, Eva Belle, and an in- 
fant, all deceased. AJter marriage, Ben- 
jamin Detrick and wife settled on a farm 
in Bethel Township which he bought of 
John Brown, and both he and wife died 
there. They were members of the Breth- 
ren Church of Bethel. The death of Ben- 
jamin Detrick occurred in 1890 and that of 
his widow five years later and they were 
buried in the Tippecanoe City Cemetery. 
He was a Republican in politics and was 
interested in having honest men elected to 
office. For a number of j^ears be worked 
in the interests of good roads and served s. i 
in the office of township su^iervisor. 

AVilliam H. Detrick remembers the liuild- 
ing of four school-houses on the same site, 
near his home in Bethel Township. The 
fii-^t one in which he was a jiupil was a log 
cabin Imilt in a grove of poplars, hence its 
name, and it was very primitive indeed. 
Light was admitted by the removal of a 
log from the side and the })cnches were 
rough slabs not very carefully smoothed. 
Later a more comfortable building was 
l>ut u]) and learning was made more easy 
for Mr. Detrick and the other country 
boys and girls. He attended, off and on, 
until he was nineteen years of age, and 
tlien gave all his time to his father until 
lie was twenty-one, after which he worked 
on tlie liome farm by the day and his 
fatlier permitted him to work land for him- 
self in order to get a start. When his 
thoughts began to turn toward marriage 
lie i|uietly went to a Mrs. Puterbaugh and 
rented her farm of 173 acres, and when he 
was married in the fall of 1871, he had a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



331 



comfortable home to which to take his 
bride. j\Ir. and Mrs. Detrick coutiiiued to 
live ou that farm as renter.s for the fol- 
lowing thirteen years, when Mrs. Puter- 
baugh died and the property came into the 
market and Mr. Detrick immediately 
bought eighty acres of the northern side 
of the farm, which he considered the most 
desirable. He had to clear about thirty 
acix's, and underdraiued the M'hole prop- 
erty and put up all the line buildings, 
these being of block cement. He makes 
fruit growing his specialty and produces 
the finest specimens of all kinds to be 
found in tliis part of the country. He has 
customers all over the state and ships 
quantities to different points. 

On November 16, 1871, Mr. Detrick was 
married to ^Miss Edith Caroline Swindler, 
a daughter of John and Rebecca Swindler, 
and ten children liave been born to them, 
as follows: Frank, who died when aged 
six years; Estella, who married Frank P. 
Fergus, and has two children — Mary ^I. 
and Alberta ; Mary Anna, who married 
J. B. Ileckman, and has two sons — AVill- 
iam R. and Herbert C. ; Bessie Savilla, 
who married Harley Sharitt, and has twin 
daughters — Edith Caroline and Edna Eliz- 
abeth; Araminta, residing at home, who 
is the telephone operator at Phoneton; 
Charles A., who is deceased; "Walter, who 
married Matilda Prakel; "Willis, who is de- 
ceased; and Ida May and Russell E., both 
of whom are at home. 

Mr. Detrick and family usually attend 
religious services at the Brethren Church. 
In politics he is a stanch Republican and 
has frequently given most efficient service 
in township offices, having been a member 
of the School Boai'd for a considerable 
time, supervisor for two terms and trustee 



I'or two terms. "With his wife, Mr. Det- 
rick belongs to Iras Court No. 20, Sons 
and Daughters of Ben Hur, at Tippecanoe 
City. 

F. C. ROBERTS, junior member of the 
lirm of Shilling & Roberts, leading under- 
takers and dealers in furniture and car- 
pets at Troy, has been a resident of this 
city for twenty-seven years and is closely 
identified with its business and social in- 
terests. He was born at Christiauburg, 
Champaign County, Ohio, in 1861, and 
spent his early life on a farm. ]\Ir. Rob- 
erts was educated at Christianburg and 
later took a business course in a commer- 
cial college at Colimibus. He then became 
a clerk in a dry goods house at Troy and 
continued in that capacity for thirteen 
years, at the end of that period buying the 
interest of a business man h^i-e and subse- 
quently becoming junior partner in the 
lirm of Shilling t^- Rolierts. This firm does 
business in well equipped quarters on the 
southwest corner of the Public Square. 

In 1885 Mr. Roberts was married to Miss 
Mary E. Sliilling, who was a daughter of 
Jesse Shilling, Sr. (decea.«;ed), who was a 
l)ioneer in ^lianii County. They are mem- 
bers of the ]\Iethodist Episcopal Church, 
he serving in an official capacity. He is 
identified with the Knights of Pythias, is 
a Knight Templar Mason, belongs to the 
Troy Business Men's Association, to the 
Island Outing Club and to the Ohio State 
I^ndertakers' Association. He has never 
been es])ecially active in politics but never- 
theless has always taken a good citizen's 
interest in public alTairs. 

JOSEPH EDWARD SIEGEL is a pros- 
perous farmer and stock raiser of Con- 



332 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



cord Township, Miami Coimty, Ohio, aud 
is located about tive miles northwest of 
Troy, just north of the Troy aud Coving- 
ton Pike. He was born on the old Harter 
farm in Troy, November 1, 1873, and is a 
son of William and Mary E. (Shatter) 
Siegel. He comes of a German family, his 
father aud his grandfather following agri- 
cultural pursuits in that country. 

William Siegel came to the United 
States with his wife aud three children, 
they being the only ones then living, and 
soon after his arrival located in Miami 
County, Ohio. He had but oue dollar left 
at the time of his coming and for some 
years worked in a brick yard at Troy for 
fifty cents per day. He later rented a farm 
near Troy and from that place moved to 
the old Harter farm, which he rented and 
fainied successfully for thirteen years. 
While living there he purchased the 150- 
acre farm in Concord Township, now 
farmed by his son, George Siegel, and later 
moved upon the place which continued his 
home until his death in 1893, at the age of 
seventy years. His widow is passed the 
age of eighty-one and resides at the home 
of her daughter, Mary, in Troy. William 
and ^lary Siegel were parents of the fol- 
lowing children : Floyd of Van Wert, Ohio ; 
Christina, wife of Frank Enick of Troy, 
Ohio; John of Washington; Caroline, de- 
ceased wife of Floyd Miller; Mary, wife 
of Alvin Corner ; Charles of Washington ; 
William of Arkansas ; George, who lives on 
the home farm in Concord Township ; and 
Joseph Edward. 

Joseph Edward Siegel was reared on 
the farm and received a common school 
education. He has always followed farm- 
ing and lived on the home place until one 
year after his marriage, when he rented 



the Herkes farm in Spring Creek Town- 
ship. He remained there but one year, 
and then for nine years rented the William 
Mitchell farm in the same township. At 
the end of that time he located on the farm 
of his father-in-law, Casper Longeudel- 
pher, and has since farmed that place, 
which consists of 119V^ acres. In April, 
1908, he purchased forty and a half acres, 
adjoining, from Daniel Meyers. He fol- 
lows general farming aud is extensively 
engaged in raising pure blood Percheron 
horses. He has about twenty-one head at 
the present time, including: Gondalle, im- 
ported grey mare, weight 2,200 pounds; 
Grinchusen, imported grey mare, weight 
1,900 pounds; Laura, grey mare, weight 
1,700 pounds; Elpso Belle, grey mare, 
1,650 pounds; aud Helena, grey mare, 
weight 1,700 pounds. He recently erected 
a fine and modern stable for his horses. 

January 24, 1895, Mr. Siegel was united 
in marriage with Miss Ida Longeldelpher, 
who was born on the farm on which she 
now lives, and is a daughter of Casper and 
Elizabeth (Favorite) Longendelpher. She 
comes of an old and well known family 
of the county. 

FRANK W. PEARSON, a well known 
aud prosperous farmer of Concord Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, farms the H. 
W. Allen farm of 305 acres, located about 
three and one-half miles northwest of Troy. 
He also owns and farms a tract of fifty 
acres south of Troy and in Concord Town- 
ship. He was born on his father's place 
in that township, December 7, 1866, and is 
a son of George and Mary I. (Harbison) 
Pearson. The Pearson family in the early 
days were members of the Society of 
Friends and came to this country from 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



333 



England during the time of William Peun. 

Owing to his antipathy to slavery, Jo- 
seph Pearson, great-grandfather of the 
subject of this sketch, moved from his 
home in the Newberry District of South 
Carolina to Miami County, Ohio. He ar- 
rived with his family in 1802, having made 
the trip in wagons drawn by four horses. 
It was prior to the admission of Ohio as a 
state, and the country was in a wild and 
undeveloped state. They located about 
four miles south of Troy, in Monroe Town- 
ship, and there Joseph lived until his death 
at the age of sixty years. 

Thomas H. Pearson, grandfather of 
Frank AV., was fourteen years of age at 
the time the family moved from South 
Carolina to Ohio, and was twenty-one 
years of age at his father's death. He died 
at the old home in IVIiami County, where 
he passed sixty-two years of his life. He 
and his wife had three children, Ann, de- 
ceased; Lydia, deceased; and George. 

George Pearson was born on the home 
farm in Concord Township, February 10, 
1834, and has always lived on the place 
except for eight years spent in the West. 
In his younger days he spent two years in 
the photograjjhy business and for three 
years operated a saw-mill. Farming has 
been his chief occupation in life, and he 
also conducted a nursery with success. In 
1856 he was joined in marriage with Miss 
Mary I. Harbison, by whom he had three 
children, Emma ; Frank W. ; and William. 

Frank W. Pearson spent his boyhood on 
thehome place and received a limited public 
school education. He began working on the 
farm at the early age of ten years and has 
since continued it with good results. He 
lived at home until his marrage in 1893, 
then farmed the place of his aunt. Ester 



Wingett, located west of Troy on the Mil- 
ton Pike. After three years he farmed the 
Davis Green place near the Children's 
Home for three years, and in December, 
1900, came to his present location. Just 
after marriage he purchased the tract of 
lifty acres he now owns south of Troy, 
from Henry Wilson and George Pearson, 
but has never lived upon it. It is well im- 
proved and under a high state of cultiva- 
tion, eight acres of it being devoted to to- 
bacco raising. 

January 25, 1893, Mr. Pearson was 
joined in marriage with Miss Elizabeth 
Stewart, who was born in Warren County, 
Indiana, and is a daughter of Er. and 
ElizaStewart. They have one son, George E. 

FRANKLIN SHERMAN SWEARIN- 
GEN, township assessor of Lost Creek 
Township, Miami County, whose farm of 
eighty acres in Section 1, lies on both sides 
of the Casstown and Addison Turnpike 
Road, also on Springfield, Troy and Piqua 
Traction lines, was born Jime 20, 186-1, in 
a log house that still stands on what was 
his father's farm near AVinchester, Adams 
County, Ohio. His parents were John 
Llewellyn and Nancy Jane (Carson) 
Swearingen. 

The Swearingen family originated in 
Holland and can be traced by its members 
as far back as 1656. The father of Frank- 
lin S. Swearingen was born in Fayette 
County, Pennsylvania, and in 1828 accom- 
panied his father to Ohio. The family 
floated down the Ohio River in a flatboat 
until they reached Manchester, Adams 
County. The first selection of a farm 
proved to be an undesirable one and the 
grandfather, John Swearingen, removed 
to a second one and subsequently acquired 



334 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



more than 300 acres of line land, all of 
which is still held in the Sweariugen name. 
This land was covered with such a valua- 
ble growth of timber that he subsequently 
sold seven uncleared acres for $1,000 in 
cash, a remarkable transaction for that 
day. He died on that farm in 1887, hav- 
ing reached his eighty-fifth year. His wife 
probably was of Welsh descent as her 
name was Llewellyn, and she lived to be 
eighty-three years of age. They had twelve 
children, two of whom died in infancy, and 
the others were: Thomas, who lives in 
Iowa; John Llewellyn; Rebecca Ann, who 
is deceased; Andrew J., who lives in Ad- 
ams County; Minerva, who lives in Iowa; 
Drusilla, who lives on the old farm; Ma- 
tilda, who lives also in Adams County; 
Benjamin, who owns the old farm ; Will- 
iam Allen, who lives in Illinois ; and Nancy 
Ellen, who resides in Adams County. 

John Llewellyn Swearingen was born 
October 2, 1828, and was five years old 
when he aceomi^anied his parents to Ohio. 
In early manhood he was engaged in school 
teaching for several years, and afterwards 
became interested in stock dealing and 
horse buying, developing keen business 
perceptions along this line, and for a num- 
ber of years he was engaged in buying live- 
stock in Kentucky, bringing them from 
there to Adams County, where he fed 
them for the eastern markets. He was a 
prominent man in local political circles and 
three times was elected auditor of Adams 
County, his third election being with the 
largest majority of all and at a time when 
party lines were badly disorganized. He 
died October 28, 1875, a short time after 
the close of his term of public service. He 
married Nancy Jane Carson, who died 
February 1, 1903, when aged seventy- three 



years. They had seven children, namely: 
William Albert, residing in Illinois, who 
married Naomi Lafferty; Laura M., de- 
ceased, who was the wife of Joseph W. 
Shinn, also deceased; Franklin Sherman; 
Mary and an infant, both deceased; John 
E., residing at Addison, who married Lou 
Hughes; and Jessie, who died in early 
years. 

Franklin Sherman Swearingen remained 
at home until his own marriage, in the 
meanwhile attending the district schools 
and later the High School at AVest Union. 
After his marriage, in 1887, he bought a 
farm on Brush Creek but before moving 
on it he followed farming in Illinois for a 
few years, but in 1899 he sold his Adams 
Coimty place and came to Miami Countj' 
and bought this improved farm from Da- 
vid Long. Mr. Swearingen carries on his 
agricultural operations according to mod- 
ern approved methods and believes in mak- 
ing machinery take the place of muscle 
whenever it is possible. He does not raise 
registered stock but handles only well es- 
tablished breeds. 

Mr. Swearingen was married August 30, 
1887, to Miss Mary Edith Williams, a 
daughter of Henry and Laura (McClana- 
lian) Williams, of Adams County, and they 
have had three children: Laura Helen, 
who died aged ten years; Ora Lulu and 
Mary Winona. Mr. Swearingen and fam- 
ily are members of the Methodist Church, 
although he was reared a Baptist. He has 
always taken an intelligent interest in pub- 
lic matters and enjoys the confidence of 
his fellow citizens. In the spring of 1907 
he was appointed township assessor by 
the Board of Trustees and in the' fall of 
the year he was elected to the office on the 
Democratic ticket. He is a member of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



335 



Mt. Olivet Lodge No. 326, F. & A. M., at 
Addison. 

.JOHN HARTSTEIN, who, in associa- 
tion with his son, owns 279 acres of tine 
farm kind situated in Concord Township, 
Miami Coimty, is one of the most higlily 
respected German- American citizens of 
this section. He was born Augiist 15, 1836, 
in Wurtemberg, Germany, and is a son of 
John and Mary Hartstein. The parents 
of Mr. Hartstein lived and died in Ger- 
many. The father operated a paper mill. 
Of his five children three are living. Two 
came to America, John and a brother, 
Louis, the latter of whom was a member of 
the Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in 
the Civil AVar and was killed while on 
guard duty. 

"When Mr. Hartstein was a boy in his 
own land he attended school for a time and 
when he went to work he drove the oxen 
for a farmer until he secured a position in 
a cotton mill, where he worked for five 
years, at first as a cotton sorter and later 
as a fine lace-maker. In 1857 he came to 
America with his brother and they went 
to Piqua, Ohio, and started in the wagon 
making business. Finding that this did 
not pay at that time, John Hartstein went 
into the woods, being willing to do any 
kind of work, and made some money chop- 
ping wood. The first land he bought was 
a tract of swamp — fifty acres of it — in 
Concord Townsliip. This land he cleared 
and drained and lived on it for forty 
years. In 1886 lie bought eighty-two ad- 
joining acres and lived there until 1906, 
when he moved to his present farm con- 
taining 126 acres, at the edge of Troy, on 
the Covington Turnpike Road. His other 
land lies on the Pleasant Hill Turnpike. 



Mr. Hartstein has helped to build a num- 
ber of the excellent highways that run 
through Miami County and he has always 
been a man of hard work. He is one of the 
most independent farmers of Concord 
Township and has earned all he has 
through his own unassisted efforts. 

In 1862 Mr. Hartstein married Miss 
Hannah AVeber, who was born in Ger- 
many and came to Amei'ica with her par- 
ents when yoimg. Her father, Philip 
Weber, settled near Sidney, Ohio. They 
have had seven children: Mary, Louisa, 
Clara, John, Charles, Anna and Catherine, 
the latter of whom died when aged twenty 
years. Mr. Hartstein and family belong 
to the (ierman Reformed Church. He is a 
Democrat in jiolitics. 

ALBIN THOMA, who is at the head of 
the jewelry and optical firm of his name, 
has been identified with his present busi- 
ness for a period of time covering a half 
century and in point of time is the oldest 
dealer in this line at Piqua, Ohio, where 
he was born in 1844. His father, Augustus 
Thoma, for many years one of Piqua 's 
prominent and useful citizens, was born at 
Baden, Germany, in 1819, came to America 
in 1832, and settled at Piqua in 1838. 

In 1838 Augustus Thoma founded the 
business which is still conducted by his de- 
scendants and under practically the same 
name. Early in the sixties he admitted his 
two sous, Albin and August F. Thoma, to 
partnership, and it was carried on by the 
three members of the firm until 1893, when 
August F. withdrew and the business was 
then continued by Augustus and Albin 
Thoma until the death of the former, De- 
cember 29, 1900. In the course of time two 
sons of Alliin Thoma were admitted to 



336 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



partnership and the association still con- 
tinues. 

In September, 1866, Mr. Thoma was 
married to Miss Anna "Weigler, who came 
to Piqna from Cincinnati, in 1862. Mr. 
and Mrs. Thoma have nine children, four 
sons and five daughters, namely : Albin L., 
who is a graduate of the New York Op- 
tical College, where he has also taken post- 
graduate courses; Leo A., who is an ex- 
pert engraver and diamond setter ; Joseph 
A., who is i)erfecting his education in op- 
tics and watchmaking ; Adolph, who is also 
a student; and Minnie, Louisa, Mai'ie, 
Anna and Ida. Mr. Thoma has been a 
member of St. Boniface Eoman Catholic 
Church since its organization. He belongs 
to the order of Catholic Knights of Amer- 
ica and to the Knights of Columbus. He 
has always been a loyal citizen and early 
in the progress of the Civil "War he en- 
deavored to enter the army liut on account 
of poor health was not accepted. In 1864, 
however, he went out as a member of Com- 
pany C, 147th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, and di;ring the 100-day period 
served in the vicinity of "Washington City. 
He is a member of the Grand Army of the 
Republic. He has been connected with his 
present business since 1858 and is one of 
Piqua's leading citizens. 

ELIAS GARST HAWK, one of Con- 
cord Township's most substantial farmers, 
who resides on the south side of the Cov- 
ington and Troy Turnpike Road, about one 
and one-quarter miles northwest of Troy, 
where his home farm of 1911/2 acres is situ- 
ated, owns a second farm, containing 
eighty-three acres, which lies on the north 
side of the highway. He was born on the 
old home place in Bethel Township, Miami 



County, Ohio, in June, 1842, and is a son 
of John and Catherine (Sailor) Hawn. 

John Hawn was born in Lancaster Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and in early manhood 
came to Miami County, in company with 
another young man by the name of Knooii, 
and they were about the first white set- 
tlers in what is now Bethel Township. In- 
dians still made their home throughout this 
section and wild animals prowled through 
the dense forests. The Knoop family 
built one of the earliest distilleries in this 
part of the county and John Hawn worked 
in the same for several years jDrior to his 
marriage. He subsequently acquired 170 
acres of land and cleared up a farm on 
which he lived during the rest of his life, 
his death occurring when he was aged 
eighty-two years. He married Catherine 
Sailor, who was born in Elizabeth Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, a daughter of 
Philip Sailor, one of the early jjioneers. 
There were sixteen children born to John 
and Catherine Hawn, foiirteen of whom 
grew to mature years and five of whom 
still live, namely : Elias ; "William, who re- 
sides in Bethel Township ; Matilda, who is 
the widow of John Davis ; Eliza, who mar- 
ried Abraham Case; and Ellen, who mar- 
ried David Haines. One of the older mem- 
bers of the family was George "W., but all 
trace of him was lost by his kindred during 
the Civil War. 

Elias G. Hawn helped his father clear 
his land and later to cultivate it. His 
mother died when he was about fourteen 
years of age and shortly afterward he be- 
gan to think of starting out for himself, 
but in those days money was not plentiful, 
many of the farmers being "land rich" 
but "money poor." He continued to live 
at home until his marriage and when he 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



337 



finally began for himself it was ■with a cap- 
ital of fifty cents in "shin-plaster" money. 
Mr. Hawn is now one of the township's 
wealthiest men, but he has accumulated 
everything he has through his own indus- 
try and excellent business management. 
The first farm he bought was one in Eliza- 
beth Township, but he never lived on it, 
disposing of it at a jjrofit. In 1888 he pur- 
chased his jn-eseut home farm from John 
]\IcClung and he has spent a large amount 
iu improving it. His large bank barn is 
considered the finest structure of its kind 
in Miami County and people have come 
hundreds of miles to see it, and his other 
imjnovements are equally good. He has 
made farming his main business and now 
has several stalwart sons to assist him. 

Mr. Hawn was married to Cynthia A. 
Nutter, who died in December, 1890. To 
them were born eight children, namely: 
Ada Jane, now deceased, who was the wife 
of Joseph Johnson and left three chil- 
dren; "William, who married Sarah Idd- 
ings,now deceased, married (second) Clara 
Geusliner, has one child and lives at 
Troy; Harvey, who assists on the home 
farm; Charles E., who married j\Iary 
Armstrong, resides on ]\Ir. Hawn's farm 
of eighty-three acres and has four chil- 
dren; James Alfred, who died aged seven- 
teen years; Mack, who lives in Newton 
Township, married a Miss Musselman and 
has two children; Alfred, who died when 
aged twenty-three years; and Roy, who 
follows farming on the home place. Mr. 
Hawn had only meager educational opjior- 
tunities, but he is one of the township's 
liest informed men. In politics he is a 
Democrat, and he is a member of the 
Christian Church. 



THE COVINGTON ROLLER MILLS, 
which has for many years been one of the 
leading industries of Covington, has been 
successfully operated by various owners, 
l)ut never has it carried on such an ex- 
tensive Inisiness as at the present time 
under the management of J. A. and W. L. 
O'Roark, who are newcomers iu ]\Iiami 
Comity, having located here May 1, 1908. 
The mills are equipped with all the latest 
devices in machinery, having been installed 
with the "Wolf," "the "Butler" and the 
"Case" machinery, and the leading flour 
manufactured is well known throughout 
this section as the "Pride of Covington" 
lirand, although they make another high 
grade flour known as the "Ohio" brand, 
which is shipped principally to the 
South. 

J. A. and AV. L. O'Roark were both 
born on a farm in Rockingham County, 
Mrginia, the former in 1860 and the lat- 
ter on December 9, 1870, and are sons of 
James and Samantha (Bazzle) O'Roark, 
prominent among the old families of 
Rockingham County, Virginia. 

J. A. O'Roark was reared on the home 
farm in Rockingham County and early in 
life learned the carpenter's trade, after- 
wards engaging as a building contractor 
at Tenth Legion, Rockingham County, for 
a number of years. On May 1, 1908, after 
having disposed of his contracting busi- 
ness, he located in Covington, Ohio, where, 
in partnership with his brother, he pur- 
chased the Covington Roller Mills. He 
was united in marriage with Cleopatra 
Armentrout, and of their union have l)een 
born the following children: Clyde, Lynn, 
Ray, Ellis, Ruth, James, and Eva. 

"W. L. O'Roark, like his brother, was 
reared on the home farm and also learned 



338 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the carpenter's trade, at which lie worked 
with his brother for a period of six years, 
when he bought and operated the Tenth 
Legion Eoller Mills with success for six 
5'cars, after which he sold the business 
and came to Covington, [Miami County, 
where he formed a partnership with his 
brother, J. A. O'Koark, and purchased the 
Covington Roller Mills, which they have 
since been operating with uninterrupted 
success. "\V. L. O'Eoark was united in 
marriage with Annie Magoon, and to them 
have been born the following children: 
James Louis; Elton; John, who died aged 
three weeks; Frank; Jesse; Catherine; 
an(.l Virginia — all born in Virginia except 
Virginia, who was born in Miami County. 
Both J. A. and W. L. O'Eoark are men 
of public spirit and enterprise and take 
active interest in affairs which tend to 
promote the welfare of the community in 
which they live. Fraternally, they are 
members of the I. 0. 0. F. lodge and the 
Junior order of United American Me- 
chanics. 

THOMAS ZIEGENFELDER, of the 
prominent business firm of J. B. Ziegen- 
f elder & Son, leading grocers at Troy, 
with quarters on the Public Square, was 
born at Troy, Ohio, February 10, 1880, and 
is a son of James B. Ziegenfelder, senior 
member of the firm. 

James B. Ziegenfelder was born at 
Troy, in 1854, and is a son of Christian 
Ziegenfelder, who was a native of Ger- 
many. Mr. Ziegenfelder is one of the 
town's old merchants and, in partnership 
with his son not only conducts the large 
grocery business referred to, but also op- 
erates an extensive greenhouse which is 
devoted to the growing of lettuce for the 



market, shipments of the same in the early 
season reaching to 1,000 pounds a week. 

Thomas Ziegenfelder was educated in 
the public schools of Troy and subsequent- 
ly took a business coruse in a commercial 
college at Daj'ton, upon his return becom- 
ing his father's partner in his enterprises. 
He is numbered with the most active and 
progressive young business men of the 
place and is identified with the Troy Busi- 
ness Men's Association. On October 28, 
1903, Mr. Ziegenfelder was married to 
Miss Caroline Heist, who was born at Cin- 
cinnati but came to Troy when a child. 
Mr. and Mrs. Ziegenfelder have one son, 
Henry James. They are members of the 
Main Street Lutheran Church, he being 
on its official board. Fraternally he is an 
Elk. 

JOHN MIKESELL, an honored resi- 
dent of Covington and one of Miami Coun- 
ty's most venerable citizens, was born 
October 21, 1817, in Bedford County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a son of William and 
Susanna (Holsinger) Mikesell. 

The parents of Mr. Mikesell moved from 
Pennsylvania to Ohio and in 1822 settled 
on a farm near Pleasant Hill, Miami Coun- 
ty, where thej' spent the remainder of their 
lives. This farm was a wild, imcleared 
tract of land at that time, and John Mike- 
sell assisted his father to improve it and 
as he grew into manhood learned the 
wagon-making trade. He opened a shop of 
his own north of Pleasant Hill, which he 
later traded for a farm, but Mr. Mikesell 
shortly afterward became afflicted with 
rheimiatisni, which made farm work impos- 
silile, and he therefore disposed of his land 
and went to selling goods in a store at 
Pleasant Hill and later at Clavton. In 




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H 

o 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



341 



1850 he came to .Covington and was en- 
gaged in the mercantile business in this 
city until 1850, when he sold out and em- 
barked in the milling business, which he 
continued until 1866. During two and one- 
half years of this time he operated the 
Sugar Grove mill, and after that had 
charge of the Covington mills. Mr. Mike- 
sell next became interested in the nurseiy 
business, and for the next fifteen years sold 
fruit trees, meeting with success wherever 
he traveled, his journeys taking him over 
a large extent of country. In 1880 he was 
appointed land assessor, and in that year 
assessed Newberry Township. Feeling 
that his weight of years then entitled him 
to rest, Mr. Mikesell retired from active 
pursuits. He makes his home with his 
son-in-law, AV. V. Swisher, at Covington. 

W. V. SWISHER was born February 
4, 1848, near Versailles, Darke Count}', 
Ohio, and is a son of William and Mary 
(Ward) Swisher. He was reared on his 
father's farm, which he left in 1869 in 
order to become a railroad man, starting 
in 1870 with the old C, C, C. & I., which is 
now the Big Four Railroad, on the run 
between Union City, Indiana, to Gallon, 
Ohio, and for five years he lived at the 
latter place. After that road took over 
the I. & St. Louis, he was transferred to 
what is now the St. TjOuIs Division of the 
Big Four and for fourteen years he was 
engineer between Indianapolis and St. 
Louis, living during that period at Mat- 
toon, Illinois. In 1894 he retired from the 
railroad and moved to his farm two miles 
northeast of Covington, where he resided 
until September, 1906, when he came to 
Covington. Mr. Swisher still retains his 
farm of sixty-five acres. 



'Mr. Mikesell was married (first) to 
Susan Fridley, who died four years later, 
leaving three children, namely: Andrew 
F., who lives on a farm north of Coving- 
ton ; Mary, who is the wife of John Rapp, 
and lives on a farm in Concord Township; 
and Elizabeth, now deceased, who married 
Martin Mohler and left three children. Mr. 
Mikesell was married (second) to Eliza- 
beth Thompson, who is now deceased. 
There were seven children born to the 
second union, namely : Thompson, who died 
when aged four years ; Jacob, who died in 
childhood; Catherine, who is the wife of 
W. V. Swisher, of Covington; Elnora, who 
died in childhood; Charles, who died in in- 
fancy; Amelia, who married J. L. Miller, 
of Dayton, Ohio, and has one son, Joseph 
Mikesell; and Jennie, now deceased, who 
was the wife of George McGowan and is 
survived by one son, William Lawson. 
The mother of these children died Decem- 
ber 29, 1900. Mr. Mikesell is the oldest 
member and a deacon in the German Bap- 
tist Church at Covington. 

ROLLIN. — Among the oldest families of 
Ohio, and of this county, is that of Hor- 
ace Judson Rollin. Four generations have 
occupied the picturesque homestead, mid- 
way between Piqua and Troy. 

Josiali Rollin, with his aged mother, 
came from New England in 1815, after 
some service in the War of 1812. His can- 
teen still adorns the ancestral hall; and 
here is his large fireplace, with its crane, 
broad stone hearth and great mantel, un- 
der a part of which is a large enclosed 
bake-oven. With him came his son Isaac, 
then a lad old enough to reap wheat and 
pull flax, and who in time became a repre- 
sentative farmer. He was among the first 



342 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



to use the reaping machine and to manu- 
facture molasses from cane, southern pro- 
duction being checked by the Civil War. 
One of the supporters of Fremont who was 
called an "Abolitionist," he long per- 
ceived the rising tide which was to over- 
whelm the institiation of slavery. Isaac T. 
Eollin was public-spirited, belonging to 
that class of citizens who made Miami 
County what it is. He passed away in 
1890, aged eighty-six. 

Five of the six sons, including Horace, 
then not grown, served in the Union army. 
The eldest, Charles, who was among the 
first to enlist, April, 1861, in the Eleventh 
Regiment, and among the last mustered 
out, January, 1866, with the Seventy-first, 
commanded a company in the latter part 
of the war. At his burial, the late Hon. 
E. S. Williams, a fellow officer, in his eu- 
logy, said, "What is rare, he respected the 
private soldier as much as the officer, and 
his men loved to serve under him. I knew 
this man in the camp, on the march, and 
on the battle-field; Charlie Rolliu was 
every inch a soldier." 

The mother, Eleanor H. Rollin, who 
died in 1895, aged eighty-seven, came to 
Troy in 1812, with her father, a member of 
the patriotic Hart family of New Jersey, 
to which belonged the signer of the Dec- 
laration of Independence, John Hart. This 
stock gave good men, including notable 
officers (her cousin, the gallant Col. J. H. 
Hart, was wounded at Nashville) to the 
Federal army and to civil service. 

The name Rollin was early identified 
with the Northwest Territory. Jonathan, 
elder brother of Josiah, after camiiaig-ning 
with AVayne, was in the first group of set- 
"tlers here, 1797. And so of the name, it 
is among the oldest appearing in the an- 



nals of America. James Rawlins came 
from England with the Ipswich settlers in 
1632. It has been a fixed surname there 
for about seven hundred years ; some rep- 
resentatives were knighted, and these are 
the arms granted by Edward IV. to the 
Cornwall family, of which the above old 
James of Dover was a member: "Shield 
sable, three swords paleways, points in 
chief, argent; hilts and pommels gold. 
Crest, an armored arm, elbow on wreath, 
holding in gauntlet a falchion." Similar 
arms denoting consanguinity, were grant- 
ed the ancient Hertfordshire and other 
branches. "As a thing associated with 
caste," Mr. Rollin declares, like a true 
American, "it is not worth a fig; as evi- 
dence of an early fair degree of intelli- 
gence, it has some value." In America 
the spelling of the name was changed be- 
fore the Revolution to Rollins, and some 
now drop the "s." In England it has been 
Rawlin and Rawlyn, and still more an- 
ciently probably Rawle. 

In 1656 old James was prosecuted for 
neglect of coming into "ye public meeting 
and sentenced to pay courte fees, two 
shillings and six pence." He found the 
church narrow, for he was before the Gen- 
eral Court at Boston among the persons 
"yt entertayned ye Quakers;" but he, be- 
ing more ingenious than the rest in his 
replies, "was ordered to be only admon- 
ished by ye honnoi'ed Gouernor, wch was 
donne. ' ' 

Joseph, the great-grandfather of Hor- 
ace, was a soldier of the Revolution, and 
was at Saratoga. A cousin. Lieutenant 
Rollins, was at AVarren's side when he fell 
at Bimker Hill; and about twenty of the 
name served in that war. Recently, in the 
Union army, there were enough of the de- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



343 



scendants of old James to have formed a 
large battalion, iDoluding some distin- 
guished officers — probably induding 
Grant's chief-of-stali', later secretary of 
war, General Eawlins. Ex-goverm)r Frank 
Bollins of New Hampshire belongs to this 
family, as did an earlier Federal senator. 

About foi'ty years ago an extensive book 
of genealogy was compiled, which shows 
that this family comprises, by direct rela- 
tionship, or by marriage alliance, many 
prominent names, as Emerson, Paine, Lin- 
coln, Hale, Putnam, Phillips, Prescott, and 
scores more or less notable. 

Mrs. Eollin was Nancy E. Bridge, of 
Cincinnati, formerly a teacher in the pub- 
lic schools. John Bridge, her ancestor, 
came from England in IGol, settling at 
Cambridge, Mass., on land once the site of 
'Washington's headcpiarters and the Long- 
fellow homestead. He induced Thomas 
Shei)herd, one of the founders of Harvard 
College, to join the colonists — there is a 
bronze statue of Bridge facing the college 
grounds. President Garfield was one of 
his descendants. The long line includes 
soldiers, statesmen, educators and Uni- 
tarian ministers. Revolutionary annals 
show noble patriots: 

".John Danforth was hit just in Lexington Street, 
John Bridge at that lane where you cross Beaver Falls. 
I took Hri<lfre on my knee, but lie said • Don "t niind nie; 
Fill your horn from mine — let me lie w<ic«e I be — 
Our t'iitliers, ' says he, 'that their sons mi;jnt be free, 
Left their King on his throne and came over the sea; 
And that man is a knave or a fool who to save 
His life for a minute would live like a slave.' "' 

This ancestor was a maj«>r and was at 
Bunker Hill. Col. Eb. Bridge commanded 
a regiment and served through the war. 
Rev. Mathew Bridge was among the first 
chaplains and died in the Revolution. 

Mrs. Rollin is eligible also on the moth- 
er's side to membership in ceitain Colonial 



and Revolutionary societies; her great- 
grandfather Gates was a soldier, and mai'- 
ried a daughter of liis captain, Winch. Her 
grandmother Bridge was a Morse, to 
which family belonged Prof. Morse, in- 
ventor of the telegraph. Horatio Bridge 
was a friend of Hawthorne ("Dear 
Hath"), and when the writer was strug- 
gling for even a moderate income stood 
guarantor for the cost of publishing Twice- 
Told Tales. 

Mr. Rollin is a painter, and among the 
lovers of Art who purchased his works 
appear tlie names of the late Henry Howe, 
historian, the Hon. AVhitelaw Reid, the 
late Rabbi Lillienthal, and others well 
known. His "Old Lane" was shown on 
the line of the National Academy. ' ' Moth- 
er 's Spinning-wheel," once well sold, was 
returned to him before the owner passed 
away, and can now be seen l)y callers; as 
can certain moonlight studies. A Miami 
County pastoral, painted . out-of-doors, 
elicited a letter from j\lr. Noble, long the 
head of the Cincinnati Art School (after 
study at Paris and Munich. This is intro- 
duced to help those who imagine foreign 
study necessary, and apjAies to other pur- 
suits) : 

' ' Xow, I must tell you my thoughts while looking at 
it : ' By Jove ! that "s a charming picture — so fresh, bo 
free from conventionism, so utterly natural. I advised 
RoUiu to go to Paris (where he is sure to become a 
mannerist, copying the style of others because it is the 
fashiou for those who go there to do so). Now I 
reverse my opinion. Let him alone with Nature and 
his own nature, which is so honest and true. He will be 
better uninfluenced by others, let them be ever so good 
in their way, for their way is not his way, his being in 
keeping with his own nature, and his way of seeing 
Nature, and the rendering of it to be true to his own 
impressions. ' ' " ■ 

He is the author of "Studio, Field and 
Gallery," published by the Appletons, a 
book which received such fine reviews from 
great journals that Mr. Appleton sent a 



344 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



congratulatory letter. Another book, 
"Yetta Segal," is a story with a deep, pe- 
culiar motive, as the publishers' announce- 
ment indicates: "This work embodies a 
new and comprehensive theory of race- 
blendiug. Mr. Rolliu is doubtless the first 
to formulate a philosophy showing the 
movement to be evolutionary, universal 
and destined to culminate in the cosmopo- 
lite of the future. But while he shows it 
to be based on purely biological laws, he 
warns pioneer movers of the dangers to 
them." 

The great cyclopedias and the text-books 
of ethnology and biology either omit the 
subject or treat it in a fragmentary and in- 
conclusive way, although there are several 
hundred million Jcnoivn racial composites, 
including the beautiful and intellectual. 
Moreover the movement is spontaneously 
increasing; therefore science and reason 
must decide whether it is abnormal, moi"- 
bid and temporaiy, or normal and inevita- 
ble. Mr. Rollin declares the latter and 
that the key-note is the compensative: in 
the interchange needed values are given 
and received ; even the less developed type, 
from another environment, has some ele- 
ment of strength peculiar to itself to im- 
part, mental, physical or psychical. The 
more advanced may have deteriorated at 
some points, or may be naturally lacking 
in certain qualities necessary to the future 
symmetrical man. It is simply a phase of 
evolution. Man's oi'ganization becomes 
more and more complex. This author (de- 
clared to be "rarely original") waited 
many years for authoritative indorsement. 
Recently Prof. Boaz, lecturing at Colum- 
bia University, declared that we — those of 
advanced type — not only embody the blood 



of the ancient Mongol but also that of the 
primitive Negroid! 

Nine years after the date of Yetta Segal 
(whose author had held the belief, in 
cruder formulation, for about twelve 
years) came the first book of Luther Bur- 
bank: "Training of the Human Plant" 
(1907). Mr. Eollin had predicted years 
liefore that the famous worker must inev- 
itably perceive the reason for human 
racial convergence, or type fusion, and had 
corresponded with him. "I highly prize 
your book," he wrote. "Will send you 
mine just as soon as I receive a copy. Of 
course, no one can doubt that the future 
race will be composite, all the leading races 
today are such. Am glad to know that you 
see so deejaly into nature and see that 'the 
whole Universe is of one piece.' It takes 
a poet scientist and a science poet to know 
this, and neither of them separately can 
fully understand it. Eace hatred, which 
is almost universal at first, is found among 
plants as well as among human beings. In 
human beings it is almost invariably found 
in those of very inferior minds (by my ob- 
servation). As you say, the subject is not 
only interesting and important but is 
transcendent and infinite. 

"I am, as you suppose, one of the busi- 
est men on earth, but would like you for a 
neighbor very much; ivhy not move to a 
better land, you will live twenty 5"ears 
longer for it, I am sure." 

An autograph copy of Burbank's work 
came, inscribed: "With admiration and 
respect." In the first chapter (written 
before he had heard of the synthetic philos- 
oph}^ of Rollin) fusion is explained para- 
lelly. It should be noted thaf both authors 
— who do not wish to see the movement 
thoughtlessly accelerated — sound a note of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



345 



waruing to the individual. Nature does 
not always act according to our conception 
of kindness, and while favoring the per- 
petuation and improvement of the race is 
sometimes relentless to the individual, in- 
telligence is protective. "Increased knowl- 
edge," says Mr. Rollin, "means increased 
circumspection. ' ' 

As to this homestead, a writer in the 
Farm and Fireside has said: "Drawn by 
the love of art, music and literature, many 
persons visit Rollin Place yearly; and all 
pilgrims to this Mecca are cordially wel- 
comed. Mr. and Mrs. Rollin possess none 
of the exclusiveness which mars the char- 
acter of many talented persons." 

They ho)>e for tlie cessation of wars 
among Christian nations (so called) ; and 
for the regulation of those unjust com- 
mercial profits whicli degrade certain capi- 
talists and pinch the "plain people" of 
Lincoln. 

THOMAS LLOYD HUGHES, D. D., de- 
ceased, for many years pastor of the First 
Presbyterian Church at Piqua, Ohio, was 
a brilliant and scholarly man, whose life 
was consecrated to religious work, al- 
though tields offering greater prominence 
and success, as measured by pecuniary re- 
turns, were opened to him. No estimate of 
material value can be placed on such work 
as his was — the constant fight for purity 
in home and business life, the elevation of 
the moral tone of the community, the help- 
ing hand extended to the down-fallen, and 
the thousand and one little benefactions 
and cliarities performed — but the benefit 
is a lasting one, even to generations un- 
born. Rev. Hughes was ever a jtotent fac- 
tor for good, and his death, which occurred 
June 17, Ifi(U). was mourned by the people 



as an irreparable loss to the community. 

Thomas L. Hughes was born in Jack- 
son County, Ohio, April 127, 1850, and was 
a son of Hon. Thomas L., Sr., and Ann 
(Jones) Hughes. The father was a native 
of Wales, where he lived until his thirty- 
fifth year, then emigrated to America. He 
engaged in mercantile business at Oak 
Hill, Jackson County, Ohio, where he con- 
tinued for some years, and then engaged 
in the manufacture of pig iron, becoming 
secretary and treasurer of the Jefferson. 
Furnace Company, and being the holder 
of a considerable amount of the company's 
stock. He was a man of great prominence 
in his county and was frequently called 
upon to serve the public in an official ca- 
pacity. He was justice of the peace some 
years, one of the commissioners of Jack- 
son County, and was elected on the Re- 
publican ticket as a member of the Ohio 
State Legislature. He was a well edu- 
cated and learned man and possessed 
marked literary ability. He was a con- 
tributor to Welsh magazines and wrote 
the only life of Christ ever published in 
the Welsh language in America. He was 
a devout member of the Welsh Presby- 
terian Church. After a long and successful 
career, in which he accumulated a hand- 
some property, he passed from this life 
in March, 1896, at the advanced age of 
ninety years. 

He was married in Cincinnati to Miss 
Ann Jones, who was born in South Wales, 
and who was a young lady when she came 
to America. She died in 1857 at the early 
age of thirty-seven years. Five children 
wei'e the offsjiring of this marriage, name- 
ly : Jane, wife of M. D. Jones, of Jack- 
son County, Ohio; Thomas Lloyd, Jr.; 
Anna, wiio died at the age of thirty-eight 



346 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



years and who was the wife of Dr. W. E. 
Williams, of Jackson County; and "Wini- 
fred, who died at the age of thirty-tive 
years and who was the wife of J. A. Jones, 
of Oak Hill, Ohio. 

Eev. Thomas L. Hughes attended tiie 
conuuon schools of his native village and 
at the age of fourteen years entered Ohio 
University. After his graduation from 
that institution he pursued a post-gradu- 
ate course in Princeton University. He 
then studied law in the Cincinnati Law 
College and was admitted to the bar in 
Jackson County in 1S74. He was engaged 
in law practice in Jackson for two years, 
and during that time served one term as 
city solicitor. Although his progress in 
the profession had been very flattering, 
Mr. Hughes felt that his life work lay 
in another direction and conse(]uently 
gave up law. In 1S76 he pursued a par- 
tial course of study in Lane's Seminary, 
and was ordained to preach in June. 1S77. 
His first charge was the Eckmansville 
Church, Adams County, Ohio, where he re- 
mained three and a half years, and was 
then successively pastor of the Presby- 
terian Church at Pomeroy two and a half 
years, and at Shelliyville, Indiana, nine 
years. During liis pastorate at the latter 
place, ho built a iw.w church and the Port- 
age Mission Chapel. In September. 1892, 
he accepted the call to the Presliyterian 
Church at Piqua, Ohio, where lie coutiuueil 
tmtil he answered the Final Summons. As 
a pulpit orator he was eloquent and con- 
vincing; his sermons were masterly. Al- 
though a deep thinker and a learned man, 
he clothed bis arguments in language 
which could be comprehended by those less 
fortunate in the matter of education than 
he. He held his congregation closely to- 



gether, and excelled as an organizer and 
l)ractical worker, being possessed of un- 
usual executive ability. In 1899 he was 
elected moderator of the synod of Ohio. 
The degree of Doctor of Divinity was con- 
ferred ujion him by Hanover College, in 
recognition of his scholarly attainments 
and excellent work in the church. He was 
a meml)er of the board of trustees of the 
Oxford Seminary and also of Lane's Sem- 
inary at Cincinnati. 

Eev. ^Ir. Hughes was married at Ports- 
month, Ohio, to Miss Hortense Clare, who 
was born in Jackson County, Ohio, and to 
their union were born six children, as fol- 
lows : James Clare, a lawyer by profes- 
sion and present mayor of the city of Pi- 
qua; Catherine, wife of J. B. Wilkinson, 
of Piqua; Anna, wife of Clarence W. Pe- 
terson, of Piqua: Thomas L. ; Mary, and 
Emma, wife of Harry Or. Levering, of Kan- 
sas City, Missouri. 

JAMES SMITH, who comes of an old 
and res])ected family of Lost Creek Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner 
of 180 acres of good land. He lives about 
six and one-half miles northeast of Troy. 
He is a native of Montgomery County, 
Ohio, the date of his birth being January 
27, 1856, and he is a son of Alexander and 
Isabella ( Waymeyer) Smith. 

Alexander Smith was the youngest of a 
hirge family of children, but owing to his 
great size was known as the "big brother." 
He was born in Eock Bridge County, Vir- 
ginia, where he learned the trade of a 
blacksmith, but when about twenty years 
of age he moved from that state on account 
of his anti-slavery views, and first located 
at Dayton, Ohio. Through his influence 
the other members of the familv later 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



347 



moved to Ohio. Shortly after his arrival 
he built a shop at Frederick, about twelve 
miles from Dayton, aud later he became 
the owner of a farm in Butler Township, 
Montgomery County, on which he built 
a blacksmith shop. He worked at his trade 
and fanned imtil 1862, when he sold out 
and moved to Lost Creek Township, Miami 
County. Here he purchased the farm now 
owned by his son, Benjamin Franklin 
Smith, and passed the remainder of his 
days. He was married in Montgomery 
County to Isabella Waymeyer, who was a 
native of that county and whose death oc- 
curred two years prior to that of her hus- 
band. They were parents of the following- 
children: Sarah, widow of Joseph Ray 
and a resident of Kansas ; Jane, wife of 
Jonathan Tobias, of Staunton Township; 
Benjamin Franklin, of Lost Creek Town- 
ship ; James ; Wesley, who lives in Lost 
Creek Township; Harrison, of Nebraska; 
and William, who died young. 

James Smith was a very small boy when 
his parents moved to Miami County, in 
1862, and he received a limited educational 
training in the public schools. He sjient 
his time at hard work ais:l lived on the 
home farm until the death of his father, as 
did the other sons. Alexander divided his 
property shortly before his death, and 
James received a good farm of 100 acres, 
where he now lives. He and his brother, 
Frank, also purchased 160 acres, which 
they rent out. He has followed general 
fanning and is one of the substantial citi- 
zens of the township. He has traveled 
quite extensively through the west and 
southwest parts of this country, and the 
more he travels the better is his opinion 
of the community in which he lives. Po- 
litically, he is a Republican. 



J. M. SPENCER, a prominent young 
business man of Troy, Ohio, is secretary 
of the Hobart Electric Manufacturing 
Company, to which position he was elected 
in August, 1908. He was born in Piqua, 
Ohio, in 1883, and is a son of Moses Gr. 
Spencer, deceased. Moses G. Spencer was 
born in County Donegal, Ireland, and 
about the year 1862 became a resident of 
Piqua, Miami County, Ohio. He engaged 
in the dry goods business for a time and 
later operated a grain elevator as a mem- 
ber of the firm of Spencer & Miller. His 
death occurred at Piqua in 1900. 

J. M. Spencer was reared in Piqua and 
received his preliminary education in the 
public schools. After graduating from the 
Piqua High School in 1901, he entered 
"Wooster University, and in 1905 received 
the degree of Ph. B. from that institution. 
He then became identified with the Troy 
Umbrella and Canopy Company at Troy, 
and continued with that concern until he 
formed a connection with the Hobart Elec- 
tric Manufacturing Company. He is also 
identified with several other Troy enter- 
prises. In 1907 Mr. Spencer was united iu 
marriage to Miss Caroline McCulloch, of 
Freeport, Pennsylvania. Religiously they 
are nieml)ers of the Presbyterian Church. 
While in college Mr. Spencer became affili- 
ated with the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. 
He also is a member of the Troy Club. 

JOHN FRANKLIN McALPIN, whose 
productive farm of seventy-five acres is 
situated in Staunton Township, on the 
Troy and Piqua Turnpike Road, three 
miles northwest of the former city, is one 
of the township's representative men. He 
was born May 12, 1863, at Little Rock, 



348 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Arkansas, and is a son of John Harvey 
and Rachel J. (Nash) MoAlinu. 

The father of Mr. McAli)in was born in 
Tennessee, in July, 1830, but has been a 
resident of Ohio for forty-five years. Al- 
though a southern man by birth and rear- 
ing, he was opposed to slavery and was not 
willing to serve in the Confederate army 
when his native State was in rebellion 
against the Union. He was drafted, how- 
ever, as a soldier and suffered hardship 
in making his escape. He came to Ohio 
with his family, from Arkansas, about 
1864, settling four and one-half miles 
northeast of Piqua, where he lived for six 
years. He then moved on the Mitchell 
farm, one mile south of Piqua, where he 
remained for nineteen years. In 1890 he 
purchased his present farm, which lies 
three-fourths of a mile fi'om his son's 
farm. He married Rachel J. Nash, who 
was born in a southern state, and still sur- 
vives. The following children were born 
to them : James M. ; Cassandra C, who is 
the wife of Jotham DeWeese ; a babe that 
died ; and John Franklin. 

John Franklin McAlpin, known to his 
friends as Frank, was one year old when 
his parents came to Miami County. He 
remembers the first school he ever at- 
tended, this being held in a little brick 
building near Piqua. He began work on 
the farm before he was out of boyhood, 
always living at home until his marriage, 
with the exception of one year, which he 
spent in the wilderness of southwestern 
Kansas. Aft^r he returned he was mar- 
ried on January^?, 1886, to Miss Elizabeth 
J. Maxwell, a daughter of Jonas Maxwell, 
and they have one son, Earl M. The 
latter is an expert stenographer, being a 
graduate of a commercial school at Piqua. 



After his marriage, Mr. McAlpin rented 
a farm east of Miami City and resided 
on it for three years, later rented the home 
farm for one year, and in 1898 bought his 
present excellent property from George 
Edge. He has made many substantial' 
improvements, but the farm residence was 
already on the place. 

Mr. McAlpin is a strong Republican in 
his political princijiles. At present he is 
filling the office of turnpike superintend- 
ent. He belongs to the Odd Fellows lodge 
at Troy. Both he and his wife are mem- 
bers of the Presbyterian Church at Piqua. 

AVILLIAM E. HENDERSON, proprie- 
tor of the Piqua Creameiy, at Piqua, has 
been a resident of this city for the past 
eleven years and during this period he has 
thoroughly identified himself with her best 
interests. Mr. Henderson was born Sep- 
tember 26, 1854, near De Graff, Logan 
County, Ohio, where he was reared and at- 
tended school. 

Mr. Henderson's first business connec- 
tion was in the mercantile line, he begin- 
ning as a clerk in the drug store of M. D. 
Brown, at St. Paris, and later becoming 
a member of the firm, which became Brown 
& Henderson. After selling his interest 
there, he became manager of a grain ele- 
vator at De Graff, which he operated for 
three years, and after retiring from that 
connection he was engaged in farming and 
stockraising for several years. During 
five years of this j^eriod he was manager 
of a creamery at De Graft". In 1898, with 
the experience thus gained, he came to 
this city and established the Piqua Cream- 
ery, one of the largest and best equipped 
creameries in this section. It has a ca- 
pacity of 20,000 pounds of butter per week I 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



349 



and lie receives his oreaui I'rom Miami, 
Shelby, and Champaign County farmers 
and i)rodiioes a quality of butter that is iu 
constant and inoveasins' demand. He gives 
emjiloyment to some twenty men, who are 
subjected to the strictest sanitary super- 
vision. He is a stockholder also in the 
Troy Creamery. 

Mr. Henderson was married in 1878, to 
Miss Clara A. Riker, of St. Paris, Ohio, 
and they have two children — Paul A., who 
is engaged in engineering work in Idaho ; 
and Homer R., who is associated in busi- 
ness with his father. Mr. Henderson and 
family are members of the Green Street 
Methodist Episcopal Church and he is a 
member of its board of trustees. 

JOHN E. HENNE, one of Troy's most 
highly respected retired citizens, who was 
active in business in this city for a num- 
ber of years and identified with the growth 
and development of this section to a large 
extent, was born in 1846, in Germany, and 
when fourteen years of age emigrated to 
America and located at Troy, Ohio. 

Mr. Henne worked at the shoemaking 
trade for two years after reaching Troy, 
and then attempted to enter the army, but 
was refused on account of his youth. He 
then became a shoe clerk and worked in 
a store until 1865, when, in partnership 
with his brother, Charles Henne, he estab- 
lished a shoe store, which they conducted 
for fourteen years. j\Ir. Henne then built 
on South Main Street and engaged in a 
restaurant business there xmtil 1902, after 
which he carried on an insurance business 
until li(09, when he retired from all busi- 
ness activity. In addition to his comfort- 
able residence at No. 652 South Market 
Street, he has other residence and two 



business i)roperties iu Troy and a farm 
of 117 acres which is well improved, situ- 
ated (III the Pleasant Hill Road, three 
miles from the city. Mr. Henne has been 
a very active citizen and at present is serv- 
ing on the Board of Review. Formerly he 
was a member of the Trojan Battery and 
served as first lieutenant and also as treas- 
urer of the organization. Mr. Henne was 
one of the organizers of the People's 
Building and Savings Association Com- 
pany of Troy, Ohio — capital stock $1,000,- 
000 — of which he was one of the first di- 
rectors and is now vice-president. 

In 1865 Mr. Henne was married to Miss 
Margaret Anna Eitel, who died September 
10, 1908, leaving five children, namely: 
Anna, who is the wife of Judge E. W. 
Maier; Lillian, who is tlie wife of George 
Daugherty, agent for the American Ex- 
press Company at Troy; Harry and 
Frank, both of whom are in the jewelry 
business; and Lafayette. For many years 
Mr. Henne has l)een identified with the or- 
der of Odd Fellows. 

CHARLES CHAFFEE, one of Eliza- 
beth Township's most resjiected citizens, 
who resides on liis well impi'oved farm of 
twelve acres, situated in Section 35, one 
mile south of Casstown, was born in Mid- 
dlesex County, New Jersey, February 10, 
1833. His parents were Charles and Mary 
Ann (Mc(^dlougli) Chaffee. The Chaffee 
ancestors came originally from France 
and settled in New Jersey, and there the 
gi-andfather, Thomas Chaffee, spent his 
whole life. All his ten children settled in 
the same State. 

Charles Chaffee, father of Charles Chaf- 
fee of Miami County, was married in early 
manhood to Marv Ann M<'Cnllon!rli, who 



350 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



was also boru in New Jersey, and they 
had the following children: Thomas, who 
served as a soldier in the Civil War, later 
moved to Sandusky, Ohio, and subsequent- 
ly met death at the hands of an unknown 
robber; Samuel, who resides at Nickersou, 
Eeno County, Kansas, married (first) to 
Katherine Blue, of New Jersey, who left 
three children — Melvinia, Calvin and 
Charles — and (second) to a lady from Illi- 
nois, who left no issue, and (third) to a 
lady from Kansas, who left one child, 
Wannetto; Charles, subject of this sketch; 
and William, who married Maria Wallace, 
both now deceased, survived by Ocia Belle 
and Frank. 

Charles Chaffee .spent his earlier life 
near Princeton, New Jersey, and then came 
to Ohio with his brother, locating on the 
A. E. Barnes farm in Elizabeth Township. 
He made his home there and secured work 
by the month on neighboring farms, later 
worked for John Dye, of Elizabeth Town- 
ship, after which he went to White County, 
Indiana, for a season. He later returned 
to Elizabeth Township and continued to 
work by the day or month, on different 
farms up to tlie time of liis marriage, in 
1858. after which he settled on a rented 
farm, the same on which the Knoop home 
now stands. From there he moved to Shel- 
by County and operated a farm for his 
wife's uncle for four years, after which he 
returned to Elizabeth Township and 
bought his present farm of twelve acres. 
There were some buildings on the place at 
that time, but Mr. Chaffee later remodeled 
the house and erected otiier buildings and 
made the improvements which have added 
much to the value of the place. Here 
Mr. Chaffee lived for three years and then 



moved to the Cecil fanu and rented it 
for three years, after which he went back 
to his own farm for the same length of 
time, and then moved to a farm near Troy, 
which is now owned by Frank Knick. Mr. 
Chaffee then rented his wife's uncle's 
farm of 200 acres, which he managed for 
seven years, and moved back then to his 
own place, which he had increased to forty- 
seven acres, where he has lived ever since. 
Mr. Chaffee carries on general farming 
and raises stock for his own use. 

^fr. Chaffee was married July 28, 1858, 
to Miss Sarah Hale, a daughter of Sam- 
uel and Frances (Kissinger) Hale, of West 
A'irginia, and they have had the following 
children: Eoverda Belle, who married S. 
E. Cashner, of West Milton, and has one 
daughter; Mayme, who married Lester 
Miller and has one son, Marvin Hewitt, 
and a son (of Eoverda Belle), Herbert 
Eugene; Andrew, who married Mattie 
Johnson, daughter of John and Belle 
(Long) Johnson, and has had five children 
— Wilbur, Harold, Sadie Belle, deceased, 
Berniee and Eobert E.; Alice Lovelia, de- 
ceased, who was the wife of Harry Knoop ; 
Charles Ellis, now deceased; and Carl C, 
wlio li^■es at Troy, Ohio. Mr. Chaft'ee is a 
member of the Baptist Church at Cass- 
town. He is a Democrat m politics but ht 
has never been willing to accept office. At 
one time he was a member of the Grange, 
at Casstown, and took an active part in 
its proceedings. 

E. M. O'FEEEALL, M. D., a leading 
physician and surgeon of Piqua, comes of 
a medical family, inheriting his profes- 
sional inclinations from an eminent father 
and grandfather. He was born in Decem- 
ber, 1855, at Piqua. Ohio, and is a son of 



AND EEPRESEXTATIVE CITIZENS 



351 



Dr. .loliii and a grandson of Dr. John 
O'Ferrall. 

The late Dr. John O'Ferrall, father of 
Dv. ]i. il., was born at Piqua, Ohio, in 
1824. a sou of Dr. John O'Ferrall. who 
was a ]>ioneer physician who settled here 
in 1S19. In 1843, Dr. John O'Ferrall was 
graduated from Louisville Medical Ccl- 
legv aud located at Piqua, but resided in 
California from 1848 until 1850, when he 
returned to Ohio, called to Piqua by the 
death of his father. He engaged in prac- 
tice until the second year of the Civil War, 
when he entered the army, becoming major 
of the Eleventh Regiment 0. "\'ol. Cav., and 
served two years. He resumed practice 
after his return and also took a public 
spirited interest in the development oi this 
section. In 1869 he built a woolen mill and 
in 1872 was one of the leading organizers 
of the Lock flouring mill. He was also in- 
strumental in the rebuilding of the car and 
agricultural works at Piqua, about the 
same time. His eminence as a physician 
was recognized, but he was a man of so 
active a brain and so possessed of foi-e- 
sight that enterprises outside his profes- 
sion continually apjiealed to him, with con- 
sequent beneficial results to the commu- 
nity. 

Dr. 11. M. O'Ferrall was graduated from 
Kenyon College in 1875, then spent a year 
in Jefferson Medical College. Philadelphia. 
In 1880 he was graduated from the IMed- 
ical College of Ohio, and was interne in the 
Cincinnati Hospital for one year. After 
a short season of relaxation in the West, 
he located pei-raanently at Piqua, and here 
lie has sustained the medical reputation 
the name of O'P^rrall has so long enjoyed. 
He has always shown enthusiasm for his 
profession and is a valued member of the 



Miami County, the Ohio State, aud Ameri- 
can [Medical Associations and belongs also 
to the Association of Surgeons of the 
Pennsylvania Railroad Company. He is 
a surgeon for the Pennsylvania & C. H. & 
D. Railroad. 

In 1886 Dr. O'Ferrall was married to 
Miss Pauline Bassett, who was born in the 
State of New York, and they have two 
sons: Kirk Bassett, who is a student at 
Kenyon College; and John Dwight, who 
is a student in the Piqua High School. Dr. 
O'Ferrall is junior warden of St. James' 
Episcopal Church. He is a member of the 
Piqua Club aud of the Loyal Legion mili- 
tary order. 

OSCAR VAN PIORN, a resident of Cov- 
ington for almost half a century, is a well 
known citizen and is clerk in charge of the 
railway mail service on what is known as 
the Pittsburg-St. Louis Railway Postoffice, 
being first appointed by President Gar- 
field, in 1882. He was born in Champaign 
County, Ohio, January- 27, 1857, and is a 
son of William and Rebecca Ann 
(Mathews) Van Horn. 

The father of Mr. Van Horn resided on 
a farm at the time of the latter's birth, 
but he was a stone-cutter by trade and 
mainly worked as such, and as early as 
18.':)S he assisted in building the old court 
house at Dayton. In 1860 Mr. Van Horn's 
jiarents started for JMissouri and on their 
way reached Covington just at the time 
that Fort Sumter was fired on by the Con- 
federates. William Van Horn decided, on 
accoimt of the disturbed condition of the 
country, to move no farther west and then 
settled on the lot of ground in this city 
on which their son Oscar now lives. The 
eldest son. Robert E., although onlv four- 



3;r2 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



teen years of age, ran away from home to 
enter the army, and enlisted in the Sixty- 
first 0. Vol. Inf., and served through the 
Civil War, being injured in the last bat- 
tle, that of Beutonville, North Carolina. 
Although he still survives and is a resi- 
dent of the State of Indiana, he suffered 
for a long time in a hospital from his 
wound, having been shot entirely through 
his body. 

AVilliam Van Horn started uj) in the 
stone business at Covington, where he ac- 
quired a stone quarry, and he continued 
to work as a stone-cutter up to the time 
of his death, in 1895, when he had the rec- 
ord of being the oldest worker in that in- 
dustry in the State of Ohio. His death 
was unexpected, taking place while he was 
on a visit to his son, Warren S., at Detroit, 
Michigan. He married Rebecca Ann 
Mathews, who died in 1893. They had five 
children, namely: Robert E.; Margaret 
A., who is the wife of Andrew Cruzen, liv- 
ing in Michigan; Oscar; Edward, a twin 
brother of Oscar, residing at Piqua; and 
Warren, who is a railway clerk on the 
Michigan Central Railroad between De- 
troit and Chicago. 

Oscar Van Horn was reared and edu- 
cated at Covington. Under his fatlier he 
learned the stone-cutting trade, at which 
he worked until he entered the railway 
mail service. He is one of the oldest rail- 
..way mail clerks in the United States, in 
]K)int of years of service, and he has seen 
this branch developed to its present per- 
fection. During the first administration 
of tlie late President Cleveland, he was out 
for three years, Imt was returned under 
President Harrison and was promoted to 
be clerk in charge under the second Cleve- 
land administration, this l)eing on account 



of his proficiency and not for political rea- 
sons. The position is one of great respons- 
ibility, requiring the utmost accuracy and 
careful attention. Of the fourteen men in 
Clerk \'an Horn's crew, three are from 
C'Ovington. 

Mr. \^an Horn was married to Miss Ella 
E. Medford, a native of Kentucky, and 
they have one daughter, Ada C. The lat- 
ter married Dr. L. A. Ruhl, of Covington, 
and they have one son, Joseph W. Mr. 
Van Horn is a member of the leading fra- i 
ternal organizations and an official in a 
number of them. He is a Thirty-second 
degree Mason and is past master of Cov- 
ingion Lodge, No. 168. He is a past grand 
of Covington Lodge, No. 383, Odd Fel- 
lows, and is past chancellor of Stillwater 
Lodge, No. 233, Knights of Pythias. 

C. W. MONTGOMERY, head of the 
Montgomerj^ Printing Company, has been 
a resident of Troy, Ohio, for nearly twen- 
ty years and is one of the most active of 
the yoianger generation of business men. 
He was born at West Milton, in Miami 
('ounty, Ohio, in May, 18(i5, and is a son 
of Stephen and Sarah (Randall) Mont- 
gomeiy. 

C. W. Montgomery was reared in his 
lative village, and attended school there 
and one year in Dayton. AVhen about fif- 
teen years of age he liegan learning the 
printing business in West Milton, where 
he continued for three years and then 
moved to Indianaitolis. He was employed 
l)y the job printing establishment of Car- 
Ion (t Hollenbeck for a number of years. 
In 1S90 he located at Troy and for some 
years was foreman of the piinting ]ilant 
of the Buckeye Company; he Avas ])art 
owner of that concern nine vears, after 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



353 



which he soUl out, ami in November, IDOo, 
he established the Montgomery Pi'iuting 
Company. He does general job printing 
and has built up a large and well paying- 
patronage. In 1894 C. W. Montgomery 
was united in marriage with Miss Martha 
]>audrpy, who w'as born and reared in 
Troy. He has taken a more or less active 
interest in politics, and has served on the 
Democratic Countj' Central Committee and 
the executive committee, being secretary 
of the latter for four or five years. Fra- 
ternally he is affiliated with the Masons. 

HARRY JA:\IES HARSHBARGER, a 
representative business man of Tippeca- 
noe City, assistant manager of the Tipj) 
Whip Company, was born in this city, Jan- 
uary 17, 1870, and is a son of Isaac and 
Anna (Kable) Harshbarger. 

Isaac Harshbarger was born in Miami 
County, Ohio, and was a son of Henry 
Harshbarger, who came to this section 
from Virginia. About 1867 Isaac Harsh- 
barger moved to Illinois, but returned to 
Tippecanoe City, where he died when aged 
about thirty-eight years. He married 
Anna Kable, a daughter of James Kable, 
who also moved to Illinois, but died at Tip- 
pecanoe City. ]\Irs. Harshbarger still sur- 
vives. The family consisted of two sons 
and three daughters, namely: A. L., who 
is a member of the Tipp Whip Company, 
and married Kittie Staley; Mary, who is 
the wife of F. G. Davis, of Tippecanoe 
City; Bertha, who is the wife of Prof. H. 
Hutchins, pi-incipal of the public schools 
of Toledo ; Harry James ; and Mabel, who 
is the wife of Rev. II. J. Collins. 

Harry J. Harshbarger attended the pub- 
lic schools of his native city and took a 
commercial course in the Wilt Business 



College, at Dayton, and for two years 
officiated as bookkeeper and stenographer 
for the Dayton Dry Goods Company, and 
for nine years more was with the Ware 
Coffee Company, of that city. Since 1900 
he has been identitied with the Tipp Whip 
Company. 

In June, 1895, Mr. Harshbarger was 
married to ^liss Mary Hogendobler, a 
daughter of Frederick Hogendobler. She 
was reared at Springfield. They have 
three children, Frederick, ^lary and Ben- 
jamin. Mr. Harshbarger is a member of 
Tippecanoe Lodge, No. 174, F. & A. M., 
and Chai)ter and Council at Troy, and be- 
longs also to the Modern Woodmen and 
Royal Arcanum. In politics he is a Re- 
publican. 

JOHN II. FECKER, superintendent of 
the plant of The Favorite Stove and 
Range Company, at Piqua, and identified 
with other business enterprises, has been 
a resident of this city for some twenty 
years. He was born at Covington, Ken- 
tucky, where he completed his school at- 
tendance in boyhood. Mr. Fecker began 
work for the Favorite Stove people many 
years ago, first operating a drill and later 
learning stove plate moulding in their 
foundries. Through his own industry and 
enterprise he has worked his way up to 
his present position, one of great responsi- 
bility, which he has filled since January 1, 
1907. Not only is he a thorough master 
of detail and skilled in all the branches of 
the work which he must, in a manner, 
oversee, but he possesses the qualities of a 
good executive officer and finds little 
trouble in managing the large force of 
employes. Mr. Fecker is identified with 
a mmiber of fraternal organizations, be- 



354 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



longing to the Eagles, the Eed Men, the 
American Mechanics and the Iron Mould- 
ers' Union, at the present time being an 
honorary member of the latter. He serA'ed 
one term as a member of the city council, 
1906-07. 

HENEY DAVIS, general farmer and 
owner of eighty acres of valuable land 
situated in Section 4, Elizabeth Township, 
was born in Perry County, Ohio, October 
16, 1864, and is a son of Casper and Rachel 
(Phunmer) Davis. 

The parents of Mr. Davis were farming 
Ijeople and he lived at home until his mar- 
riage, and then came to his present farm 
on which he has lived ever since. He has 
two sisters: Sarah, who is the wife of 
McClain Kennedy; and Nancy, who is the 
widow of William Lestley. ^Ir. Davis 
helped to build all the farm structures. 
He has a fine orchard and raises the usual 
crops of this section, but has given but 
little attention to growing tobacco. All 
his surroundings indicate a large amount 
of comfort. 

Mr. Davis married Miss Effie May War- 
ner, who is a daughter of John and Mi- 
nerva W^arner, and they have three chil- 
dren, all making good progress at school 
— Bertha, Earl and Edith. Mr. Davis and 
family attend the Christian Church at Ad- 
dison. 

JOHN H. BAKER, M. D., who is recog- 
nized as one of the leading physicians and 
sui'geons of Piqua, has been a resident of 
this city for the past fourteen years and is 
identified with all that is best in its life. 
He was born in Perry County, Ohio, in 
1870, and there grew to manhood. 

From the pviblic schools of Perry Coun- 



ty, Dr. Baker entered the Ohio State Uni- 
versity and later Starling Medical College 
and was graduated with his degree from 
the latter institution in the class of 1895. 
He located at Piqua, choosing this city for 
both business and social reasons, and has 
become a valued citizen and a prominent 
professional man here. He is a member of 
tlie Miami County and Ohio State Medical 
Societies and of the American Medical 
Association. His well equipped office is 
located at No. 215 West Ash Street. 

In 1900 Dr. Baker was married to Miss 
Helen Constance Castle, a lady of much 
literary talent, whose contributions regu- 
larly appear in the leading magazines of 
the day. She was born at Leavenworth, 
Kansas, and is a granddaughter of Capt. 
William J. Downs, who came to ^liami 
County in 1837. She is a member of the 
Daughters of the American Revolution. 
Capt. William J. Downs was a prominent 
civil engineer, and with his father-in-law, 
laid out the Miami and Erie Canal, and 
also constructed the St. Mary's Reservoir. 

CHARLES A. HARTLEY, M. D., one 
of Troy's best established physicians and 
surgeons, was born in 1847, in Columbiana 
County, Ohio, and secured the larger jiart 
of his literary edi^cation at Cohmibus 
Grove. In early manhood. Dr. Hartley 
made his choice of profession. After 
proper preparation he attended medical 
lectures at Western Reserve College, at 
Cleveland, Ohio, and later the Eclectic 
Medical Institute of Cincinnati, where he 
was graduated in February, 1871. For a 
short time he practiced in Kansas and then 
returned to Ohio, locating for six months 
in Warren County and then settling at 
Casstown, in Miami Coimty, where he con- 




CHARLES A. HARTLEY, M.D. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



357 



tinned for twenty years, when, in April, 
18i>L', he came to Troy. He is identified 
with all the leading- medical bodies of his 
school of practice, including the State and 
National Eclectic Associations, the Central 
Ohio Eclectic Medical Association, the Mi- 
ami County Medical Association, and the 
Oliio State Medical Association. In 1875, 
])r. Hartley was married to Miss Sarah 
^r. Allen, who formerly was a popular 
teacher in the public schools of Troy, and 
the wife of M. T. Rossiter, of this city. 
Dr. Hartley is a member of the Presby- 
terian Church. He is a Knight Templar 
Mason and belongs also to the Odd Fel- 
lows. In his character as a citizen, he is 
they have one daughter, Clara E., who is 
broad minded and public spirited. 

DAVIS MARION HONEYMAN, whose 
finely improved farm of eighty acres is sit- 
uated in Concord Township, on the west- 
ern township line, about four and one-half 
miles west of Troy, is one of. the self-made 
men of this section who has gradually 
built up his fortune from a small begin- 
ning and takes a justifiable pride in the 
fact. He was born in the old log house on 
the home farm near Troy, Ohio, January 
18, 1856, and is a son of Michael and Lu- 
cinda (Hoover) Honeyman. 

Mr. Honepnan belongs to a pioneer fam- 
ily of i\Iiami County, his grandfather, Ben- 
jamin Honeyman, coming here when the 
whole country was a forest and swamp 
land. He established himself near Nash- 
ville, Miami Coimty, and to his first acqui- 
sition of land kept adding until he owned 
■400 acres, and gave each of his children 
forty acres. He lived to be eighty-two 
years of age and he was buried on his 
own farm, where manv of the family rest. 



His children bore these names: William, 
Charles, Michael, Andrew, Benjamin, Se- 
rena, Anna, John and Susan. The two 
survivors are John and Benjamin. Serena 
was married to George Idemiller, who is 
also deceased; and Anna was the wife of 
Samuel Curtis, also deceased. 

Michael Honeyman, father of Davis M., 
was probably born in Pennsylvania, but 
he- was cjuite young when the family came 
west, making the long journey through a 
wild region, in Avagons. He grew to man- 
hood near Nashville and helped his father 
to clear up the land and often told of the 
valuable timber that was burned by the 
pioneers; much of it, if now standing, 
would mean a fortune to its owners. He 
lived at home until he was married and 
then bought eighty acres of the old Jen- 
kins farm, three miles west of Tippecanoe 
City and went to housekeeping in the old 
log house that still is tenanted. He ac- 
quired other land until he owned 300 acres, 
this being his estate at the time of his 
death, which occurred in 1893, when he 
was aged seventy-five years. 

Michael Honeyman married Lucinda 
Hoover, who was born across the river 
from ]\Iilton. Her father was John 
Hoover, o/ German descent, who was one 
of the very early settlers in Miami county. 
The following children were born to 
Michael Honeyman and wife: Webster, 
who died young; Sarah Jane, deceased — 
was the wife of William Frantz, also de- 
ceased ; Benjamin, residing in Montgomery 
County, Ohio; Almeda, deceased — was the 
wife of David Jones, also deceased ; John, 
deceased; George, residing at Tippecanoe 
City; Davis M. ; Hanford, residing in 
Darke County, Ohio ; Harvey, residing in 
Miami County, Ohio; Emeline, wife of Ira 



358 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Grisso, of Miami C'ounty; Cora, widow of 
Frank P^ritz, of Miami County; and Enos, 
who lives on the south end of the old home 
farm near Troy. 

I^avis M. Iloneyman remained at home 
heli)ing- his father until his own marriage. 
He found but little time to attend school, 
but went through the winter months some- 
times, but the gi-eater part of his boyhood 
and youth was put in in very hard work. 
For three years after his marriage he lived 
on a farm belonging to his father, and in 
1884 bought his present farm from Fred 
Fowler, and here he has engaged very 
successfully in general farming ever since. 
All the substantial buildings on tlie place 
were put iip by Mr. Honeyman. "When he 
started out for himself he received the gift 
of a horse from his father and with that 
went to work, exercising the prudence 
which has resulted in his now owning one 
of the very good farms and comfortable 
lionies in the township. The handsome 
ten-room frame residence, setting back 
from the highway, he put up in 1903, hav- 
ing built the commodious barn in the pre- 
vious year. 

Mr. Honeyman was married December 
7, 1881, to Miss Anna Elizabeth Smith, a 
daughter of John and Mary (Idemiller) 
Smith. Mrs. Honeyman was born in Mi- 
ami County, but her father came from 
Pennsylvania and her mother from Ger- 
many. Two children were born to this 
marriage: Minnie, who is the wife of 
Hubert Frantz, has one cliild and they live 
at Pleasant Hill; and Elnora, who lives 
at home. In politics Mr. Houejiuan is a 
Democrat. He is an active citizen in his 
township and has served two terms, of 
three years each, on the School Board. 



WILLIAM A. ^'ANL)EGRIFT, a mem- 
ber of the firm of Bashor & Vandegrift, 
extensive dealers in farm implements at 
Covington, Ohio, is also one of the best 
known auctioneers and laud criers in this 
section of the State, his services being con- 
stantly in demand and his successful sales 
amounting to very large sums annually 
Mr. A'andegrift was born May 11, 1S73, 
on a farm in Newberry Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a son of John an 1 
Elizabeth (Miller) Vandegrift. The father i 
of Mr. Vandegrift resides on his farm in I 
Darke County, Ohio, to which he moved 
from Miami County. The mother died in | 
Darke County. ' 

AVilliam A. Vandegrift was reared on 
the John Rhoades farm and was an apt 
pupil in the public schools. Until 1895 he 
devoted himself mainly to farming. In 
that year he established a grain business 
at Eangeville, on the C, H. & D. Railroad, 
and in November, 1897, a i^ostoffice was 
established there, named Abe by the 
efforts of Mr. Vandegrift, and he became 
its first postmaster. He continued in the 
grain business for five years and then 
gave himself the benefit of a vacation, 
spending seven months in an extended trip 
through the western States. In the latter 
part of 1906 he went into partnership in 
the farm implement business with S. B. 
Bashor, who had conducted a business 
of this kind at Covington for three years. 
The firm of Bashor & Vandegrift do a very 
large business. They have commodious 
ware and exhibit rooms and if their daily 
crowded condition is any indication of 
sales, they must provide for residents of a 
large territory. They handle only the most 
reliable machinery and implements and 
keep fully abreast of the times. Theic 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



359 



higli commercial ratiug aud trade staudiug 
enable them to make reasonable prices and 
conditions. Mv. Vandegrift married Miss 
Alice Smith aud they have three children 
— Kay Ernest," Veluia May and Luther 
Omer. 

S. B. Bashor, senior member of the firm 
of Bashor & ^'audegrift, like his partner, 
was born on a farm in Newton Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, December 13, 1863, 
and is a son of Benjamin S. and Susanna 
(^lartin) Bashoi', the former of whom was 
a very prominent farmer and the latter 
a member of the old Martin kin, some of 
the best stock in the county. Both are 
now deceased. S. B. Bashor was appoint- 
ed by Governor Bushnell, in June, 1896. 
supervisor of the State Deaf and Dumb 
Asylum, at Columbus, and he served in 
that capacity for four years, giving en- 
tire satisfaction. After the close of his 
official life he established himself, in 1901, 
in the implement business at Columbus, 
where he remained until he came to Cov- 
ington, in 1903. He married Miss Carrie 
B. Hnrtle, a daughter of A. J. Hartle, and 
they have three children — Glenna, lo and 
J. Lee. Mr. Bashor is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias and is a Thirty-second 
degree Mason. 

C. E. HETHERINGTON, M. D., one of 
Piqua's well established professional men, 
has lieeu engaged in the practice of med- 
icine aud surgery here for the past eight 
years and is the leading exi^onent of home- 
ojiathy. He was born at Piqua, in Jan- 
uary, 1875, and is a son of AVilliam Heth- 
erington and a grandson of William Heth- 
erington. 

It was the elder "William Hetherington 
who established the familv in Miami Coun- 



ty, and in 1838 he built the old lime kiln in 
Piqua and for many years was engaged 
in business as a conti'actor. The second 
William Hetherington was born at Piqua 
in 1852 aud for a long period was identi- 
fied with the manufacturing interests of 
this city. He is now president of the Ohio 
Handle Company, which plant is located 
at Jonesboro, Arkansas. 

Dr. Hetherington was reared in his na- 
tive city, and after graduating with credit 
from the Piqua High School entered the 
Ohio Wesleyan University, where he was 
graduated in 1896, with the degree of A. 
B., and later was granted the degree of 
A. M. He graduated in 1901 from the Chi- 
cago Homeopathic College, of Chicago. He 
immediately settled at Piqua, and has 
never had reason to regret his choice of 
business field. He is a member of the 
Miami and Shelby County Homeopathic 
and the Ohio State Homeopathic Societies 
and of the National Homeopathic Society, 
through them keeping in close touch with 
the remarkable scientific discoveries of the 
times in his profession. Mrs. Hethering- 
ton is a daughter of Elias Kerns, an old 
resident of Miami County. Dr. Hether- 
ington is a member of the Green Street 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs 
to the Odd Fellows, and various other se- 
cret orders and to the Piqua Club. 

PETER BOHLENDER, one of Tippe- 
canoe City's most respected citizens, an 
old and experienced man in the nursery 
business, to which he has devoted twenty- 
seven years in Miami County, was born 
in the walled village of Arlembaugh, in 
the Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, Feb- 
ruary 1, 1838. His parents were George 
and Marv Bohlender. 



/ 



360 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



II 



In the spring of ISi?, -when Peter was 
scarcely ten years old, bis parents decided 
to emigrate to America. They secured 
passage on a sailing vessel and after forty- 
seven days of voyaging, the ship safely 
reached the harbor of New York, where 
another long triiD awaited them before 
they could join their relatives living at 
Dayton, Ohio. This included a voyage 
by boat up the Hudson River to Albany, 
then by the Erie Canal to Buffalo, from 
there by steamer to Erie, and thence to 
Beaver, Pennsylvania, thence to Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania, from there to Cincinnati, 
and then on to Dayton. In a short time 
the father purchased a little home, some 
three miles from Dayton, between the Cov- 
ington and Salem Turnpikes, and there 
both parents of Mr. Bohlender lived during 
the remainder of their lives, the father dy- 
ing when aged fifty-four years and the 
mother when aged seventy-three years. 
Their family consisted of two daughters 
and three sons, namely : John, Frederick, 
Peter, Adaline and Catherine. 

Peter Bohlender, who is the only survivor 
of the above family, was early put to work, 
beginning with George Heiks, a nursery- 
man, with whom he continued for a num- 
ber of years, and later he was with George 
Muma and for several years in the em- 
ploy of John AVamplei-, receiving a salary 
of $1,000 a year. Mr. Bohlender devel- 
oped a natural taste for the nursery 
business and has devoted to it the whole 
of his industrial period, covering some 
sixty years. His present enterprise is one 
of importance. He erected his ]:> resent 
buildings in 1908 and handles all kinds of 
shrubs and evergreens and all varieties of 
fruit trees and ships his stock all over the 
countrv and even to Mexico. 



In 1863 Mr. Bohlender was married to ) 
Miss Ajinie Belle Elmore, who resided 
near Covington, Miami County, and they ! 
have had the following children: Thomas, 
who has full charge of the field work of 
the Gen. Bidwell ranch in California, and 
is there engaged in the cattle business; 
Edmoud, who is a graduate of the Ohio 
Medical College, at Cincinnati, and en- 
gaged in medical practice at Dayton; 
Howard, a graduate jeweler, who is jn'os- 
pering in the jewelry business at Dayton ; 
Fletcher, who is associated with his father 
in the nurserj^ business at Tippecanoe 
City; Lou V., who is the wife of Harry 
Kyle, who is connected with the Spring 
Hill nursery, and has three children- 
Mary Belle, Elizabeth and Thomas Bar- 
ton; and Ivy, who is assistant teacher at 
Steel High School, Dayton. Mr. Bohlen- 
der has given all his children good educa- 
tions and has the satisfaction of seeing 
them all well established in life. He has 
never taken any active part in politics, but 
has so lived that his fellow citizens fully 
understand where he stands when just 
laws are to be ujiheld, desirable public 
measures are to be furthered, or contribu- 
tions to charity are being collected. 

L. A. RUHL, M. D., is successfully en- 
gaged in the practice of his profession at 
Covington, Miami County, Ohio, and main- 
tains his office and residence on East 
Wright Street, adjoining the Presbyterian 
Church. Dr. Ruhl was born in Coving- 
ton, September 7, 1877, and is a son of 
Josiah W. and Zipporah (De Vault) Ruhl. 
His father is president of the Citizens 
National Bank, of Covington, and one of 
the leading bi;siuess men of the place. The 
subject of this sketch was reared and edu- 



AND REPRESEMATIVE CITIZENS 



361 



eated iu his native village, graduating 
from the Covingtou High School in ISUG. 
He pursued a scieutilic course in Witteu- 
herg College, at Springfield, and after his 
graduation from that institution matricu- 
lated at Jefferson Medical College, of Phil- 
adelphia. After a full course of four 
years, he was graduated with the degree 
of M. I), iu 1905, and immediately there- 
after ojiened his ollice for practice in Cov- 
ington. He is a memher of the Miami 
]\Iedical Society, of which he is at the pres- 
ent time vice-president, the Oliio State 
Medical Society, and the American 
Medical Association. He is also a member 
of the Masonic order. Dr. Ruhl was 
united iu marriage with Miss Ada C. Van 
Horn, a daughter of Oscar Van Horn, of 
Covington, and they have a son, Joseph "W. 
Eulil. Religiously they are members of 
the Presbyterian Church. 

REV. GEORGE P. STEIXLAGE, rec- 
tor of St. Boniface Catholic Church, of 
Piqua, Ohio, was born iu Osnabruck, Ger- 
many, in 1840. His literary education was 
acquired in the schools and colleges of his 
native land, including the college of Mep- 
pen, in Hanover, where he was graduated 
in 1.S59. He came to America iu the fol- 
lowing year, sailing from Hamlmrg to 
New York. On his arrival here he went 
to "Cincinnati, r)liio, entering St. Mary's 
Seminary, where in 1863 he completed the 
course in philosophy and theology. He 
was ordained in the same year by Arch- 
bishop John B. Purcell, and received his 
first assignment, which was as assistant 
to the Very Rev. Joseiih Ferneding, of St. 
Paul's Church, Cincinnati. He was subse- 
quently transferred to St. Philomena's 
Churcli, in that city, for two years being 



assistant to Father Tobbe. He was then 
ap]X)inted pastor of St. Joseph's Church 
at Hamilton, Ohio, and during the seven 
years which lie sp«nt there, labored with 
zeal and efficiency, building a church and 
schoolhouse. He was next assigned to a 
charge at Taylor's Creek, where he re- 
mained for over five years, going thence 
to Reading. Ohio, for a two years' pastor- 
ate. On February 14, 1S81, Father Stein- 
lage came to Piqua as rector of St. Boni- 
face Church. Since coming here, besides 
carrying on the ordinary work of the par- 
ish, he has made some important improve- 
ments, remodeling the church and parson- 
age, the former of which was built in 1865 
at a cost of thirty thousand dollars, the 
latter Ijeing erected iu 1879. He also paid 
off the indebtedness of thirteen thousand 
dollars which he found against the church 
l)roperty on his arrival here. This prop- 
erty includes a good school of four lai'ge 
rooms, which is under the care of eight 
Sisters of Christian Charity, and is at- 
tended by 200 pupils.. Both the school 
building and the residence of the Sisters 
were built by Father Steinlage. The par- 
ish now nnnibers three hundred families 
residing in the city and surrounding coun- 
try, to which Father Steinlage is both a 
spiritual guide and a friend and counselor 
in the various troubles and ]3erplexities 
of life. His field of labor is wide and ar- 
duous, but he conscientiously performs his 
duties, content to deserve as his final re- 
ward the words of his Divine Master, 
''Well done, thou good and faithful serv- 
ant." 

SAMUEL X. XEAL, who carries on 
general farming on an estate of 109 acres, 
which is situated on the Brandt and Ad- 



362 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



dison Turnpike Koad, in Section 2, Eliza- 
beth Townsliip, is one of the representa- 
tive men of his section of Miami County. 
He was born January 22, 1882, in Eliza- 
beth Township, Miami County, Ohio, and 
is a son of James K. and Martha (Savior) 
Neal. 

James K. Neal was born in Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is a son of James Neal, who 
had a large family of children and was 
an early settler in the vicinity of Miami 
City. There James K. Neal went to school 
in his boyhood and then worked around 
on farms until he married, after which he 
settled first on a rented farm in Bethel 
Township, and later in Elizabeth Town- 
ship. He is now retired and resides very 
comfortably on a small place of one acre, 
which he can manage for himself. He 
married Martha Saylor, a daughter of 
Philip and Jane (Ramsey) Saylor, and 
they had eight children, namely : William, 
Frank, Oscar, Effie, Samuel N., Clarence, 
Harry and Rena. 

Samuel N. Neal enjoyed excellent i^ublic 
school advantages in Oak Grove and con- 
tinued to attend school until he reached 
the legal limit, after which he was elected 
assessor of Elizabeth Township and served 
one term. He then turned his attention 
to teaching school, and during vacation 
time followed the carpenter's trade. After 
teaching for three years and three mouths, 
lie settled on liis present farm, renting it 
from George Crawmer, and has carried 
on farming very successfully ever since. 
Mr. Neal finds no time hanging heavily 
on his hands, for when opportunity does 
not offer in one direction, he is able to em- 
ploy himself to advantage in another. In 
politics he is a Democrat and takes an 



active interest in township affairs of a pub- 
lic nature. 

Mr. Neal was married November 29, 
1905, to Miss Lizzie Crawmer, a daughter 
of George and Minerva (Thompson) 
Crawmer. He belongs to Lodge No. 406, 
K. O. T. M., at Tippecanoe City. Mr. 
Neal is recognized as one of the rising 
young men of his township, well educated, 
progressive and enterprising. 

CYRUS T. BROWN, secretary and 
treasurer of the Troy Wagon Works Com- 
pany and a director and vice-president of 
the First National Bank of Troy, Ohio, is 
one of the substantial and influential men 
of Miami County, and makes his home on 
the old Brown homestead in Staunton 
Townsliip. He comes of an old and re- 
spected family of the county and was born 
on the farm on which he now lives, June 
13, 1844. He is a son of Daniel and Eliza 
(Telford) Brown, and a grandson of Ar- 
nold and Elizabeth (Owens) Brown. 

Arnold Brown was a native of Rhode Is- 
land, where he was engaged in blacksmith- 
ing until 1832, in which year he moved west 
with his family to Hamilton County, Ohio, 
where he turned his attention to farming 
and cheese making. In 1836 he moved to 
jMianii County, Ohio, purchasing 160 acres 
of land in Staunton Township, which 
formed the nucleus of the present magnifi- 
cent farm belonging to his heirs. He add- 
ed to his holdings from time to time and 
was a man of considerable affluence at his 
death. He mari-ied Elizabeth Owens, and 
they reared six children as follows : Daniel, 
John, Elizabeth, who became the wife of 
Louis Morse; Mary, who married C. W. 
Singer; Joseph, and Almira. Mr. Brown 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



363 



died iu 1809 at the advaoced age of eighty- 
four years. 

Daniel Brown was born at Chepachet, 
Eliode Island, May 9, 1809. When a boy 
he found euiplojiiient straightening spin- 
dles in a cotton factory at Providence, that 
state, for which he received the munilicent 
sum of two cents a day and his board, con- 
tinuing this work for one year, and walk- 
ing home thirteen miles from the factory 
every week to spend his Sundays at home. 
Later he accompanied his parents to Ohio, 
and resided on the home farm from the 
time it was piirchased in 1836 until his 
death in 1878. He always farmed and ac- 
cumulated a handsome jiroperty, having 
some 500 acres in the home place. June 13, 
ISiS, he was united in marriage with Eliza 
Telford, who was born on the old Telford 
farm in Concord Towaiship, Miami County, 
near the present site of the county fair 
grounds; she was a daughter of Andrew 
and Jane (McKaig) Telford; her death 
occurred November 27, 1899. The follow- 
ing wei-e the issue of their imion: Cyrus 
T. ; Cornelia, who is now deceased; Dr. 
Mary B., who has been a ])racticing physi- 
cian in New York since 1880 and has met 
with remarkable success in her profession ; 
Arnold O., who resides in Troy, Ohio ; 
Harry W. ; and Rebecca, who died at the 
age of two years. Daniel Brown gave lib- 
erally of his means to the Troy Presby- 
terian Church, M'hich he attended, althougli 
not a member. He was a generous-hearted, 
fair-minded man, and had tlie good will of 
all with whom he was brought into contact. 

Cyrus T. Brown was educated in the dis- 
trict schools of Staunton Township and the 
public schools of Troy and spent his boy- 
hood days in work upon the farm. When 
twenty-four years old he was placed in 



charge of the 500-acre farm by his father, 
and since the latter 's death he has had the 
management of it. His labors, however, 
were not confined to the farm, as he became 
interested in some of the foremost enter- 
prises of the city of Troy. He was one of 
the organizers of the Troy Wagon Works 
Com]iauy, of which he is secretary and 
treasurer, and he contributed materially to 
the success of the flourishing plant oper- 
ated by that company. He also was one 
of the organizers of the Miami Farmers' 
Fire Insurance Company, of which he has 
been treasurer for more than thirty years. 
His position as vice president and one of 
the directors of the First National Bank 
has been already referred to, and he was 
also clerk of Staunton Township for more 
than twenty years. Politically he is a Re- 
publican but has never been active in po- 
litical affairs. He is a man of wide ac- 
quaintance in tlie county and has many 
friends. 

HENRY WARE ALLEN, president of 
the First National Bank of Troy, Miami 
County, Ohio, was born in Pembroke, 
Mass., April 6, 1822, a son of the Rev. Mor- 
rill Allen. The family to which he belongs 
on the paternal side came from England 
in the iirst (juarter of the seventeenth cen- 
tury. Rev. Morrill Allen was a man of 
superior education and a minister of the 
Ijiitarian church. Beginning his pastoral 
services at the early age of twenty-two, he 
labored as a faithful shepherd for nearly 
four-score years, preacliing a sermon on 
his ninetieth birthday. He was for the 
most i)art of his time engaged in agricul- 
ture, being the owner of a good farm in 
the vicinity of Pembroke. 

Henrv AVare Allen, after laving the 



364 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



fouudation of lii.s education iu the common 
.schools of his home neighborhood, inxrsued 
further literary studies in the academy at 
Hanover, Mass., and the normal school at 
Bidewater, that state. In 1848, when twen- 
ty-six years of age, he came to Ohio and 
settled in Troy, with the interests of which 
city he has since been so closely and prom- 
inently identilied. His tirst investment 
was in a mill property, with which busi- 
ness he was connected for many years, 
meeting with a very satisfactory degree of 
success. His operations brought him into 
touch with the leading business men of the 
city and county and led to his becoming- 
one of the prime movers in the organiza- 
tion of the First National Bank, of which 
he has ever since been the efficient presi- 
dent. He has kei)t in close touch with the 
various interests of the county ever since 
his early manufacturing days, and perhaps 
no man is better informed as to genei'al 
business conditions. In 185."), taking ad- 
vantage of a favorable opportunity, he 
erected a fine block, and lie has since at dif- 
ferent times added to his real estate hold- 
ings until at the present time he is a large 
property holder. The financial institution 
of which he is the head was founded in 
1847 and has a capital and surplus of over 
$27U,U0U. It is numbered among the safe 
and conservative institutions of the state. 
D. W. Smitli is the cashier. As a far-see- 
ing, capable and energetic business man, 
Mr. Allen easily stands in the very first 
rank among the citizens of this part of the 
state. His ability is reflected in the man- 
agement of the bank, and its prosperity 
and sound commercial standing is the re- 
sult in large measure of his guiding hand. 
Mr. Allen's first marriage was with Mrs. 
Mai'y D. Hastings Smith, in January, 1851. 



She died iu July of the same year and Mr. 
Allen subsecpiently married for his second 
wife, Pamela Hale, a daughter of Dr. Asa 
Coleman. Of this union there were ten 
children, seven of whom are now living. 
Mr. Allen has a commodious and tasteful 
residence at tlie corner of Simpson and 
^larket Streets. 

WARREX X. WINTERS, dealer in wire 
fence and rejiresentative of the American 
Steel "Wire Fence Company of Chicago, 
has his residence and place of business in 
Staunton Townshij), on the Urbana Pike, 
about three-cpiarters of a mile from the 
public scpiare in Troy. He has been lo- 
cated at his iiresent residence for ten 
years, and has been in tlie fence business 
for some twelve years, putting up many 
fences throughout the country surround- 
ing Troy. He is a capable business man 
and has met with a high degree of success. 
]Mr. AVinters was born in Elizabeth Town- 
shij), Miami County, Ohio, July 23, 1868, 
and comes of an old and respected family 
of that township, where both of his parents 
were born and died. He is a son of Oba- 
diah and Mary (Stevenson) Winters. 

Warren N. Winters was born and lived 
until eight years old on the old home farm 
in Elizabeth Township, then with his par- 
ents came to Staunton Township for nine 
years, afterwards returning to Elizabeth 
Township. He received his education in 
the public schools. He followed farming 
until he engaged in his present business 
and about 1898 moved to Staunton Town- 
ship. He owns the home in which he lives, 
and a good residence property adjoining. 
]\Ir. Winters was united in marriage with 
]\Iiss Bertha Hagen, who was born and 
reared in Champaign County, Ohio, and is 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



365 



a daughter of Augustus and Catherine 
(Smith) Hagen, her father a native of Ger- 
many and her mother of Darke County, 
Ohio. She was quite young when her par- 
ents moved to Miami Coimty, Ohio. Fra- 
ternally, Mr. Winters is a member of the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows at 
Troy. He is a man of wide acquaintance 
in this vicinity and is held in high esteem. 

JOHN ^Y. BROWN, vice-president of 
The Miami Light, Heat and Power Com- 
pany, vice-president of The French Oil 
j\lill Machinery Company and identified 
with numerous other successful enterprises 
of ^Miami County, is one of the most prom- 
inent biisiness men of Piqua and is owner 
and proprietor of the largest general store 
between Dayton and Toledo, which has 
been recently comjDleted at Piqua. 

For the building of his immense business 
house, Mr. Brown secured the best site in 
Piqua and has given the city the finest 
structure of its kind in this section of Ohio. 
Its dimensions are 40 by 156 feet, with four 
stories and basement and fine stone front. 
The entire basement is devoted to house- 
hold goods and the stock is complete. The 
first floor is devoted to the display and 
sale of dress goods, silks, trimmings, laces, 
embroidery, linens, ginghams, underwear 
and hosiery, fine goods collected from the 
best mills in the country. The second 
floor's display includes millinery, muslin 
underwear, ladies' waists, silk and mei"- 
cerized petticoats and ladies', children's 
and misses' cloaks and suits. On the third 
floor are found carpets, draperies and floor 
coverings, while the fourth floor is devoted 
to mattings, oil cloths, linoleums, trunks 
and suit-cases. The business is to be in- 
cori)orated under the style of The John 



Brown Company, a close corporation, with 
a capital stock of $100,000. Mr. Brown is 
a director in the Piqua National Bank, the 
Piqua Savings Bank, the French Oil Mill 
Machinery Company, the Piciua Handle 
Company, the Piqua Furniture Company 
and the Mami Light, Heat and Power 
Company. In the developing of large en- 
terprises, Mr. Brown has shown remark- 
able business acumen, and his influence is 
very largely felt in the concentration of 
capital and the encouragement to trade, 
throughout city and county. 

In 188S Mr. Brown was married to Miss 
Nettie E. Brooks, of Piqua. They are 
members of St. James Episcopal Church, 
in which he is a vestryman. He belongs to 
the Piqua Business Men's Association and 
to the Piqua Club. 

LIDWIS D. A^NNEDGE, superintendent 
of the Riverside Cemetery, which is owned 
by the city of Troy and is situated in 
Staimton Township, was born January 9, 
1863, in Fairfield Township, Butler Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is a son of Clinton and Sarah 
(Bitler) Viunedge and a grandson of 
George Vinnedge. 

George A^innedge was born November 
30, 1809, and was a son of John and Ro- 
sanua (Moore) Alnnedge, and a grandson 
of early settlers in Pennsylvania, who, on 
the paternal side, came from Germany and 
on the maternal side from Ireland. John 
Alnnedgc came to Ohio as a soldier under 
Gen. Anthony AVayne and not only helped 
to send the Indians still farther from the 
frontier but later did a brave man's part 
in the AVar of 1812. AA'hen he came to 
Ohio and saw the rich land awaiting settle- 
ment, he secured 100 acres of the Symmes 
Purchase, which was located three miles 



366 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



east of Ilaiiiiltou, on the iiresent Middle- 
town Turnpike, and later purchased thirty 
acres more. "While serving under General 
Wayne he held the office of pack-horse 
master. Both he and wife were great ad- 
herents of Methodism and their dwelling- 
was often a place of worship and their 
table and fireside were hospitably offered 
to the pioneer circuit-rider. John Vin- 
nedge lived to the age of ninety-five years, 
dying at the home of his son George Vin- 
nedge, in August, 1868. He married Eo- 
sanna Moore, who was born in Ireland and 
was brought to America by her father, 
Patrick Moore, who came to Ohio in 1779 
and was known as a gentleman farmer. 

George Vinnedge was one of a family of 
nine children and his rearing was that of 
tlie pioneer youth of his time. "When 
about twenty-six years of age he bought 
a farm in Fairfield Township, Butler 
County, Ohio, which he later sold and pur- 
chased one of 200 acres in Union Town- 
ship and later added other properties until 
he owned 337 acres. He was married De- 
cember 23, 1831, to Malinda Bobbins, and 
they had five children, two sons and three 
daughters. 

Clinton Vinnedge, father of Lewis D., 
was born in Butler Coimty, Ohio, where 
he was reared, educated and spent his life, 
his death taking place in 1865. In 1860 he 
married Miss Sarah Bitler, who died April 
28, 1896. She was a daughter of Rev. 
Michael Bitler, a minister of the Methodist 
Church. One child was born to that union, 
Lewis D. Mrs. Vinnedge contracted a 
second marriage, with H. D. Delap, who 
died in 1906. All their six children sur- 
vive, namely : Harry ; Delia, who is the wife 
of J. F. Ingle ; Daisy, who is the wife of J. 
G. Slemmons; Maude, who is the wife of 



Harry Rocks ; George; and Queenie, who is 
the wife of John Ainsworth. 

Lewis D. A'iunedge spent his boyhood on 
the home farm and completed his educa- 
tion in the High School at Hamilton, Ohio. 
AVhen eighteen years of age he came to 
Troy and entered the business house of 
AVeatherhead, Norris & Howland, as a 
clerk, continuing there for fourteen years. 
Following that long term he was in the 
employ of Gross Bros, for eight years. Mr. 
Mnnedge then bought a small farm ad- 
joining the cemetery part of the old Henry 
Kephart farm and there engaged in grow- 
ing tobacco. On June 1, 1907, he was ap- 
pointed superintendent of the Riverside 
cemeterj-, a position he has efficiently filled 
ever since. Mr. Vinnedge was married 
February 18, 1885, to Miss Edith Weath- 
erhead. daughter of J. D. and Jane (How- 
land) Weatherhead. He is a Republican 
in his political views, and he is a member 
of Franklin Lodge, F. & A. M., at Troy. ^ I 

WILL J. PRINCE, M. D., a leading 
physician and surgeon of Piqua and one 
of the city's most active and public-spir- 
ited citizens, was born in 1861, at New 
Bremen, Auglaize County, Ohio, and is a 
son of the late Dr. William Prince. 

In 1864 Dr. William Prince moved with 
his family, to Piqua, and he continued 
from then until his death in 1877, in the 
active practice of his profession. He was 
a graduate of the Eclectic Medical Insti- 
tute of Cincinnati. 

Dr. W. J. Prince attended the Piqua 
schools and Chickering Institute, and after 
completing special courses at Wittenberg 
College, entered the Eclectic Medical In- 
stitute of Cincinnati, in 1883, and was 
graduated there with his degree in 1887. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



367 



He came i)ack to Picjua and here has found 
a satisfactory field of work, and congenial 
surroundings for his life outside his pro- 
fession. In addition to a large general 
practice, he is retained by a number of the 
local manufacturing plants as surgeon. He 
is a member of the Miami County and the 
Ohio State Medical Societies, the Ameri- 
can Medical Association, the National 
Medical Association and the Eclectic State 
Medical Society. From early manhood he 
has taken an interest in public affairs and 
in the welfare of the city and has given 
much professional service to aid in estab- 
lishing its sanitary condition and for four 
years was most useful in the position of 
health officer. For nineteen years he has 
been a member of the School Board, has 
been president of the Board of Public 
Safety and served one term as president 
of the Oliio Board of Education. Dr. 
Prince was the first to encourage athletics 
in the public schools in Piqua, and their 
cultivation in the schools has spread 
throughout the state and given rise to an 
organized body known as the Ohio State 
School Athletic Association, divided into 
four districts. During one administration 
of the late ex-President Cleveland, he was 
pension examiner. 

In 1887, Dr. Prince was married to Miss 
Jeanette Snyder, of Washington City, 
D. C, and they have one son, Will J. Jr., 
who is a member of the graduating class of 
1909 at the Piqua High School. 

Dr. Prince is a Eoyal Arch Mason, has 
filled the office of exalted ruler in the Elks, 
and has several times been sent as a repre- 
sentative to the Grand Council of the Red 
Men, and is also examining physician for 
several beneficiary orders. His life has 



been one of more than ordinary activity 
and usefulness. 

FREDERICK STEIL, late a leading 
merchant of Troy, and for years one of 
the foremost business citizens of Miami 
County, was born in Bavaria, Germany, 
November 15, 1850. His father was John 
Steil, a teacher for many years in the pub- 
lic schools of Bavaria, carrying on his pro- 
fessional duties in one schoolroom for 
thirty-seven years — from 1860 to 1897. He 
died in the year last mentioned, honored 
and respected by all in the community in 
which he had labored so long and faith- 
fully. He was a successful and typical 
product of the thorough educational sys- 
tem which prevails in Germany, having 
advanced from one grade and from one 
school to another luitil he was graduated 
from the University of Kaisers Lantern, 
the normal school for the training of teach- 
ers in Bavaria. 

Frederick Steil began his education in 
the public schools of his native town, grad- 
uating to the Latin school at the age of 
fourteen years, where, besides Latin, 
French and English were taught. He had 
in America an uncle, Adam Steil, who was 
then a prosperous merchant of Troy, this 
county, having founded in 1859 the dry 
goods business that is now carried on by 
the subject of this sketch. In 18(55, at his 
uncle's invitation, young Steil, then only 
fifteen years old, came to the United States 
and entered his uncle's store as a clerk. 
He thus continued until Adam Steil's 
death, which took place in December, 1876, 
when he succeeded to the ownership of the 
business. While in his uncle's employ he 
gave close attention to all the details of 
the business until he thoroughly under- 



368 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



stood every i^art of it, and also spent his 
si^are time in the earlier years in careful 
study of the English language, which he 
soon mastered. After succeeding to the 
business he developed it into one of large 
proi^ortious and it is now one of the most 
substantial, complete and prosperous en- 
terprises of the kind in Miami County, or 
indeed, throughout this section of the 
state. In the line of dry goods, carpets and 
cloaks it is the largest establishment of its 
kind in Troy and the stock handled by the 
iii-m is of the best and finest quality. Mr. 
Steil's son, "William, was admitted as a 
partner in the business, which has been 
subsequently carried on under the style of 
Fred Steil & Son. The firm obtained an 
enviable reputation for fair and honest 
dealing and this policy had its natural re- 
sults, as none occupied more enviable 
position than ]\Ir. Steil among the pros- 
perous merchants of the city. His death 
occurred October 8, 1908, and caused great 
regret among tlie Inisiness citizens of Troy 
generally. 

^Miile maintaining his old love for the 
'Fatherland, Mr. Steil closely identified 
himself with American ideas and institu- 
tions, both moral and political. A mem- 
ber of the Republican party, he claimed, 
however, the right to do his own thinking, 
and no politician or set of politicians could 
deliver his vote for liim. Like most of his 
fellow countrymen he was a good citizen 
of the ^American republic, and in local af- 
fairs was always found on the side of 
progress and good government. 

He was married, October 28, 1875, to 
Miss Christina Ziegenfelder, a daughter of 
George Ziegenfelder, of Troy. Of this 
union there is the son, William, already 
mentioned, who was graduated from the 



Troy High School in 1899. He is a young 
man of good business ability and his jn'os- 
pects are bright for a successful career. 

Mr. Steil was an active member of the 
German Lutheran church, which he served 
for twenty-five years as treasurer, being 
also a member of the official board. He 
belonged to the Masonic fraternity, in 
which he had advanced as far as the com- 
mandery. His home — in a fine and taste- 
ful residence — was on fitting occasions the 
scene of a warm and bounteous hospital- 
ity. Mrs. Steil is also a member of the 
German Lutheran Church. 

JAMES McCLARY, deceased, formerly 
one of Newberry Township's most re- 
spected citizens and prominent and useful 
men, was a worthy representative of one 
of the sturdy old pioneer families of Miami 
County. He was born on the old McClary 
homestead farm, about two miles north of 
Covington, Miami County, Ohio, February 
18, 1821, and died at Covington, April 15, 
1906. His parents were John and Eliza 
(Brandon) McClary. 

The father of the late James McClary 
was bom in Kentucky and came to Miami 
County, Ohio, in 1812. He brought with 
him his wife, Eliza Brandon, who was born 
in South Carolina, a daughter of Benja- 
min Brandon, a Revolutionary soldier, who 
settled in Miami County about the same 
time, locating near Piqua. Shortly after 
marriage, John and Eliza McClary estab- 
lished the home ever since known as the 
McClary homestead, not far from Coving- 
ton, Miami County. 

On the above farm James McClary grew 
from childhood to manhood. Pioneer con- 
ditions prevailed, great expanses of un- 
cleared land and forest stretching between 




JAMES McCLARY 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



371 



the different civilized points, a trip to tlie 
mill, iu his boyhood, involving as much 
preparation and loss of time as now is re- 
quired to cover hundreds of miles by train 
or automobile, and the performance of 
many errands, except the one of carrying 
the grist and waiting for it to be ground by 
means of the old-time water wheel, and the 
returning home with the bag of flour on the 
back of his pony in front of him. He was 
quite small when he first began to be en- 
trusted with this very important mission 
and when he was permitted to spend the 
first night, when part way home, at Grand- 
father Brandon's, he thoroughly enjoyed 
the unusual relaxation. In his boyhood, 
work instead of play, came first, not a great 
deal of time being given, either, to the ac- 
quiring of knowledge. He was wont to tell 
his children of his first primer, which was 
made out of a paddle, on which his alpha- 
bet was printed and which served the pur- 
pose very well. Many ingenious and 
thrifty methods were made use of in the 
early days, when books were scarce and 
money was little in circulation. Life had 
many hardshi])s for both youth and age, 
in those days, but, on the other hand, more 
simple pleasures pleased than satisfy the 
present generation, and there are few of 
the old remaining pioneers who will not 
fondly recall the early times. Work, out- 
door life, sufficient recreation, all contrib- 
uted to James McClary growing into 
strong and sturdy manhood, while a nat- 
urally quick understanding and generous 
disposition, brought him the confidence and 
«steem of tho.so with whom he was asso- 
■ciated. 

In 1842 James McClary was married to 
Nancy Buchanan, who was a daugliter of 
Col. George Buchanan. The latter was a 



native of Rockingham County, Virginia, 
where he married Nancy Cassiday, and to- 
gether they came to Ohio, in 1803, locating 
first at Deerfield, Warren County. Prob- 
ably in the spring of 1808 the Buchanans 
moved to what is now West Milton, Mi- 
ami County, where the father engaged in 
farming until the opening of the War of 
1812. He then became captain of an or- 
ganization known as the Frontier Guards 
and was placed in charge of the supply 
depot at the junction of Greenville Creek 
and the Stillwater, the names designating 
these points at that time being Fort Bu- 
chanan and Fort Rowdy — now Covington, 
a quiet little city far removed from any 
indication of military disturbance. At the 
beginning of the war, Colonel Buchanan 
removed his family to the east side of the 
Stillwater, in Montgomery County, just 
over the county line, and there the Bu- 
chanans lived until 1830, when Colonel Bu- 
chanan settled on a farm in Section 6, 
Newberry Township, ]\liami County, which 
remained the permanent home. By trade 
he was a carpenter and cabinetmaker but 
he never lost intei-est in military affairs 
and following the close of the AVar of 1812, 
remained active iu the militia. Both he 
and wife were members of the Christian 
Church. He lived to the age of eight-three 
years, dying in 1862, and was survived for 
nine years by his widow. 

Following his marriage, the late James 
McClary Iniilt a house on a small tract of 
land which his father had given him off the 
old homestead, in recognition of his cheer- 
ful assistance given all through his youth, 
and on that place he lived until his par- 
ents died, a few years later. He then sold 
out and went to Piqua and during the 
eighteen months of Ms residence there he 



372 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



began to acquire shares in the old home- 
stead and subsequently purchased the in- 
terests of all the heirs and became sole 
owner of the property. During the years 
of subsequent residence on the farm, he 
assumed all the duties of a citizen of his 
township and frequently was tendered pub- 
lic office and at times served as assessor 
and as a member of the Board of Trustees. 
Later, when he retired to Covington, he 
was elected a justice of the peace, serving 
most acceptably in that position for a num- 
ber of terms, and for years was occupied 
in settling up estates and administering 
uyion them. He was a man of such un- 
doubted and unimpeachable integrity, that 
his fellow citizens entrusted to his judg- 
ment their most important business con- 
cerns. 

Mr. McClary was married (tirst) to 
Nancy Buchanan, who died in 1888, and 
several years later he was married (sec- 
ond) to Susan Trout. His four children 
were born to his first union, namely: Eliza 
Evaline, deceased, who was the wife of 
John West ; George I)., who lives in AVest 
Covington; Winlield Wesley, w'ho lives at 
Butler, Pennsylvania ; and Laura, who re- 
sides on North High Street, Covington. 
Miss McClary is one of Covington's best 
known and most highly esteemed ladies 
and probably one of the most substantial, 
owning various residence and business 
properties in this city. She takes a natural 
pride in her ancestry and justly cherishes 
and reveres the memory of her father. 

W. J. SMITH, proprietor of the Enter- 
prise Foundry Company of Troy, Ohio, 
with plant situated on AVest Main Street 
and the city limits, is an enterprising and 
representative business man of Troy. Mr. 



Smith was born in the great city of Lon- 
don, England, in 186G, and he came to 
America when a youth of seventeen years. 

During a residence of some live years at 
Detroit, Michigan, Mr. Smith learned the 
foundry business in every detail and went 
from there to Chicago, Illinois, where he 
was engaged in the business for one and a 
half years. He then returned to Detroit 
and went from there to Toronto, Canada. 
He then visited his native land but his 
years of absence had changed his views in 
many ways and he decided to again make 
the United States his home. He again 
worked at Detroit, then at Chicago and 
from there went to Aloline, Illinois. After 
spending a considerable period of time 
there, he went back to Detroit and then 
visited Piqua, Ohio. For three years he 
was with the Favorite Stove and Range 
Company, after which he organized the 
Ideal Stove and Foundry Company, and 
after buying out the Girard Stove and 
Foundry Company at Youngstown, Ohio, 
located at Daleville, Indiana. He only re- 
mained at that point for seven months, 
finding better business opportunities as 
superintendent of the Chicago Stove Com- 
jiany, a ]iosition he filled for four years, 
after which he returned to Piqua and then 
oi-ganized the Enterprise Foundry Com- 
])any, as sole proprietoi*. He continued 
there six years when, on February 1, 1900, 
he leased the Troy Foundry & Machine 
Company and he now operates his entire 
business under the style of the Enterprise 
Foundry Company. He is interested in 
other enterprises and is a man of ample 
fortime, all of which he has made for him- 
self in legitimate business. 

In 1895 Mr. Smith was married to Miss 
Ida M. Tietje, whose father, Henry A. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



373 



Tic'tje, is a pioniineiit contractor at Day- 
ton, aud whose grandfather was a pioneer 
manufacturer there. .Mr. aud Mrs. Smith 
liave one son, James Henry. Mr. Smith is 
a member of the Episcopal Church. P^ra- 
ternally he is a Mason, belonging to the 
Blue Lodge Chapter, and Council. He is 
also an Odd P^eliow, a Knight of Pythias, 
an Elk, and a memlier of the Order of For- 
esters, and is an honorary member also 
of the Iron Moulder's Union of North 
America, and of the Past Chancellor's As- 
sociation of Miami County. He is more 
or less active in politics and served as ceu- 
tra! <'ommitteeman of his ward in Piqua. 

OSCAR SHROYER, a representative 
general farmer and well known citizen, re- 
sides on his valual)le farm of ninety-five 
acres, which is situated live miles east of 
Tippecanoe City, in Section 10, Bethel 
Townshi)). He was born March 8, 1848, in 
Bethel Townshij), j\Iiami County, Ohio, 
and is a son of Jacob and a grandson of 
Thomas and Elizabeth (Fry) Shroyer. 

The grandparents of Mr. Shroyer came 
from Maryland and settled in Bethel 
Township, Miami County, where the 
grandfather acquired a quarter section of 
land, which he cleared up and made into a 
fine farm. He was one of the founders of 
the Cierman Reformed Church in this sec- 
tion. 

Jacob Shroyer, father of Oscar, was 
born in Maryland in 1807. He died in 
Bethel Township, February 19, 1889, and 
was laid to rest liy the side of his second 
wife in the New Carlisle Cemetery. He was 
a farmer all his life and at the time of 
ileath owned a large body of land in Bethel 
Township and a farm of 134 acres in Clark 
Countv. He was a member of the German 



Reformed Church. For many years he 
was a i)rominent factor in politics and 
held responsible local offices for a pro- 
tracted ])eriod, ])erforming the duties of 
the same honestly and efficiently. He was 
thrice married, his first wife being Mar- 
garet Black, who at death left the folloAV- 
ing children: Thomas, ^latilda, Cather- 
ine, Anna, Harriet and Henry. His sec- 
ond wife was Susan Stockstill, a daughter 
of Thomas Stockstill. She died in 1864 
and was buried at New Carlisle. The chil- 
dren born to this union were as follows: 
John, Oscar, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel C. 
and Jacob. His third marriage was to 
Priscilla Mann Mendenhall, to which no 
children were born. 

Oscar Shroyer was reared in Bethel 
Township and attended the district schools 
and afterward assisted his father on the 
home farai until the time of his own mar- 
riage, in 1875, when he settled on a farm 
in Section 10, which he rented from his 
father. Later he moved to Clark County 
and lived on his father's farm of 134 acres 
until it was deeded to his sister, when he 
returned to the old homestead, and when 
his father died he received his present 
farm of ninety-five acres. All the build- 
ings were standing and he has had to do 
little improving, the land being well 
drained and in fine workable condition. 
Here he raises the bounteous crops which 
Bethel Township soil gives to the careful 
and intelligent farmer, and here has reared 
a large and interesting family. 

Mr. Shroyer was married in 1875 to 
Miss Viola Mouk, a daughter of Andrew 
and Susan Mouk, of Clark County, and 
they have had the following children: 
Harry Walter, who married Stella Snyder, 
daughter of Thomas and Ruberta Snyder, 



374 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



and has one child, Rnbeita Viola ; Guy T., 
who is in the employ of the Sidney Steel- 
scraper Company, of Sidney, Ohio; Doro- 
thy C, who resides at home; Grover C, 
who married Maude Bousman, daughter 
of Elmer and Myrtle Bousmau ; Earl, who 
resides at home; Susan, who is a member 
of the class of 1909 in the Bethel High 
School ; Lloyd, who is a student in the class 
of 1912, in the Bethel High School; and 
Eobert, who has not yet reached the High 
School, but, like the older members of the 
family, shows a quick intelligence and love 
of learning. Mr. Shroyer and family at- 
tend the Lutheran Church at Brandt. In 
politics he is a Democrat and has frequent- 
ly been tendered township offices, all of 
which he has refused except that of town- 
ship trustee, in which he has acceptably 
served a number of terms. 

MAURICE E. STAN FIELD, chief en- 
gineer of the City AVater Works at Troy, 
Ohio, is one of those quiet, efficient, relia- 
ble men, on whose shoulders rest so much 
of the comfort and health, business pros- 
perity and even social pleasures of a com- 
munity. The chief engineer directing the 
utilities of a city is often one of its most 
necessary men. Mr. Stanfield was born 
September 10, 185(5, at Fredericksburg, 
Ohio, and was one year old when his par- 
ents removed to Miami County. 

Until he was about twenty-five years of 
age, Mr. Stanfield remained on the home 
farm and then went into railroad work, 
first as fireman on the Big Foiir Railroad 
between Indianapolis and Springfield. 
From there he was transferred to the Ohio 
Southern, and after a year there was just 
on the point of receiving well earned pro- 
motion, when the illness of his wife caused 



him to give up that position and accept 
one that would enable him to have a sta- 
tionary home. This he found with the Troy 
"Wagon Works and for twenty years he 
operated their engines and became known 
as so thoroughly responsible, that the city 
fathers ottered him the position of chief 
engineer of the city works. He accepted 
the offer and severed the pleasant rela- 
tions which had existed so long with the 
proprietors of the wagon works, the part- 
ing being one of respect and esteem on 
both sides. Mr. Stanfield has occupied his 
present position since 1902. 

In 1878 Mr. Stanfield was married to 
Miss Clai-a McDonald, who died in 1893. 
He was married (second), in 1894, to Miss 
Laura Lewis, who was born near Coving- 
ton, Ohio. Her father was born in Marion, 
Ohio, and came to Miami when a boy and 
became a substantial farmer. He was also 
a prominent Democrat and held county 
offices. Mr. and Mrs. Stanfield are mem- 
bers of the Christian Church. He is a 
member of the Masons and Odd Fellows, 
and he and his wife are members of the 
Order of Eebekah. He was a charter 
member also of the Order of the Golden 
Eagles. 

JOHN WILLIAM SHROYER, who 
owns one of the finest farms in Bethel 
Township, consisting of 212 acres, situ- 
ated on the Tippecanoe and Carlisle Turn- 
pike Road, in Sections 17 and 18, was born 
in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
November 3, 1845. His father was Jacob 
and his grandfather was Thomas Shroyer. 

Thomas Shroyer was born in Maryland 
and was a carpenter by trade. He mar- 
ried Elizabeth Fry and when they came to 
Miami County thev had a familv of three 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZEXS 



375 



sous and two daughters — Henry, John, 
Jacob, Polly and Elizabeth. Henry Shroy- 
er later was ajjpoiuted constable in Bethel 
Township, and met death from an assault 
made on him while he was making an ar- 
rest. John married Eliza Rawl and 
both lived and died in Bethel Township. 
Polly married a Josejih Shroyer and Eliza- 
beth married Elias Stoekstill, of Shelby 
County, Oliio. Thomas Sbroj^er acquired 
a farm of ItIO acres in Bethel Township 
and cleared up almost all of it. He was 
one of the leading men of his section at 
that time. Both he and wife died on their 
pioneer farm and were buried in Bethel 
Cemetery. They were worthy members of 
the German Reformed Church. 

Jacob Shroyer, father of John William, 
was a young man when he came to Miami 
County and when his father died he came 
into possession of a generous portion of 
tlie home estate and to this he subsequent- 
ly added until he owned 700 acres in Bethel 
Township. He was a leading Democratic 
politician and as a public man was held in 
tlie highest esteem. For forty years he 
was elected to the office of township treas- 
urer, for ten years was a trustee and at 
one time his party put him forward as its 
candidate for county treasurer. He died 
in old age, in February, 1889, and was in- 
terred at New Carlisle. Bethel Township 
remembers him as one of her most honest 
and useful men. 

Jacob Shroyer was thrice married. His 
first union was to a Miss Black, who, at 
death, left six children — Thomas, ^Matilda, 
Catherine, Annie Maria, Henry and Har- 
riet. His second marriage was to Susan 
Stoekstill, a daughter of Thomas Stock- 
still, and there were six children also born 
to this unions-John William, Oscar, Sarah, 



Rebecca, Camelia and Jacob. This wife 
was buried at New Carlisle. His third 
marriage was to Priscilla Mann, who left 
no issue. All three were women of most 
estimable qualities. Jacob Shroyer was 
a member and liberal supporter of the Re- 
formed Church. 

John William Shroyer was reared on the 
home farm and spent his school days in 
Bethel Township, where he secured what 
was considered a very fair education. He 
continued to assist his father until his mar- 
riage, when he settled on his present farm, 
one which was already cleared with the 
exception of a few acres and improved 
with substantial buildings. The county 
ditch runs through his property and thus 
ensures excellent drainage. As his land 
lies only four miles east of Tipiaecanoe 
City, Mr. Shroyer and family are able to 
enjoy both rural and urban advantages 
and these are appreciated as he has a fam- 
ily that is more than usually intelligent. 
Mr. Shroyer devotes his large farm to gen- 
eral agriculture and to stock raising. 

In 18G8 he was married to Miss ^lar- 
garet Anna AVilliams, who is a daughter 
of John and Anna Williams, and they 
have had tlie following children : Hershel, 
who married Clara Mumford. and has six 
children — Marie, Hazel. Carl, Parker, 
William and Raymond ; Ida, who married 
William Wray, and lias two children — La- 
verne and Maurice; Anna, who married 
Benjamin Kissinger; Glendora, who mar- 
ried Leroy Gross; Jacob, who married 
Ada Ledgeworth, daughter of James 
Ledgeworth; Bessie, who resides at home; 
Irwin Franklin, who is a member of the 
class of 1910 in Starling Medical College, 
at Columbus, Ohio; Marvin, who lives at 
home; Leroy, who is a student in the 



376 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Betliel High School; and ]\Jargie, who at- 
tends Gleuwood school in Bethel Town- 
ship. Mr. Shroyer and faniih' attend the 
iMetliodist Pjjiiscopal Church. In his jio- 
litical views he is a Democrat but lie takes 
no very active interest in public matters 
and the only office he was ever willing to 
accept was that of school director, in for- 
mer days. He is one of the township's 
most esteemed and respected citizens. 

GEORGE W. COXRAD, a quarter-cen- 
tury resident of Troy, is one of the repre- 
sentative business men of this city and is 
extensively interested in real estate and 
fire insurance, with offices at No. 122 AVest 
Main Street. Mr. Conrad was born Febru- 
ary 22, 1851, at Columbus, Ohio. 

In 1852 the parents of Mr. Conrad 
moved to a farm near Monroe, Michigan, 
from which they removed seven years later 
to Versailles, ]\Iissouri, the long journey 
being made in covered wagons. This was 
an imfortunate change of home, resulting 
in the death of the father, in the fall of 
1861. He was a man of pronounced Union 
views and for the expression of these was 
killed by a band of Quantrell's guerillas. 
His distracted widow took her little sons 
and went l)ack to Marysville, Ohio, and 
there George \V. Conrad grew to manhood. 
His education was secured in the public 
schools and as soon as old enough he made 
himself useful in his brother's carriage 
blacksmith shop, subsequently learning the 
trade. In 1 885 he came to Troy, accepting 
at that time the position of foreman of the 
blacksmith de])artment of the Troj" Buggy 
Works, and continued with that firm until 
1892, when he went with the Troy Bend- 
ing AVorks, continuing there until that 
plant was sold out in 1902 to the Pioneer 



Pole and Shaft Company, with which he 
remained two years longer. On account 
of ill health amounting to an attack of 
nervous i)rostration, Mr. Conrad was then 
forced to give up all business for three 
years, and when he resumed his activity in 
October, 1907, he bought out the fire in- 
surance business of A. R. Hawthorne, wid- 
ened its scope and has conducted it ever 
since. He represents the Home, of New 
York, the Aetna, of New York, the Spring- 
lield Fire and Marine, the Pennsylvania 
of Philadelphia, the Newark of Newark, 
New Jersey, the Aachen Munich, of Aix- 
la-Chapelle, Germany, and the Fidelity 
and Casualty, with many others. He owns 
three farms in Miami County and handles 
much realty both in the country and city. 
He has been an active citizen and has 
served in the City Council. 

In 1881 Mr. Conrad was married to Miss 
Mary Nicliol, of Marysville, Ohio, and 
they have four sons : Herman AV., who is 
in business in Milwaukee, AVisconsin, is a 
graduate engineer of the Ohio State Uni- 
versity; John Leonard, who is a student 
of music at the Conservatory at Oberlin 
College; George Edward, who is taking a 
course in architecture at the Ohio State 
University; and Albert C, who is a stu- 
dent in the Troy High School. Mr. Con- 
rad and wife are members of St. John's 
Evangelical Church at Troy, of which he 
is treasurer. 

JOHN THOAIAS McKEE, a leading ag- 
ri(;ulturist of Bethel Township, residing 
on his rich farm of 105 acres, which is sit- 
uated in Sections 3 and 4, was born in 
Knox County, Ohio, April 25, 1848, and is 
a son of John and Catherine (Crawford) 
McKee, and a grandson of Robert McKee. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



377 



Robert McKee was born in the north of 
Ireland and when he came to America 
about 1S14, he settled in Harrison County, 
Ohio, where he spent the remainder of liis 
life. He became a man of large landed 
estate, owning 280 acres, a large part of 
which still remains in possession of the 
McKee family. He died in 1855 and was 
buried at Cadiz, Ohio. He married Cath- 
erine ^liller, who died in 1852 and they 
had thirteen children, namely: James, 
Archiliald, Robert, John, Thomas, George, 
Margaret, Hannah, Rachel, Eliza, Re- 
becca, Jane and Emma. 

John McKee was born in Hari'ison 
County, Ohio, attended school at Cadiz 
and then assisted his father imtil his own 
marriage, after which, in 1832, he settled 
in Knox County, where he entered two 
tracts of land from the Government, one of 
130 and another of 240 acres. He con- 
tinued to live on his land in Knox County 
until his death, which took place in 1861. 
His widow survived until 1889 and both 
were buried at Mt. Vernon. They were 
worthy members of the Mt. Vernon Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. John McKee mar- 
ried Catherine Crawford, a daughter of 
George Crawford, and they had four chil- 
dren, namely: Robert, James, Emma and 
John Thomas, the last named being the 
only survivor. In politics the grandfather 
had been a Whig and the father was a Re- 
publican. 

John Thomas McKee was educated in 
the public schools of Knox County and 
Martinsburg College, after which he as- 
sisted his father in his large agricultural 
operations. On April 20, 1889, he came 
to Miami County and settled on his present 
farm, which he has greatly improved, 
building his present handsome residence 



and remodeling the other farm structures. 
He has laid some 400 rods of drain tile and 
carries on the cultivation of his land ac- 
cording to the best accepted methods. 

Mr. McKee was married (first) in 
March, 1868, to Miss Mary Wallace, a 
daughter of David Wallace. She died June 
14, 1900, and was interred at Utica. She 
was the mother of three children: Clyde 
D., who married Pearl Coults, and has one 
daughter, Lucile; Arthur Texas, associat- 
ed with his father; and an infant, de- 
ceased. Mr. McKee was married (second) 
December 26, 1901, to Mrs. Ida Jones, 
widow of James Jones and daughter of 
John and SaraJi E. Keizer. Mr. and Mrs. 
McKee are members of the Presbyterian 
Church. In politics he is a Republican. 

CAPT. JOSHUA L. BABB, one of 
Troy's best citizens, now living retired, is 
an honored member of the Grand Army 
of the Republic, having won distinction in 
the great Civil War. He was born July 
22, 1833, at Babb's Mills, six miles east of 
Troy. Ohio. 

Daniel Babb, father of Captain Babb, 
was born in Pennsylvania a short time 
after bis parents landed in America from 
Gei-many. The family soon moved to Vir- 
ginia, where Daniel was married. After 
their second child was born they made the 
long overland journey from Virginia (now 
West Virginia), in pioneer style to Ohio, 
and before he settled permanently, he 
spent a year in Piqua. He then bought a 
mill in Bethel Township, which had been 
put up in 1818, and which he remodeled 
and operated imtil his death many years 
later, this mill giving the name to the little 
settlement around it — Babb's Mill. He 



378 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



I 



also owned a large farm and was the lead- 
ing man of his section. 

On his father's farm in Bethel Town- 
ship, J. L. Babb grew to manhood. The 
call to arms in 1861 aroused his feelings 
of loyalty and he resolved to offer his 
services in defense of the Union. He en- 
listed in Company C, Seventy-first Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry, and for four years 
bore the hardships and faced the dangers 
of a soldier's life. He participated in 
many of the most memorable battles of 
that great struggle and his valor was rec- 
ognized by frequent promotions. From a 
private in the ranks he climbed step by 
step until in 1863 he was commissioned 
captain of his company and served as such 
until he was mustered out. He took part 
in the battles of Shiloh and Stone River 
and was in the whole campaign in the 
Army of the Cumberland from Nashville 
to the fall of Atlanta, after the latter being 
sent to San Antonio. He was finally mus- 
tered out in the fall of 1865. He did not 
entirely escajie injury, being wounded by 
a shell at Shiloh. 

A short time after his return from the 
army, Captain Babb entered the manufac- 
turing firm of Warder, Bushnell & Gless- 
ner, at Springfield, Ohio, as general man- 
ager on the road, and continued his asso- 
ciation with this house for thirty-five 
years. After resigning his office he re- 
sided some six years in New Jersey, but, 
as he advanced in years early ties made 
themselves felt and three years since, he 
returned to this section which had been his 
childhood home and took up his residence 
among those who had been the friends of 
himself and family for a long period. He 
found a hearty welcome awaiting him. 



OEA EEAVEE, general farmer, resid- 
ing on a valuable property containing 
ninety-niae acres of excellent land, which 
is situateo in Section 30, Bethel Township, 
was born July 21, 1875, in Monroe Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of 
Jacob Eeaver. 

Jacob Eeaver, father of Ora, was born 
in Pennsylvania and after he came to Ohio 
he settled on a rented farm in Montgom- 
ery County and moved from that to one in 
Bethel Township, Miami County, where he 
yet resides. He married Sarah Nolen and 
thej" have had the following children: Ol- 
iver, who married Winnie Priest, daughter 
of William Priest, and has three children 
— William, Charles and Harrj'; William, 
who married Bertha Widener, daughter 
of Miller Widener, and they have two chil- 
dren — Elmer and Donath, the latter an 
adopted child ; Ora, subject of this sketch ; 
Jacob, who married Delia Horneback, 
daughter of James Horneback, and they 
have one son, Ernest; Mary, who married 
George Flick, and has two sons, Francis 
and Jacob; Stella, who married Lyle Sni- 
der, now deceased, and she survives him 
and has one child, Margie Ellen; AValter, 
who lives at home; and Ida and Annie, 
both deceased. 

Ora Eeaver obtained a good public 
school education, attending the Shilo 
school in Montgomery County and later 
the Antioch school, and the Frog Pond and 
Oak Grove schools. He then gave help to 
his father on the farm and later worked 
for three years for A. L. & M. Jackson. He 
then served an apprenticeship of three 
years to the carpenters' trade at Phoneton, 
after which he visited the West, being in- 
duced to go so far from home on account 
of the call of the western farmers for work- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



379 



ers in their harvest fields. In this capacity 
he visited North Dakota, Missouri and 
Kansas for four seasons and knows all 
that country well. "When he returned to 
Phoueton he resumed carpenter work and 
for two years was foreman for the Dayton 
<ic Toledo House "Wrecking Company, of 
Dayton, Ohio. After his marriage he took 
up his residence on his wife's farm and 
here he has made a number of improve- 
ments, remodeling, building and painting. 
This property is admirably located, being 
within two and one-half miles of Tippe- 
canoe City. 

On December 15, 1908, Mi-. Reaver was 
married to Miss Bertha Brown, who was 
born in Greene County, Ohio, and is a 
daughter of William and Hannah Brown, 
the latter of whom died October 14, 1879, 
and was buried at Maple Hill. William 
Brown resides at Yellow Springs, in 
Greene County, where he conducts an ex- 
tensive nursery. Mrs. Reaver owns the 
farm of ninety-nine acres on which she and 
husband reside and also owns a farm of 
145 acres which is situated in Section 31, 
Bethel Township. Mr. Reaver is identi- 
fied with the Democratic party. 

A. B. CAMPBELL, a leading attorney 
of Troy, Ohio, has been a resident of this 
city for the past fourteen years. He was 
l)orn in 1876, on a farm one mile south of 
Troy, and is a son of William Cami^bell. 
The father of Mr. Campbell was born in 
Pennsylvania. From that state he came 
to Ohio and in 1860 he settled in Miami 
County, where he continues to carry on 
his farm enterprise. 

A. B. Campbell was reared on the home 
farm and obtained his early educational 
training in the country schools and at 



Troy. He then entered the Ohio Northern 
University, where he was graduated from 
the law department, May 30, 1900. He 
had secured his higher teacher's certifi- 
cate, prior to this and taught school for 
three years. After his admission to the 
bar he located for practice in Troy and 
has been prominent here both profession- 
ally and politically. In 1902 he was elect- 
ed prosecuting attorney and was re-elected 
in 1905, resigning the oiSce of justice of 
the peace in order to accept the later honor. 
He has been a successful attorney in many 
important cases before the courts, while, in 
his public capacity, he has been a faithful 
official. On April 10, 1901, Mr. Campbell 
was married to Miss Anna M. Heist, and 
they have one daughter, Phyllis Louise. 
Mr. Campbell is a member of the Elks and 
the Knights of Pythias, and also of the 
Elk Club. 

W. A. HAINES, a representative mem- 
ber of the Miami County bar, enjoying a 
substantial practice at Troy, has been a 
resident of this city for about seventeen 
years. He was born February 28, 1869, 
on his grandfather's farm in Concord 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is 
a son of Theodore Haines, who was l)orn in 
Kentucky and died in Miami County in 
1874. 

W. A. Haines completed his literary 
course at the Southern Illinois State Uni- 
versity at Carbonville, in the early eight- 
ies, graduating in the high school teachers' 
course. For seven years and three months 
he then devoted himself to teaching school 
and then turned his attention to the study 
of law, preparing with Attorney W. S. 
Thomas, of Troy and being admitted to the 
bar in 1895. Mr. Haines returned to teach- 



380 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



1 



ing for one year longer, having been ex- 
ceedingly successful in that profession, 
and then spent one year in Judge Will- 
iams' law office. In 1897 he was elected 
city solicitor and after ser\ing one term he 
found his time sufficiently occupied with 
private business and has closely applied 
himself to liis professional work ever since. 
He is a member of the Miami County Bar 
Association and practices in all the State 
and in the Federal Courts. 

In 1900, Mr. Haines was married to Miss 
Blanche Bousman, of Miami County, and 
they have two daughters, Mildred and 
Helen. Mr. Haines is identified with the 
Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the 
Elks, and the Troy Club. 

JOSEPH J. SCHMIDT, general farmer 
and dealer in hard wood lumber, resides 
on a small farm in Bethel Township, near 
Brandt, but owns a second farm which 
contains 144 acres. He was born in Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, June 12, 1856, and 
is a son of Henry and Christina (Miller) 
Schmidt. 

Henry Schmidt was born in Germany, 
where his father, George Schmidt, owned 
considerable of an estate and operated a 
large flour mill. The great-grandfather 
was a merchant and ship owner and, with 
a brother, helped to supply the vessels 
that brought the Hessian soldiers to i\iner- 
ica during the Revolutionary War. George 
Schmidt never came to the United States ; 
six of his children found homes here: 
Adam, Justice, John, Lewis, George and 
Henry. The latter was twenty-three years 
of age when he reached Baltimore, Mary- 
land, where he first secured work by the 
day. He married and later bought a gro- 
cery store at Dayton, which he conducted 



for a few years, coming to Brandt in 1859. 
He operated a hotel and grocery at Brandt 
until 1880, and then sold out to William 
Serell. He died at Dayton and was buried 
there. He was a worthy member of the 
German Lutheran Church. AVhile he al- 
ways voted with the Democratic party, he 
never sought office nor took any active part 
in public movements. He married Chris- 
tina Miller, who survives and resides at 
Dayton, but still owns a farm in Bethel 
Township. They had four children, 
namely: Joseph J.; Elizabeth, who mar- 
ried Charles Bond, of Dayton; Minnie, 
who married Charles A. Snyder, of Brown 
Station; and George M., who married 
Lillian Kaufman. 

Joseph J. Schmidt attended his first 
school at Brandt, second and later at Day- 
ton, where he was a student for one and 
a half years. He then began to take a set- 
tled interest in farming. After his mar- 
riage he moved to Brandt for a year and 
then returned to the homestead, on which 
he has made all the improvements. In ad- 
dition to tilling his land he deals in lum- 
ber, timber and land, being one of the 
township's most active business men. 

Mr. Schmidt was married to Miss Anna 
E. Black, a daughter of Adam and Julia 
(]\IcEfee) Black, and they have four chil- 
dren — George Harold, who married Dora 
Mumford; Raymond, who married Lena 
Gantz ; Carrie ]M.. and Joseph G., living 
at home. Mr. Schmidt and family are 
leading members of the Lutheran Church 
at Brandt, with which he united when he 
was sixteen years of age. He is an elder 
and has always taken a deep interest in 
the Sunday-school, teaching a class, and 
for eighteen years served as superintend- 
ent. He belongs to the Masonic lodge at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



381 



New Carlisle. In polities a stanch Demo- 
crat, he has frequently been elected to pub- 
lie office, has served as treasurer of Bethel 
Township and for eight years was a mem- 
ber of the Board of Education. 

CHAKLES W. TOBEY, proprietor of 
the Tobey Drug Store at Troy, Ohio, is a 
man of state- wide reputation in his profes- 
sion and has long been prominent in con- 
nection with the affairs and interests of 
his home city. He was born in Dayton, 
Ohio, in 1855, and is a son of Nathaniel 
Tobey, who is well remembered as one of 
the foremost men of Troy. 

Nathaniel Tobey was for many years 
head of the drug firm of N. Tobey & Son, 
and was financially interested in various 
enterprises and manufacturing plants of 
the city. Pie was one time j^resident of t}ie 
Troy Business Men's Association, and also 
served in the City Council. His death oc- 
curred in 1903. 

Charles W. Tobey received his early 
•education in the public schools of Dayton 
and Troy, his parents moving to the latter 
place when he was ten j^ears of age. He 
received a careful education as an analyt- 
ical chemist, being graduated from the 
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1876. 
He immediately thereafter embarked in 
the drug business in partnership with his 
father, they at that time purchasing the 
store of E. "F. Einehart, in Troy. The 
firm of N. Tobey & Son continued with un- 
interrupted success until the death of Na- 
thaniel Tobey in 1903, since which time the 
name of the establishment has been the 
Tobey Drug Store. Mr. Tobey has always 
identified himself with the leading inter- 
ests of the city and county. He was one 
of the founders of the Ohio Pharma- 



ceutical Association, of which he was 
chairman of the first executive committee ; 
he was the first delegate of that body to 
the American Pharmaceutical Association, 
and was at one time president of the or- 
ganization. He also was the first delegate 
to the National Retail Druggists' Associa- 
tion. He was twice appointed to the Ohio 
State board of examiners for phamiacists, 
and is serving his second term as president 
of same. He was one of the original pro- 
moters of the Island Outing Club. 

In 1879 Mr. Tobey was united in mar- 
riage with Miss EUie R. Reed, a daughter 
of Browning Reed, of Troy. Fraternally, 
he is a charter member of Troy Lodge, 
Knights of Pythias; and is affiliated with 
Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., and the Knights 
Templar. 

ISAAC DUNRIDER, township trustee 
and representative citizen of Bethel Town- 
ship, where he manages a farm of eighty 
acres for his mother, was born in Bethel 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, January 
12, 1855, and is a son of John and Sarah 
(Karns) Dunrider. 

John Dunrider was born in Germany 
and died in Bethel Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, June 21, 1885. When he emigrated to 
America he landed in Maryland and from 
there made his way to Dayton, Ohio, and 
shortly afterward accompanied Abraham 
Studebaker to Bethel Township, Miami 
County. He worked as a farm hand for 
one year with Mr. Studebaker and for two 
years with the latter 's brother, Michael. 
After his marriage he settled first in 
Bethel Township, and then moved to near 
Tippecanoe City, remaining on that farm 
for five years. He then moved to a farm 
near Casstown for five years more, after 



382 



HISTORY OF MIA.MI COUNTY 






which he bought a farm of 160 acres situ- 
ated in Section 15, just north of the one 
now owned by his widow. It was on that 
farm that he died and his burial was in the 
Hickory Grove Cemetery. He was a high- 
ly respected man and was a worthy mem- 
ber of the Brethren Church. His widow 
survives, after the death of her husband, 
purchasing her present well imjiroved 
farm in Bethel Township, from G. Heltzer. 

John Dunrider was married April 2, 
1854, to Miss Sarah Ivarns, a daughter of 
John Karns, and they had the following 
children: Isaac; Catherine, who married 
Korah Shaflford; Lydia, who married 
George E. Beathley; an infant, with Sam- 
uel and Mary, all three deceased; John, 
who married Clara Arnold ; G. W., who re- 
sides in Bethel Township ; Sarah, who mar- 
ried P. P. Peters, of California ; and Emma 
M., who married I. J. Boone. 

Isaac Dunrider in his boyhood attended 
the district schools, which were situated 
near Tippecanoe City, at Casstown and at 
Hickory Grove, after which he took up the 
duties on the farm and gave his father 
assistance as long as the latter lived. Since 
then he has done the same for his mother, 
cultivating and improving her land and 
attending to all business matters for her. 
The present buildings were standing when 
she took possession, but he has remodeled 
them and under his management the whole 
place presents a fine appearance. Mr. 
Dunrider is a Democrat in politics and he 
takes some interest in township affairs and 
for eleven years has served as townshiio 
trustee. 

C. M. HUNT, who is doing a large busi- 
ness in farm implements at Troy, is a rep- 
resentative citizen and a member of the 



Troy Business Men's Association. He 
was born in 18G8, in Darke County, Ohio, 
where he jsassed his early years on a farm 
and received his education in the public 
schools. He is a son of Ealph and Lydia 
(AValker) Hunt, both of whom were born 
in Ohio. Mr. Hunt's grandparents came 
from Virginia to Ohio and were among the 
pioneer settlers here, building their home 
in the woods. "When Ealph Hunt married 
he also built a cabin in the woods. He was 
three times married. The subject of this 
sketch has one brother, James Aldis ; four 
half brothers — Harvey, Abraham, Theo- 
dore and Arlistus ; one sister, Almeda, and 
one half sister, Phebe Jane. 

After retiring from farming Mr. Hunt 
was engaged in the butchering business at 
Laura, Miami County, for some years, 
later was in the grocery line at Spring 
Valley and for four years was in the hard- 
ware and farm implement business at 
Xenia prior to coming to Troy in 190-i. 
Mr. Hunt is established at No. 11 North 
Market Street, where he carries a large 
stock of all kinds of farm implements, in- 
cluding wagons and buggies. 

In 1887 Mr. Hunt was married to Miss 
Elvira "Wright, of Darke County, Ohio, 
and they have five children, namely : Myr- 
tle Viola, who is the wife of Earl McDon- 
ald, of Xenia, Ohio, and has two children, 
Jaunita and Charles; Hiram and Harry, I 
both of whom assist their father in his 
business; and Eobert and Dewey, who at- 
tend school. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt are mem- 
bers of the Christian Church. He is a 
man of social nature and is identified with 
the Odd Fellows, the Elks, the Knights of 
Pythias, and Franklin Lodge No. 14, 
F. and A. M. 




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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



385 



JOHN GAHAGAN SENOUR, M. D., 
TCas born in Troy, Ohio, July 4, 1855, and 
died April 21, 1904. His father, AVilliam 
Senoiir, was a native of Kentucky, his 
mother, Clara Maria Gahagan, a native 
of Troy. They were united in marriage 
in 1854. Two children — John Gahagan 
and Lillie Mahala — were born to this 
union. The latter married Mr. Frank Ed- 
wards, of Chicago, in 1879, and they re- 
sided there until her death, which occurred 
in 1884. 

In 1865 Dr. Senour's mother was mar- 
ried to Mr. Frank L. Horter, who died in 
1888. Mother Horter died in 1901. He 
was of pioneer stock and a man greatly 
beloved by all the members of the family. 

Dr. Senour acquired his preliminary 
education in the Troy schools, after which, 
in 1873, he entered the drug store of Dr. 
Horace Coleman. He commenced the study 
of medicine two years later under Dr. 
Joseph Green, of Troy. Having secured 
a good fundamental knowledge of medi- 
cine, he attended the Ohio Medical Col- 
lege at Cincinnati, and was subsequently 
graduated from the Bellevue Medical Col- 
lege at New York City. He at once re- 
turned to Troy, purchased the home and 
office of Dr. Green, corner of Franklin 
and Walnut Streets, with whom he had 
studied, and commenced the i^ractice of 
medicine, April 18, 1879. 

On December 11, 1879, the Doctor was 
united in mai-riage with Miss Sadie L. 
Ross, daughter of John "Wilson and Fran- 
ces Elizabeth Ross, at the family residence, 
corner of Franklin and Walnut Streets. 
To them two daughters were born — Lillie 
Mahala and Laura Beall. The former's 
span of life was brief, as sbe passed away 
at the early age of fifteen years when in 



the dawn of lovely womanhood. Of a Cjuick, 
resjionsive mind and sweet, lovable dis- 
position, she was a prime favorite with 
all, old and young alike, and her untimely 
departure cast a gloom over many hearts. 
Her memory lingers yet, like a precious 
fragrance that shall long abide, and those 
in whose hearts it is enshrined feel, with 
the poet, that 

" 'Tis better to have loved and lost 
Than never to have loved at all." 

Dr. Senour was ever a close and thor- 
ough student in his profession and worked 
his way upwards to a commanding posi- 
tion in the front ranks of the medical fra- 
ternity. His efforts were blessed with 
success. In politics he was a Democrat, 
and he was elected coroner in 1884. In all 
life's relations he commanded the esteem 
and confidence of his fellow men. 

Dr. Senour's mother, Clara Marid Ga- 
hagan, was a granddaughter of William 
Gahagan, who entered the laud (now com- 
prising the east half of Troy, from the 
public square to the Bradford Bridge) the 
original deed of which was signed by 
James ^Madison. The site of Troy at that 
time was known as Staxmton. He came 
through the place; forded the river. The 
Indians shot his' horse from under him, 
but as he was imharmed, and having des- 
patches of importance in his possession, 
he walked all the way to Cincinnati. After 
fulfilling his commission he returned and 
purchased the land where he was so merci- 
fully spared. He had three sons — Solo- 
mon, William and John. Clara Maria was 
the daughter of John Gahagan, from whom 
Dr. Senour was named. 



386 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



JOHN WILSON ROSS (deceased) was 
prominent for many years among the up- 
builders of Troy's commercial interests. 
He took a notable part in the development 
and improvement of the little city which 
he had elected to make his home. As a 
man of public spirit throughout his active 
career, this aid and influence could be 
counted upon in favor of any practical 
measures for the moral or material benefit 
of the community. He was born June 6, 
1820, at Zanesville, Ohio, of Scotch-Irish 
parentage, his grandfather Eoss coming 
direct from Scotland, the grandfather 
John Wilson direct from Ireland. He was 
about twelve years of age when his parents 
died in New Carlisle, this State. His 
early manhood was spent in that village, 
where he learned the tailor's trade under 
Mr. Moorhead, with whom he made his 
home. At the age of twenty-one he came 
to Troy, Miami County, in which city his 
subsequent life was spent. 

Mr. Eoss was married in 18-16 to Fran- 
ces Elizabeth Louthan, in the parlors of 
the Hatfield House, Troy, Ohio, which was 
then called the "Washington Inn," the 
family residence of her sister, Mrs. Sarah 
Hatfield. Mrs. Eoss was a native of Win- 
chester, Virginia, born September 2, 1826, 
and accompanied her parents to Miami 
County in childhood. After their marriage 
Mr. and Mrs. Eoss removed to New Car- 
lisle, Ohio. Five children were born into 
their household— rCharles, Anna, Ella, 
Sadie and Howard. They subsequently — in 
1867 — came back to Troy to rear their chil- 
dren, and purchased the home now occu- 
pied by Mrs. Ross, who survives her hus- 
band, at No. 29 South Walnut Street, 
which has been her home for almost half a 
century. After his retwrn to Troy Mr. Eoss 



engaged in the nursery business, and for 
long afterwards the firm of J. W. Ross & 
Co. was the leading one in that line of in- 
dustry in this section of Ohio. 

Mrs. Ross has been an active woman aU 
her life. She was one of the founders 
of the Altrurian Club of Troy. Her li- 
brary is well filled with the best and choic- 
est of standard works; her love for and 
knowledge of history made her a valuable 
club worker. She has always conducted 
her own business affairs, in which she has 
shown great ability and has in various 
other ways shown herself to be possessed 
of remarkable ability. After her husband's 
death, and when the children were all in 
homes of their own — between sixty and 
seventy years old, she took up Chautauqua 
work, was graduated and passed through 
the Golden Gate at Chautauqua in the class 
of 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Ross were ideal 
parents ; the love and welfare of the home 
was their mutual abiding thought. The 
following is a brief record of their chil- 
dren : Charles, the first-born, who died 
in June, 1908^known as a loving, loyal, 
devoted son, brother, husband, father and 
friend — married Seba Wagner, one of 
Troy's sweet singers, in 1883, and they 
had five children — J. Wilson, Harriet, 
George, Howard and Anna. To their home 
in 1902 a crushing sorrow came in the 
drowning of their son George. The grand- 
son, J. Wilson Ross, named after the sub- 
ject of this sketch, is now one of the lead- 
ing young men of Troy, both as regards 
business and social activities. He is em- 
ployed as cashier by the Hobart Electric 
Manufacturing Company, the leading in- 
dustry of Troy, and is well known and 
highly esteemed for his sterling qualities. 

Anna Ross was married in 1872 to F. 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



389 



P. Bredibill, who died in 1898. He was 
a prominent groceryman of Troy. She 
has a daughter, Frances P., who is the wife 
of John K. De Freese, assistant cashier 
of the Troy National Bank. 

Ella Boss was married in 1876 to Dr. W. 
A. R. Tenney, now of Cincinnati, Ohio. 
She has three children — Wilson Ross, well 
known in the newspaper world; Charles, 
a promising young lawyer, now in the 
Philippines; and Helen. 

Sadie was married in 1879 to Dr. John 
Gahagan Senour, by whom she has had 
two children — Lillie Mahala and Laura 
Beall. 

Howard is single and resides in Mon- 
tana. 

The subject of this sketch was an old- 
time Democrat and a man of sturdy vir- 
tues. Although not a member of the Pres- 
byterian Church, he was one of its most 
ardent supporters, working untiringly for 
the good of the church in every possible 
way. He was both a Mason and an Odd 
Fellow. His loyalty to Troy was evident 
in a marked degree ; never failing to stand 
for the business interests of the different 
mercantile enterprises, expressing himself 
at all times to the effect that loyalty in 
patronizing home trade and allowing home 
merchants to make the profit by ordering 
through them, was certainly the most sub- 
stantial way to show one's loyalty to one's 
home town. 

E. F. SAYERS, one of Troy's most es- 
teemed retired citizens, residing in his 
pleasant home at No. 318 Lincoln Avenue, 
is a member of one of the old pioneer fami- 
lies of Miami County. He was born Sep- 
tember 23, 1831, in Elizabeth Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of 



Thomas Jefferson and a grandson of 
Thomas Sayers. 

Grandfather Thomas Sayers was one of 
the liioneering Pennsylvanians who came 
to Staunton Township, Miami County, in 
1807, taking up 160 acres of Government 
land. Until July, 1908, this land remained 
continuously in the possession of the Say- 
ers family. Thomas Jefferson Sayers 
was born in October, 1808. Both father 
and grandfather were men of local im- 
portance, serving as justices of the i^eace 
and taking an active part in the material 
development of this section. 

E. F. Sayers has spent his entire life 
in Miami County with the exception of 
four years, from 1880 until 1884, when 
he resided in Lee County, Illinois. He at- 
tended the district schools and became a 
practical farmer on the homestead, con- 
tinuing his agricultural activities until 
August, 1893, when he moved to Troy. He 
has served occasionally in public office, 
for six years being a m^nber of the Board 
of Infirmaiy Directors, but has never 
sought jiolitical honors. As a stockholder 
he is interested in several business enter- 
prises and is one of the directors of the 
Troy National Bank. 

In 1857 Mr. Sayers was married to ]Miss 
Caroline French, a native of Kosciusko 
County, Indiana, who died in 1878. Five 
children were born to that marriage, 
namely : Martha A., who married Horatio 
Klyne, of Troy; Carrie, who is now de- 
ceased; iVltezera, who married Theodore 
Rodgers, of Miami County; Maggie, who 
nunried C. D. Free, of Spring Creek 
Township, Miami County; and Harry Lin- 
coln, who is a resident of Miami County. 
In 1880 Mr. Sayers was married (second) 
to Miss Catherine Knight, of Champaign 



390 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



County, Ohio. Mr. Sayers is a leading 
member of the Baptist Church at Troy, 
being a member of the Board of Trustees 
and a deacon. 

JOHN M. HEFFNEE, general farmer 
and tobacco grower, resides on a tract of 
thirty-one acres of land located on the 
Brandt and Addison Turni^ike Eoad, in 
Section 14, Bethel Township, and also 
owns 67 acres of the old Bethel Township) 
homestead. He was born August 25, 1856, 
near Brandt, Miami County, Ohio, and is 
a son of Henry and Margaret (Hawn) 
Heffner. 

The pioneer of the Heffner family was 
the grandfather, Michael Heff'uer, who 
came with his wife from Maryland, the 
journey being made over the mountains 
in great covered wagons. He settled in 
Bethel Township and built his house, one 
of brick, in which he conducted also a 
general store, and it is one of the oldest 
landmarks in Brandt, where a number of 
houses stand on what was once his farm. 
He was a charter member of the Lutheran 
Church at Brandt and undoubtedly was 
one of the town's most useful and progres- 
sive men. In politics he was a stanch 
Democrat. He married Elizabeth Fry and 
they had the following children : Edward, 
Henry, Joseph, Michael, David, Myra, 
Catherine, Harriet, Lydia Ann, Washing- 
ton, John, Thomas, Betsey, Ezra, Daniel, 
Elizabeth and Jane. 

Henry Heffner, father of John M., at- 
tended the Sheets school when he was a 
boy and then assisted his father on the 
home place until his own marriage, after 
which he settled in Section 17, on Honey 
Creek, where he lived for several years, 
moving then to the Dimmitt farm and then 



to a farm of 124 acres one and one-half 
miles west of Brandt. He took posses- 
sion of that farm in 1855 and remained on 
it until his death. He was a Democrat in 
his political views and served as constable 
for several terms. He was a member of 
the Lutheran Church and was one of the 
early members of the Masonic fraternity 
at Brandt. He married Margaret Hawn, 
who died November 28, 1890, whom he 
survived until August 4, 1904. They had 
eight children, namely: Libeon, unmar- 
ried; Jane, wife of Thomas Giuu; Rebecca, 
wife of Samuel Crider ; John M. ; George, 
unmarried; Isaac, who married Emma 
Kew; Matilda, who married George Par- 
son ; and Jacob. 

John M. Heft'ner has spent his life in 
Miami County and since leaving school 
has devoted himself to quiet pursuits. 
After his marriage he settled on his grand- 
father's farm for about four years and 
then purchased a place of his own in 
Brandt, on which he lived for sixteen 
years, for eight years of this time operat- 
ing a well drill. AVhen he retired from 
Brandt he settled on his present place and 
has been engaged in general farming and 
tobacco growing, giving the larger part 
of his attention to the latter. He has put 
all his buildings into good shajoe and has 
enough warehouse room to take care of 
a large tobacco crop. 

On December 22, 1881, Mr. Heffner was 
married to Miss Amanda L. Maugans, a 
daughter of John and Mary Maugans, and 
they have had four children, as follows : 
Anna M., who is now deceased, married 
Ray ^fann and their infant child is also 
deceased; Jacob; Harrison F., who was 
married October 18, 1909, to Ada May 
Cullars, a daughter of Jerome and Nora 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



391 



Cullars; and John Edward, ■who resides 
at home. Mr. Heffner is a member of the 
Brethren Church at Hickory Grove. He 
casts his vote with the Democratic party. 

THOMAS CALVIN DAVIS, whose ex- 
cellent farm of eighty-eight acres is situat- 
ed on the southwest corner of Section 7, 
Elizabeth Township, three miles northwest 
of New Carlisle, was born in Elizabeth 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, May 12, 
1856, and is a son of Stephen and Eleanor 
(Thompson) Davis. 

Stephen Davis was born in Bethel Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, where he lived 
until after his marriage, when he moved 
to Elizabeth Township and later to Illi- 
nois. He siabsequently returned to Eliza- 
beth Township and bought the present 
farm of eighty-eight acres, on which he 
died, in 1872. He was a worthy man in 
every relation of life. In politics he was 
a Democrat and served in township offices, 
for many years being a member of the 
School Board. He married Eleanor 
Thompson, a daughter of Mark and Re- 
becca Thompson, former owners of the 
farm under consideration. To this mar- 
riage two children were born — Martha 
Ann and Thomas Calvin. The mother died 
in January, 1906, and she was buried by 
the side of her husband in Saylor's Ceme- 
tery. 

Thomas Calvin Davis attended school 
until he was twelve years old but from the 
age of fourteen he has been farming for 
himself on his present property, which he 
has placed in fine condition. He had some 
clearing to complete and put down about 
200 rods of tiling and also erected all the 
present substantial buildings. Each year 
his farm has grown more valuable. He 



takes only a good citizen's interest in poli- 
tics and casts his vote for candidates of 
the Democratic party. 

JOHN A. McCURDY, an ex-treasurer of 
Miami County, Ohio, has been a prominent 
resident of Troy since 1874. Farming 
was for many years his principal occupa- 
tion, and he is owner of the old John Scott 
farm of 320 acres and an additional tract 
of eighty acres in Elizabeth Township. 
His residence is at 301 AV. Main Street, 
and he has a comfortable home. ^Ir. Mc- 
Curdy was born near Casstown, Miami 
County, in 1811, and is a son of James 
and Mary (AleDonald) McCurdy. His 
father was born in Ireland and was young 
when he moved to Montreal, Canada, from 
whence in 1832 he came to Miami County, 
Ohio. Here he was married to Mary Mc- 
Donald, who was a native of South Caro- 
lina. 

John A. McCurdy was a child when his 
parents moved from Staunton Township 
to a farm in Concord Township, four miles 
west of Troy, and there he was reared to 
maturity. When a young man he worked 
out by the month as a fai'm hand, and 
being ambitious and industrious looked 
forward to better things. He became a 
citizen of Troy in 1871, and after his mar- 
riage in 1879 was for several years en- 
gaged in the nursery business there with 
good success. He also for a time was in- 
terested in the Troy Buggy Works. He 
early in life took a deep interest in public 
affairs and politics, and was a stanch 
Democrat until the Civil War. He then 
became a stanch Republican and was twice 
elected to the office of county treasurer, 
serving from 1875 until 1879. In 1897 he 
was honored by the party with election to 



392 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the office of representative to the State 
Legislature, aud capably served two tei-ms 
in that office. In 1879 Mr. MeCurdy was 
united in marriage with Miss Margaret 
Scott, a daughter of John and Elizabeth 
(Sproul) Scott, of Miami Coimty. Fra- 
ternally he is a member of the Independ- 
ent Order of Odd Fellows. He served 
one year in the Union Army, late during 
the Civil War, and is a member of the 
Grand Amiy of the Eepublic. 

ELMER E. THOMSON is one of the 
foremost business men of the City of Troy, 
in which he has lived all his days. The 
furniture and undertaking business, of 
which he is the head, is extensive, its 
patronage coming from all parts of Miami 
County. Mr. Thomson has always inter- 
ested himself in the affairs of the commu- 
nity in a progressive and public-spirited 
way, and has frequently been called upon 
to serve in various official capacities. The 
family name has long been known to the 
people here, and his father, Joel T. Thom- 
son, was equally prominent in affairs. 

Joel T. Thomson was born in Troy, Ohio, 
in 1819, and was a son of Andrew and 
Catherine (Tullis) Thomson. His father 
was born in Virginia and about the begin- 
ning of the nineteenth century came with 
his parents to Miami County. He was a 
soldier in the War of 1812, leaving a wife 
aud two small children to go to the front. 
Upon his return he soon after moved to 
Indiana, where he remained three years. 
He then returned to Troy, and on the day 
following passed away. Joel T. Thomson 
being very young at his father's death and 
the care of his mother devolving upon him, 
he was bound out for five years to learn 
the trade of cabinet maker. After two and 



a half years' apprenticeship, he bought 
his unexpired time aud went to Cincinnati, 
where he comjjleted his trade. He re- 
turned to Troy in 1840, and almost imme- 
diately took a forward position in the 
ranks of business men, which he main- 
tained during his long and useful life. He 
engaged in cabinet making and gave em- 
ployment to a number of men ; in 1861, he 
announced to his workmen that he would 
close shop and enlist in the defense of his 
country. Inspired by his enthusiasm and 
patriotism, they at once determined to en- 
ter the service and prevailed upon him to 
remain at home and look after those de- 
dendent iipon him. His men went to the 
front and he closed up the cabinet making 
plant and embarked in the undertaking 
business. He was immensely popular with 
the soldieiy, as is attested by the fact that 
of the eighty-one who died while in the 
army and were brought home for burial, 
seventy-eight were carried to their final 
resting place by him. He was a big- 
hearted, liberal-minded man, and he en- 
joyed the unbounded confidence and esteem 
of all who knew him. His death in 1900 
was mourned by the people throughout the 
county. 

Elmer E. Thomson was born in Troy, 
March 8, 1862, and was reared in that city. 
He attended the graded schools aud was 
graduated from Troy High School, after 
which he studied medicine two years under 
Doctor Green. He attended Columbus 
Medical College one tenn, and Starling 
Medical College a like period, but gave up 
his preparation for that profession for 
business reasons. He entered into part- 
nership with his father in the furniture 
and undertaking business, and the fii-m es- 
tablished an enviable prestige. In 1900 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



393 



the subject of this record became the sole 
proprietor of the establishmeut and has 
continued it with uninterrupted success. 
He also established a branch store at Ad- 
dison, and is partner in an undertaking 
business at Pleasant Hill. He and his 
father were originators of arterial em- 
balming, a system which has been much 
followed. Mr. Thomson has a number of 
diplomas as an embalmer. He takes an 
active interest in politics, and has served 
as infirmary director of the county, mem- 
ber of the Board of Health of Troy, and 
as sealer of weights and measures of 
Troy. 

In 1888 Mr. Thomson was married to 
Carrie J. Eiley, who was born in Troy 
and was for some years a teacher in tlie 
schools. They have a son, Clift'oi-d Thom- 
son. Eeligiously, they are members of the 
Presbyterian church. He is a Past Exalt- 
ed Ruler of the Elks ; Past "Worthy Presi- 
dent of the Order of Eagles, of which he 
is also treasurer; a member of the board 
of trustees of the Modern AVoodmen ; Past 
Chief of Knights of the Golden Eagle; 
and Past Sachem of the Improved Order 
of Red Alen. He is also a trustee of the 
Order of Elks, and is president of the Troy 
Business Men's Association. 

WILLIAM BALDWIN, one of Bethel 
Township's most respected citizens, who 
now lives retired on his valuable farm of 
144 acres, which lies in Sections 30 and 
36, was born October 7, 1833, at Gettys- 
burg, Adams County, Penna. His father 
was William Baldwin and his grandfather 
was Thomas Baldwin. 

Thomas Baldwin was born in England 
and when he came to America, settled in 
Adams County, Penna., and took part in 



the Revolutionary War, serving for a long 
time but escaping all injury. His tomb- 
stone, as well as that of his wife, may be 
found in the old Adams County Cemetery. 
They had three children: William, Re- 
becca and Jennie. 

William Baldwin spent his whole life in 
Adams County, Penna., and was a general 
farmer there. He lived to be seventy- 
seven years of age. He married Eliza- 
beth Crum, daughter of Peter Crum, and 
she died in 1840. They had six cliildren, 
namely: Thomas, John, Mary, Samuel, 
Peter and AVilliam. They were consistent 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church and were worthy in evorv relation 
of life. 

William Baldwin, who bears his father's 
name, alternated through boyhood and 
youth in attending school and helping on 
the home farm. When twenty-one years 
old he went to Franklin County and spent 
about six years working by the month on 
diflWent farms, and then reached Miami 
County and worked for two years in Eliz- 
abeth Township. From there he next went 
to Indiana, where he was engaged in farm 
work for thirteen years and during this 
time was married. For six years after 
marriage he resided in Richmond, In- 
diana ; from there went to near Indianapo- 
lis and later returned to Miami County, 
where he purchased his present farm of 
144 acres. When he took possession he 
found the place run down and in need of 
much improving, and all this he remedied 
in a few years, enriching the land and 
carefully looking after its cultivation and 
either building or remodeling all the farm 
structures. For some ten years Mr. Bald- 
win has lived retired from active farm 
labor. Living within two miles of Tippe- 



39-4 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



canoe City, he finds plenty of interests to 
occupy his time whenever overlooking the 
farm becomes monotonous. 

On December 17, 1862, Mr. Baldwin was 
married to Miss Emily Chatteman, a 
daughter of Charles Chatteman, and they 
have a family of seven children : Elwood, 
Samuel, Harry, "William, Annie, Cora and 
Effie. In his political views, Mr. Baldwin 
is a Kepublican. He has always taken an 
interest in public affairs in a general way, 
but he has never consented to hold office. 

JACOB KEAYEE, who is engaged in 
the grocery business at No. Ill East Main 
Street, Troy, and is one of the represent- 
ative citizens, was born in Germany, in 
1853, and obtained his education in the 
excellent schools of his native land. "When 
sixteen years of age, Jacob Krayer came 
to America, locating first at Piqua, Ohio, 
where he learned the cigarmaking trade, 
at which he worked for two years, after 
which he came to Troy and entered his 
brother's grocery store. He remained a 
clerk for "William Krayer from 1871 until 
1880, when he was admitted to partner- 
ship, under the firm style of Krayer Bros., 
which continued until 1886. In July of 
that year he entered into business for him- 
self, having erected his present building 
for that purpose, and here he has carried 
on a most satisfactory enterprise ever 
since. He keeps on hand a large and 
varied stock of both staple and fancy gro- 
ceries and maintains the high standard of 
excellence, which has been one of the foun- 
dation stones of his success. 

In 1880 Mr. Krayer was married to Miss 
Emma Hartmann, who was born at Sid- 
ney, in Shelby County, but was reared at 
Trov. Mr. and Mrs. Kraver have six 



children, as follows: Anna, Frederick, 
Augusta, "Walter, Marie and Emma. Fred- 
erick assists his father in the store and is 
receiving excellent practical training for 
business. Mr. Krayer and family are 
members of the German Lutheran Church. 

S. S. MAKEPEACE, for the past thirty 
year^ a resident of Troy, where he is a 
prominent grain dealer and proprietor of 
the Troy Feed Mills, on West Main Street, 
near the city limits, was born December 12, 
1862, in Madison County, Indiana. 

Mr. Makepeace secured a good common 
school education and was seventeen years 
of age when he left his native place and 
came to Troy. He had learned the milling 
business prior to this, in his own State, 
and after reaching Troy entered the em- 
ploy of I. N. Hoagland and worked for 
two years in his flour mill. He then made 
a short trip to Texas, but not finding busi- 
ness i^rospects encouraging, he turned 
North and settled at Cumberland, Ohio, 
where he was employed in a flour mill for 
two more years. From there Mr. Make- 
peace went to San Diego, California, 
and for some six years was engaged 
in a mercantile business, after which 
he returned to Troy and was engaged 
in a tile and brick manufacturing busi- 
ness until Octol)er, 1908, when he bought 
the present feed mill, which he has 
operated ever since. Mr. Makepeace 
owns a valuable farm of fifty acres ia 
Miami County. He has been a very active 
and useful citizen and has served on the 
City Council. In 1900 Mr. Makepeace was 
married to Miss Lizzie Howell, of Ciun- 
berland, Ohio, and they have one daughter, 
Catherine. He is a Eoyal Arch Mason and 
is also a member of the Order of Eagles. 



AND REPRESENT.ITIVE CITIZENS 



395 



KEV. JACOB COPPOCK, a minister of 
the Brethren Church, residing on his farm 
of 160 acres, which is situated in Section 
22, Bethel Township, Miami County, was 
born in Monroe Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, August 8, 1844. His parents were 
Samuel and Delany (Blickeustaff) Cop- 
pock. The Coppock family came original- 
ly from England and its early religious 
association was with the Quakers. 

Samuel Coppock, father of Jacob, was 
born in ^Monroe Township, Miami Coimty, 
Ohio, in 1817, and spent almost all his life 
on his farm there, his death occurring 
March 13, 1903, his widow surviving him 
but a few years. They both were interred 
in Maple Hill Cemetery at Tippecanoe 
City. Late in life he became a minister in 
the Brethren Church. He married a 
daughter of Jacob Blickeustaff, and they 
had six children, as follows: Moses A., 
who married Isabel Iddiugs; Jacob, our 
subject ; John W., who married Mary C. 
Hickes; Mary, who is the widow of A. G. 
Martindale; Elias, who married (first) 
Elizabeth "Wells, and (second) Nancy 
Horst; and Elizabeth, who married M. P. 
Idemiller. 

Rev. Jacob Coppock attended the Pear- 
son District School on the Pearson farm, 
one mile west of Tippecanoe City, in his 
boyhood and afterward assisted his father 
on the home place. After liis marriage, 
in 1868, he settled first near Tippecanoe 
City and then located on his present farm, 
on which his wife was born. It contains 
160 acres and is managed by the sons-in- 
law, Mr. Coppock giving all his time to his 
work as a minister, having charge of three 
churches, with a membership of 500 indi- 
viduals. From early youth his mind was 
directed into serious channels and since 



October, 1881, he has been an accepted 
minister. He is a well infonned man and 
one who is particularly well fitted to fill 
the office that has been bestowed on him. 
He gives all his time and all his energies 
to his iDeople and they, in turn, respect 
and love him. 

Mr. Coppock married in Miami County, 
on January 16, 1868, Susan Studebaker, 
the estimable daughter of S. S. and Nancy 
Studebaker, and they have six children, as 
follows: Mary Effie, who married H. B. 
Landis; Nancy May, who married J. S. 
Flory; Nettie Delany, who married Sum- 
ner Senseman; Fern, who resides at home; 
and a twin of Fern and another babe died 
in infancy. Mr. Coppock has taken much 
interest in educational matters, affording 
his children excellent advantages and giv- 
ing service on the School Board aggregat- 
ing twelve years. He is in sympathy with 
the principles of the Republican party. 

The following is a history of Hickory 
Grove Church, written by Mr. Coppock: 

HICKORY GROVE CHLT.CH. MIAMI COUNTY, OHIO. 

From the year 1827 the territory now known as Don- 
nel's Creek, Lost Creek and Hickory Grove were one or- 
ganization presidefl over by Elder Christian Frantz. In 
the part now called Hickory (^rove Isaac Darst was a 
minister in the second degree and John Studebaker, 
deacon; in all about twenty-five members. In 1830 
Henry Harshbarger, David Landis, deacons, and Isaac 
Karns, elder, moved in. Then what is now Hickory 
Grove church was organized with about forty members 
under the care of Isaac Karns. 

In the fall of 1832 Isaac Darst died. In 1833 John 
Studebaker died. Soon after Abraham Studebaker was 
elected deacon. In 1835 Henry Harshbarger moved out 
and David Landis was elected to the ministry. In 1836 
David Shelabarger, Adam Stinebarger and Henry Eub- 
som, ministers in the second degree, moved in, and Isaac 
Karns moved to Indiana. Shelabarger's certificate of 
membership contained in addition to the usual recom- 
mendation the staetment that he was sufficiently estab- 
lished to be ordained, but it had not been done for want 
of help, and though a novice he was ordained (which 
was the key to years' trouble in the church). 

In 1837 James Ward and Daniel Arnold were elected 
deacons. Ward at this time insisted on the ordination 
of Darst, so that their children could be married in Eng- 
lish. Some time later Ward moved out. .\bout 1849 
the interest in the good cause grew so low that for a 



396 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



time there were do regular preaching services held, 
though there «ere three resident ministers; but by the 
efforts of David Bowman, John Darst and Peter Nead 
the work was again established, David Shelabarger being 
in charge. 

In ]S53 David Landis and David Shelabarger moved 
out, and Joseph Arnold and Jacob Suell were elected 
deacons. David Studebaker, a minister in the second 
degree, moved in. He proved a minister of great in- 
Ihiencc, and being dead yet spcaketh. Now there were 
about eighty members. lu 1S55 the present house of 
\vorship was' built. Prior to that time services were held 
in private homes. In 1856 Abraham Studebaker died. 
In 18.58 Joseph Arnold was elected to the ministry, 
S. S. Studebaker deacon, and Henry Eubsom and Adam 
Stinebarger ordained. From the time David Shelabarger 
moved out until the above ordination the church was 
under the care of Elder John Frantz, of Donnel's Creek. 

In ISliO John Crist was elected to the ministry and 
Samuel Coppock and Jacob Frantz, deacons. In 1861 
Jesse Studebaker, minister in second degree, moved in. 
He remained three years. In 1862 John Crist was ad- 
vanced to the second degree, and soon moved to Illinois. 
In 1863 G. W. Studebaker moved in and labored here 
for two years, then moved to Indiana. In this time the 
death of David Studebaker occurred, which was deeply 
lamented. There were now one hundred members. 

About this time (186.5) Kubsoui and Stinebarger were 
relieved of their ministry by a committee from Annual 
Meeting and H. D. Davy and Abraham Flory placed in 
charge; Flory remained in charge until the division of 
"81. In 1866 Samuel C'oppoik was elected minister, 
Jacob Hawier and John Filburn, deacons. In 1872 
Isaac Studebaker. minister in second degree, moved in. 
In 1873 0. F. Yount was called to the ministry and 
labored here until 1876.. The Middle District was 
formed; he and Samuel Coppock were living in that 
territory. In 1879 Jos. Arnold was ordained and Jacob 
Coppock and D. S. Filburn were elected deacons. In 
1880 Henry Gump was called to the ministry and Har- 
rison ShuU, a deacon, moved in. 

Ib 1881 the memorable divide took from us about 
thirty members, including Elder Flory, our minister, 
and three deacons, leaving the church with Henry Gump, 
minister and two deacons; in all about one hundred 
members. The church now called Elder .John Smith to 
take charge. The experiences had in the division were 
such that the church was knit together with a very 
strong feeling of love that, barring a few little inci- 
dents along the way, exists today to a very great degree. 

In 1881 Jacob Coppock was called to the ministry and 
Henry Gump advanced to the second degree. 

In 1882 the first series of meetings was held by the 
assistance of I. J. Eosenbergcr. The meetings were 
held with many fears on the part of some and deep 
anxiety on the part of others; they resulted in twenty- 
eight accessions and greatly confirmed the members. In 
1885 D. S. Filburn was called to the ministry and Jacob 
DenUnger and John Tanreuther were elected deacons, 
and after a short service in their ofiRcial capacity they 
both went to their reward. In 1886 Henry Gump was 
ordained and Jacob Snell elected deacon. In 1891 
Samuel Studebaker, Jr., and Geo. Zimmerman were 
called to the deaconship. In 1893 Samuel Gump was 
called to the ministry. 

The oflScial board now stands: ministers, Henry Gump, 
Jacob Coppock, D. S. Filburn and Samuel Gump; dea- 
cons, Jacob Hawver, Jacob Snell, George Zimmerman 
and Samuel Studebaker. There are now about 150 



members. During this time there have been two com- 
mittees from Annual Meeting to settle difficulties. We 1 1 
now have three points of regular preaching, with a fair 1 1 
attendance and interest. At no period in the history of 
the church was there a greater per cent of the Breth- 
ren's children in the church than now. 



THOMAS JEFFEESON PENCE, V. S., 
who has been a resident of Troy for a 
period covering quite twenty-two years, 
has devoted himself almost exclusively to 
his profession during this time and is well 
known all over the county. He was born 
in Lost Creek Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, where he still owns two excellent 
farms, February 24, 1847, and is a son of 
James T. Pence and Nancy (Shidler) 
Pence. The late James T. Pence was born 
in 1822, in Warren County, Ohio, and came 
to Miami County in the early thirties. He 
was a carpenter by trade and also engaged 
in farming. His death took place Febru- 
ary 24, 1883. The mother survived many 
years, djnng April 21, 1908, aged eighty- 
eight years, three months and live days. 

T. J. Pence was educated in the district 
schools and afterward engaged in farm- 
ing. For some forty years he has been a 
veterinary surgeon and since coming to 
Troy has given his entire attention to this 
profession, in which he has been more than 
usually successful. Dr. Pence was mar- 
ried March 15, 1892, to Miss Eliza T'llian 
Roach, who is a daughter of Revel Roach, 
who was a prominent farmer in Clark 
County, Ohio, where Mrs. Pence was born 
and reared. She is a member of the Pres- 
byterian Church at Troy. 

W. H. ALEXANDER, deceased, who 
bore an honorable record for service in 
the Union Army during the Civil War, was 
a prominent retired citizen of Troy and 
in former years was actively identified 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



397 



with the affairs of Miami County. He 
served two terms as county commissioner, 
held various township offices, and for 
eight years was treasurer of the Miami 
County Fair Board. His death took place 
March 2, 1909, when he was in his sixty- 
fifth year. 

Mr. Alexander was a direct descendant 
of one of the earliest settlers of Miami 
County, and was born in Troy, August 6, 
1844. His early life was passed on the 
farm and he obtained a good educational 
training. In answer to Lincoln's first call 
to arms, he was one of the first to respond, 
enlisting in Company H, Eleventh Regi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Cap- 
tain Drury. He was in the service for 
more than three years and i^articipated in 
the following engagements: Cotton Moun- 
tain, Big Sewell, Bull Run, South Moun- 
tain, Antietam, Lookout Mountain, Smoke 
Gap, Rocky Face, and Resaca. He was 
wounded at Chickamaugua, but continued 
in the service until he was honorably dis- 
charged at Camp Dennison, Ohio, June 20, 
1864. 

W. H. Alexander was married March 
16, 1862, while home on a furlough, to Miss 
Eliza Boone, and they became parents of 
the following children: Allie, wife of 
Jacob Deitzer, a farmer of Concord Town- 
ship, Miami County; Lillie May, wife of 
M. H. Miller, of Troy, Ohio ; Isaac G., pay- 
master for the Nickel Plate Railioad, 
with headquarters at Cleveland, Ohio; 
Carrie, wife of W. C. EUeman, of Union 
Township, Miami County; Mary, wife of 
0. C. Elleman, also of Union Township; 
Lulu, wife of P. H. Newman, of Miami 
County; and Eva Irene, wife of Charles 
Kelley, of Troy. Mrs. Alexander was 
called to her final rest in 1879. In 1885 



Mr. ^Vlexander formed a second union with 
Mary J. Curtis, and their comfortable 
home was at No. 739 West Main Street, in 
Troy. The subject of this sketch was for- 
merly secretary of The Soldiers' Relief 
Association of Miami County, and a stock- 
holder in the TrOy National Bank. Fra- 
ternally he was a member of the Knights 
of Pythias, and of the Grand Army of the 
Republic. He was a man of wide acquain- 
tance over the coimty, and was most, high- 
ly esteemed. 

CHARLES EMORT TROSTEL, a 
member of the board of trustees of Eliz- 
abeth Township, who resides on a valu- 
able farm of 143 acres, situated in Section 
26 and located on a cross road between 
the Tippecanoe City and Springfield 
Turnpike roads, was born July 8, 1872, at 
New Carlisle, Clark County, Ohio. His 
parents are Jacob A. and Jacob Anna 
(Peters) Trostel. 

The father of Mr. Trostel was born near 
the historic city of Gettysburg, Penna., 
where he engaged in farming until he en- 
listed for service in the Civil War, in 1861. 
He remained in the army for more than 
three years and during this period was 
once seriously wounded. After his mar- 
riage he settled in Clark County, Ohio, 
where he worked as a teamster, a thresher 
and nurserjTnan and later retired to New 
Carlisle, where he is engaged in the furni- 
ture and undertaking business. He is a 
representative citizen and has always been 
identified in his political views with the 
Republican party. He married Jacob 
Anna Peters and five children were born 
to them, namely: Mary, Charles E., 
George, Margaret and Norris. 

Charles E. Trostel was reared at New 



398 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Carlisle and lived at home until his mar- 
riage, in the meanwhile securing a good 
public school education. Following his . 
marriage he settled first as a renter on his 
father-in-law's farm and later rented other 
farm, both north and west of Carlisle. He 
then removed to near Piqua, in Miami 
County, then to the Sproul farm, near 
Troy, and in 1907 came to the present 
place, known as the Pleasant Run Farm, 
which is owned by Mrs. Mary Link, of 
Troy. Mr. Trostel is an experienced and 
practical farmer and stockraiser and each 
season he feeds about fifty head of hogs 
and a large number of cattle. 

Mr. Trostel has a very pleasant domestic 
circle. He married Miss Bessie Funder- 
burg, a daughter of George and Martha 
Funderburg, who resided near New Car- 
lisle, and they have six children: Sibyl, 
Erdine, Irvin, Wilson, Robert and Helen, 
five of them being bright students in the 
public schools. 

Like his father, Mr. Trostel is a sup- 
porter of the Republican party. He has 
capably filled several township positions 
and for the past two years has been a 
trustee of Elizabeth Township. The farm 
is conveniently situated four miles north- 
east of Tippecanoe City. 

J. B. McCOOLE, president of the City 
Council of Troy, Ohio, has been very 
prominently identified with the public af- 
fairs of this city during his residence of 
fifteen years here. He was born in 1855, 
near the village of Kessler, in Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is a son of the late William 
McCoole. 

William McCoole was born in 1833, in 
Miami County, Ohio. He was a veteran 
of the Civil War and his death was in- 



directly caused by an injury received dur- 
ing his three years of service. He was a 
member of Company B, Ninety-fourth 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and 
his record is that of a brave and efficient 
soldier. In politics he was a radical Re- 
publican. 

J. B. McCoole began to take care of him- 
self when he was not over twelve of age, 
hiring out to farmers during the summer 
seasons, and during the winters attending 
the district school. By the time he was 
nineteen years old he was ready to teach 
and a very pleasant and profitable portion 
of his life was the period of eighteen years 
which he spent in educational work. He 
taught for six consecutive years in one dis- 
trict and has many friends there still. In 
1893 Mr. McCoole went into the lumber 
business, for three years being with W. H. 
Francis, since which time he has been 
with a Mr. Crofoot. He has been a very 
active citizen and his civic worth has been 
recognized by his fellow citizens. He was 
elected to the City Council from the Third 
Ward, later was councilman-at-large and 
is now serving in his third year as presi- 
dent of the City Council. He has also been 
interested in State military matters, for 
eighteen years being a member of the Ohio 
National Guard, entering as a private and 
being advanced to the rank of captain of 
Company K, Third Regiment. 

Mr. McCoole was married in April, 1878, 
to Miss Mary Lettie Van Tuyl, of Miami 
County, and they have one son, Edgar, 
who is with the Hobart Manufacturing 
Company of Troy. He married Miss Ber- 
tha Van Noy, of Troy, and they have one 
daughter, Ruth. Mr. and Mrs. McCoole 
are members of the Christian Church. He 
belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the 




JACOB A. DAVY 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



401 



Knights of the Golden Eagle, the Junior 
Order of the United American Mechanics, 
and Franklin Lodge of the Masons. 

WILLIAM G. WILSON, county com- 
missioner of Miami County and a substan- 
tial retired farmer residing at Troy, was 
born in Concord Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, in 18G2, and is a son of the late John 
Wilson, who died in May, 1907, and a 
grandson of Robert Wilson. The latter 
came to Ohio from England and was a 
pioneer settler in Miami County, but died 
in advanced age in Shelby County. 

William G. Wilson was reared and edu- 
cated in Concord Township and for many 
years carried on extensive farming and 
stock raising in that section. In Novem- 
ber, 1908, he moved to Troy. He has been 
a very active member of the Republican 
party for a long period, on many occasions 
proving his fealty and frequently gaining 
recognition in local circles. He is a mem- 
ber of the important party organization 
known as the County Central Committee, 
has served on the School Board in Con- 
cord Township, and in November, 1905, 
was first elected a county commissioner, 
approval being shown of his services by 
re-election to the office in November, 1908. 

On March 3, 1883, Mr. Wilson was mar- 
ried to Miss Emeline Kerr, who was born 
and reared in Concord Township and is a 
daughter of William and Rachel Kerr. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have one daughter, 
Verna Oletha, who is a popular and suc- 
cessful teacher in the public schools of the 
county. Miss Wilson made a brilliant 
school record for herself, graduating from 
the Concord Township school when but 
thirteen years of age and subsequently 
from the Trov High School. Mr. Wilson 



is identified with the Elks and the Knights 
of Pythias at Troy. 

JACOB A. DAVY, who for over twenty- 
five years has been engaged in the success- 
ful practice of law at Troy, Ohio, was born 
in Delaware County, Ohio, October 26, 
1854, his parents being Henry D. and Cath- 
arine (Bosteter) Davy. He is of English 
ancestry, his paternal grandfather having 
emigrated from England to Philadelphia 
in 170(i. 

Henry D. Davy, the fathei-, was born in 
Tuscarawas County, Ohio, in 1811, and at 
an early date entered the ministry, his 
duties in connection therewith taking him 
successively to various fields in this State. 
In 1868 he located on a farm in Elizabeth 
Township, Miami County, where he after- 
wards resided until his death, in Septem- 
ber, 1895, at the age of eighty-four years. 
He was a minister of the German Baptist 
Church, and for twenty years was chair- 
man of the executive committee and mod- 
erator of annual conference. He was 
imited in marriage November 17, 1850, 
with Miss Catharine Bosteter, who was 
born near Frederick City, Maryland, in 
1821, and who died in February, 1896. 
Ten children were born of this union, four 
of whom bore arms in the Union cause 
during the Civil War. 

Jacob A. Davy was about seven years 
old when his parents moved, in 1861, to 
Mr. Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, and dur- 
ing their residence of seven years there 
he attended the public schools. He ac- 
companied them on their removal to Mi- 
ami County in 1868, and there attended 
the district schools during the winter 
months, when he could be spared from the 
work on the farm. He continued farming 



402 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



I 



until August 19, 1879, when he went to 
Troy and began preparations for the legal 
profession under the preceptorship of 
Theodore Sullivan, who afterwards be- 
came circuit judge, and M. B. Barnhart, 
who later moved to Columbus and became 
police judge of that city. He subsequently 
attended the Cincinnati Law School, from 
which institution he was graduated with 
the class of 1881. In March, 188:2, he 
opened an office for jiractice in the city 
of Troy, where he has since continued with 
uninterrupted success. 

It is needless to say that Mr. Davj^'s 
present high position at the bar was not 
brought about without hard and i)ersistent 
effort. At the outset he realized his own 
deficiencies with respect to preliminary 
education, and with determined energy he 
accordingly pursued a literary and scien- 
tific course, reciting regularly to a gentle- 
man noted for his scholarly attainments. 
This training has been of incalculable ben- 
efit to him in his court work. Well ground- 
ed in the law and always thoroughly pre- 
pared in his cases, employing the best dic- 
tion, with a convincing style and manner, 
he makes a favorable impression on court 
and jury, and has been successful beyond 
the average. He has a fine library of lit- 
erary and legal lore, in the enjoj-ment of 
which he spends much of his time. 

In the year 1900 Mr. Davy became a 
member of the law firm of Davy & Camp- 
bell, Mr. St. John becoming a third part- 
ner in the following year. On the subse- 
quent election of Mr. Campbell as prose- 
cuting attorney, that gentleman retired 
from the firm, which then became T>avj & 
St. John. In 1907 Mr. St. John was ap- 
pointed assistant probate judge, and ac- 
cordingly severed his connection with the 



firm; but on account of the old style be- 
ing well and favorably known to a large 
Eastern clientele, Mr. Davy has since re- 
tained it, though at the present time prac- 
ticing alone. He has latelj' organized the 
National Law Collecting Company, incor- 
porated with a capital stock of $10,000, of 
which he is president. Mr. Davy is an en- 
thusiastic Republican in politics, and has 
spent much time and effort in bringing 
about party success in the county. In 1892 
he was chairman of the Eepublican Cen- 
tral Committee and his activity brought 
out the full party strength in support of 
President Harrison, while nearly every 
other county in the State fell below. 

Mr. Davy was joined in marriage, Feb- 
ruary 4, 1886, with Gertrude Edith Mitch- 
ell, who was born near Fletcher, Miami 
County, Ohio, in 18G4, the Mitchell family 
having long been one of prominence in the 
county. Her father, John Mitchell, was 
born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, De- 
cember 25, 1822, and at an early date be- 
came a resident of Miami County. He 
was a man of unusual ability, and accumu- 
lated a handsome competency, including 
329 acres of land in the county. He was 
married at Fletcher in 1855, to Miss Hen- 
rietta Simmons, a daughter of William T. 
and Margaret Simmons, and two children 
were the offspring of this union — Mrs. 
Mary E. Spencer, of Piqua ; and Gertrude 
E., wife of Jacob A. Davy. Mrs. Davy is 
a lady of educational attainments and 
musical accomplishments, being gifted with 
a soprano voice of good power and pleas- 
ing quality. She received voice culture 
under the instruction of Professor Blu- 
menschine, of Dayton, and other prom- 
inent teachers. The family home is at No. 
6 South Plum Street, in Troy. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



403 



GEORGE MUMFOED, one of Elizabeth 
Township's prosperous grain farmers, re- 
sides on his valuable farm of 140 acres, 
which is situated on the LeFever Turn- 
pike road, in Section 16, Elizabeth Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, was born in 
Clark County, Ohio, March 31, 1852. His 
parents were George and Euth Ann (Mar- 
tin) Mumford. 

George Mumford and wife were born 
in Maryland and came from there to Ohio, 
locating first in Clark County but subse- 
quently removing to Miami County. He 
became the owner of a large amount of 
land, purchasing at different times tracts 
of 200 acres, of seventy-eight acres and of 
the 140 acres which is now owned by his 
son George. He was aged seventy years 
when he died. When he lived in Mary- 
land he was a Whig in politics but later 
became a member of the Eepublican party. 
For thirty-three years he served as a 
school director and in all matters of mo- 
ment in his neighborhood, his judgment 
was more or less consulted. He was con- 
sidered a poor man when -he came first to 
Miami County but he was very enterpris- 
ing and possessed excellent business quali- 
fications. He cleared about one-half of his 
land, building a drain ditch in which he 
used 1,000 rods of tiling, and put up all 
the farm structures now standing, these 
serving during his lifetime, although they 
have all been remodeled and improved by 
the present owner. The children of 
George and Euth Ann Mumford were: 
Martha Josephine, Elizabeth, Harrison, 
Isaac, Maria, George, Melissa and Belle. 
The mother of this family died in June, 
1888, having survived her husband from 
September, 1882. 

George ^lumford, Jr., who has served 



Elizabeth Township for fifteen years as a 
school director, obtained his own educa- 
tion in the Flinn school, near his home, 
after which he became his father's helper 
on the farm and remained at home with 
his parents and continues on the same 
farm on which he was reared from child- 
hood. It is well drained, the j\Iiami Coun- 
ty ditch running north and south through 
it, and Mr. Mumford has so divided his 
land that each part of it returns a good in- 
come. He has an orchard of fifty trees, 
grows twenty-five acres of corn, the same 
of wheat and the same of oats each year, 
has fifteen acres in hay and the remainder 
of the land is in woods and pasture. He 
takes pride in tWe appearance of his build- 
ings and keeps them repaired and painted, 
making everything around his home very 
presentable. He has a fine family also to 
enjoy life with, consisting of wife and four 
children. He was married December 23, 
1883, to Miss Ellen Boswell, who is a 
daughter of George and Lavina Boswell, 
of Casstown, Miami County, and their 
family consists of three daughters and one 
sou, namely: Blanche, Nora, Vernon and 
Euth. Mrs. Mumford is a member of the 
McKendree Methodist Church of Elizabeth 
Township. He does not lay claim to be- 
ing a ]iolitician but lie is interested in all 
that concerns the welfare of his own neigh- 
borhood and of the country at large. He 
votes the Eepublican ticket. 

JUSTUS DIEHL, for many years one 
of the substantial business men and a pub- 
lic-spirited citizen of Troy, Ohio, is now 
living in retirement in that city. He was 
prominently identified with the wagon- 
making industry as a member of the firm 
of Ee]iholz and Diehl. and now rents the 



404 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



I 



plant conducted by them to the son of his 
deceased partner. 

Mr. Diehl was born in Germany October 
1, 1839, and was about seventeen years 
of age when he came to the United States 
in 1857, locating in the city of Dayton. 
There he worked as a cabinet maker one 
year for a Mr. Boyer, but not liking the 
work he hired out for a year as a gardener. 
In 1859 he went to Sj'dney, Ohio, where 
he learned the trade of wagon maker with 
Jacob Piper, in whose employ he contin- 
ued for eighteen months. In 1861 he went 
to Greenville, Ohio, and in February, 1864, 
enlisted for three years' service as a mem- 
ber of the Eighth Ohio Battery Light Ar- 
tillery, and was later assigned with his 
battery to the Army of the Mississippi. 
He contracted the typhoid fever but re- 
mained in the service until August, 1865, 
when he was honorably discharged. Upon 
his return from the front, he worked at 
wagon making for a Mr. Miller, in the 
same shop in which he learned his trade 
in Sydney. In the spring of 1866, he 
moved to Troy, Ohio, and formed a part- 
nership with Frank Emerett in the wagon 
making business. They established their 
business on West Main Street, and in a 
short time Mr. Diehl purchased the inter- 
est of his partner and continued the busi- 
ness there alone for several years. In 
1879 he entered partnership with Mr. 
Eepholz and started a shop at No. 401 
East Main Street. Their business asso- 
ciation continued with uninterrupted suc- 
cess until Mr. Eepholz died. Mr. Diehl 
then, on account of failing health rented 
the plant to a son of his former partner, 
who has since continued it. 

In 1867 Justus Diehl was married to 
Miss Mary Dunlap, who died in 1888, leav- 



ing five children: Charles Diehl, an elec- 
trician of ability, at Tippecanoe City ; "Will- 
iam Diehl, head engineer of the electric 
light plant of Lima, Ohio, with which he 
has been identified for a score of years; 
George Diehl, who also has been identified 
with the Lima Electric Light Plant for 
some twenty years, he and his brother be- 
ginning at that time as boys and working 
lip to good and resijonsible positions; M. 
Lida Diehl, who lives in Tippecanoe City; 
and Elizabeth, wife of Henry Heiser, of 
Piqua, Ohio. Mr. Diehl, in 1891, formed 
a second marriage with Mrs. Catherine 
Shell, of Miami County. Religiously, he 
attends the Baptist Church in Troy, of 
which his wife is a member. Fraternally, 
he is a member of the Grand Army of the 
Republic. 

PERRY H. MOYER, deputy sheriff of 
Miami County and county recorder elect, 
has been a resident of Troy for the past 
thirty years. He was born in Montgom- 
ery County, Ohio, November 20, 1843. Mr. 
Moyer was reared on a farm and obtained 
his education in the public schools of Mont- 
gomery County. He enlisted for service 
in the Civil War, in February, 1864, enter- 
ing Company E, Ninety-third Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he con- 
tinued until his honorable discharge on 
December 5, 1865. At the battle of New 
Hope Church, Georgia, during the Atlanta 
campaign, Mr. Moyer was so seriously < 
wounded that he could no longer serve on i 
the field, and he was then attached to the 
mustering-out office, with headquarters at 
Detroit, Michigan. For about four years 
after the close of the war, he followed 
farming and then engaged for some three 
years in the grocery business. Since com- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



405 



iug to Troy he has been identified with 
various interests here, and on February 
1, 1892, he was appointed deputy sheriff of 
Miami County. Mr. Moyer has proven 
himself au efficient public officer and his 
election, in November, 1908, as county re- 
corder, is a signal mark of appreciation. 
He will assume the duties of the new office 
in September, 1909. 

On April 30, 1868, Mr. Moyer was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary Jane Huiet, of Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, and they have one 
daughter, Irma May, who, for seventeen 
years has been a valued teacher in the 
public schools of Troy. Mr. P. H. Moyer, 
with his wife and daughter, belongs to the 
Presbyterian Church. He is affiliated with 
the Odd Fellows and belongs to A. H. Cole- 
man Post, Grand Army of the Eepublic, 
at Troy, of which he is now commander. 

FRANK E. FREEMAN, nurseryman 
and farmer, residing on the valuable prop- 
erty of the Geo. Freeman heirs, consist- 
ing of 115 acres, which is situated in Sec- 
tion 25, on the National Turnpike Road, 
near Phoneton, Ohio, was born in Bethel 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, June 28, 
1862, and is a son of George Freeman and 
a grandson of Robert M. Freeman. 

Robert M. Freeman came to Ohio from 
Pennsylvania, settling in Bethel Township, 
where he was a farmer all his life. He 
married Hannah Puterbaugh, a daughter 
of David and Mary Puterbaugh, and 
they reared ten children: David, Isaac, 
George, John, Daniel, Hannah, Elizabeth, 
Minnie, Henrietta and Priscilla. 

George Freeman succeeded his father as 
a farmer and nurseryman in Bethel Town- 
ship. He married Araminta D. Swindle, 
a daughter of John and Rebecca Swindle, 



and they have had the following children: 
Laura, who married R. W. Mitchell, who 
is principal of a High School in North 
Carolina ; Frank E. ; Harry W., deceased, 
who was formerly in the nursery business 
at Tadmor, Ohio, and married a daughter 
of John Benham; and Arthur H., who is 
connected with a lime and cement company 
at Chicago, Illinois, and who married 
Laura Emerson. 

Frank E. Freeman first attended school 
in Bethel Township, later enjoyed four 
terms in the Normal School at Ada, Ohio, 
and still later took a commercial course 
in a business college in the State of New 
York. He then returned to the home farm, 
where he has continued in business ever 
since. He has cleared about four acres of 
land and devotes the larger part of the 
acreage to nursery plants, also raising 
some grain and hay. He is much inter- 
ested in raising throughbred stock and 
the four colts that he raises annually 
might easily be registered for the race 
track, so excellent are their qualities. He 
has erected all the stock stables on the 
place and these are of modern construc- 
tion, due regard having been i)aid to their 
sanitary conveniences, this being along 
modern lines of building. Mr. Freeman 
has additional business interests, being a 
stockholder of the Dye Fruit Company, 
which has its home office at Tippecanoe 
City, and a member of the board of 
directors. 

On March 10, 1887, Mr. Freeman was 
married to Miss Margaret G. Belleman, a 
daughter of Henry and Eliza Belleman, 
and they have six children, namely: 
Charles H., who is a lieutenant in the Phi- 
lippine Constabulary and at present is sta- 
tioned at Manila, Philippine Islands; and 



406 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Eoy W., Ealpli Egbert, Lillian May, 
George Henry and Euth Mahala. Mr. 
Freeman is a member of the Eefonned 
Church, in which he is a deacon. In poli- 
tics he is a Eepublican and formerly 
served as a member of the Miami County 
Agricultural Society. Formerly he was 
also identified with the local Grange. He 
is a Knight Templar ]\Iason, a member of 
the Commandery at Troy, where he also 
belongs to the Elks. 

^y. E. LYTLE, a leading member of the 
Miami County bar and prosecuting attor- 
ney elect, was born in 1871, near Lancas- 
ter, Ohio. 

Mr. Lytle passed his early life on a farm 
but his inclination lay more in the direc- 
tion of a professional life. Like many 
other youths he found himself entirely de- 
pendant on his own elTorts to secure the 
education he craved and, through many 
sacrifices, prepared himself for teaching 
and thus was enabled to spend three and 
a half years in the Ohio Normal Univer- 
sity at Ada, in the literary and law de- 
partments of that institution. In June, 
1900, i\Ir. Lytle received his degree from 
the university and was admitted to the 
bar and in September, 1901, he located for 
practice at Tippecanoe City, Miami Coun- 
ty, since then earning his permit to prac- 
tice in the Federal Courts and all the 
courts in the State. He was elected city 
solicitor in 1906, elected again in 1907, 
and served two and one-half years, resign- 
ing the office when he was elected to the 
still more responsible one of prosecuting 
attorney of Miami County, in November, 
1908, the duties of which he will assume on 
January 4, 1909. In addition to pajang 
attention to his large private practice, as 



well as his official duties, Mr. Lytle has 
interested liimself in several business en- 
terprises. He promoted and organized the 
Citizens' National Bank of Tippecanoe 
City, of which he is a director and attor- 
ney, and he was the chief promoter of the 
Tippecanoe Underwear Company, which 
is incorporated with a capital stock of 
$50,000. Of this company he is attorney 
and a member of the board of directors. 
Mr. Lytle is also concerned in valuable 
real estate lying in both Miami and Darke 
counties. He is a inan of more than usual 
energy and enterprise and he possesses 
also the judgment which brings him suc- 
cess in his undertakings. This foresight 
and judgment will be valuable assets in 
the conduct of the office of prosecuting at- 
torney, an office which no feebly endowed 
man could ever hope to satisfactorily fill 
at this day. 

In 1893 Mr. Lytle was married to Miss 
Zella Bank, of Darke County. They are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church and he is an official of the same 
and also of the Sunday School, having 
been a teacher for over twenty years. 
Politically he is a strong factor in the Re- 
publican party in this section and a hearty 
supporter of Republican policies. For 
the past fifteeu years he has been an active 
member of the Order of Knights of Pyth- 
ias and belongs also to the Junior Order 
of United American Mechanics. 

II. J. AVALKER, county surveyor of 
Miami County, Ohio, is one of the most 
capable and popular public officials of the 
county. He has been a resident of Troy 
for some nineteen years but he was born 
in Brown Township, ]\fiami County, Ohio. 

.Tosiali Walker, father of H. J. Walker^ 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



407 



was brought to Troy from Pennsylvania, 
when small, and a large part of his life 
was spent on his farm in Brown Town- 
ship, which he left in 1889 and has resided 
at Troy ever since, where he is one of the 
respected and substantial citizens. 

H. J. Walker was educated in the public 
schools of Troy and took special course of 
three years in the Ohio State University 
at Columbus, graduating as a civil engi- 
neer, and then took up railroad work in the 
Northwest, after which he came to Troy. 
He is interested in a number of local en- 
terprises and has served as city engineer 
for about twelve years. In November, 
1901, he was first elected county surveyor, 
was re-elected in November, 1904, and his 
term will not expire until September, 1909, 
when he will have served continuously in 
this office about eight years. 

Mr. "VValker is an active member of the 
Elks and the Knights of Pythias, and he 
also retains liis connection with the Sigma 
Nu fraternity of the Columbus University 
and is a charter member of .the alumni 
chapel of the society. He belongs also to 
the Troy Club. Mr. Walker was reared in 
the Presbvterian faith. 



father in newspaper work and on the death 
of John \V. De Frees succeeded to the pro- 
prietorship of the Miami Union, which he 
successfully conducted until ill health 
compelled him to dispose of his interests. 

John K. De Frees was reared and edu- 
cated at Troy, and after graduating from 
the Troy High School he spent two years 
in the Ohio State University. Shortly 
after his return to Troy he entered the 
Troy National Bank as bookkeeper, served 
later four years as teller and since then 
has filled the office of assistant cashier. 
He has ever been an active and earnest 
citizen and in November, 1907, he was 
elected city treasurer, the duties of which 
office he fills with the same carefulness 
and conservatism that has made him val- 
ued in the financial institution with which 
he has so long been connected. 

In June, 1903, Mr. De Frees was mar- 
ried to Miss Frances P. Brechbill, of Troy, 
and they have one daughter, Elizabeth. 
'Sir. De Frees and wife are members of 
the First Presbyterian Church of Troy. 
He is a Eoyal Arch Mason and belongs 
also to the Troy and the Island Outing 
clubs. 



JOHN K. DE FREES, assistant cashier 
of the Troy National Bank and city treas- 
urer of Troy, Ohio, was born in this city 
in 1878, and is a son of L. L. and a grand- 
son of John W. De Frees. Both father 
and grandfather of Mr. De Frees were 
well known journalists. The grandfather, 
John W. De Frees, was the founder, pro- 
prietor and editor of the Miami Union, 
which he conducted for many years, and 
for a time he ser\'ed as county auditor of 
Miami County. The father of Mr. De 
Frees earlv became associated with his 



CHARLES F. RANNELLS, city au- 
ditor of Troy, Ohio, of which place he has 
been a resident since 1885, was born at 
New Antioch, Clinton County* Ohio, in 
1852. Mr. Rannells was educated in the 
public schools of his native place, later at- 
tended the Holbrooks School at Lebanon, 
Ohio, and still later took a commercial 
course at the Bryant & Stratton Business 
College, at Cincinnati. For some twelve 
years thereafter, Mr. Rannells taught 
school and after leaving the educational 
field li(> was bookkeeper for the firm of 



1 



408 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Allen & Wheeler for a number of years 
and then embarked in a nursery business, 
conducting this enterprise until 1903, when 
he was first elected city auditor of Troy. 
Mr. Eannells is serving in his second term 
in this office, his re-election in 1907 indicat- 
ing the confidence he enjoys among his 
fellow citizens. In the promotion of good 
government, Mr. Eannells has been an ac- 
tive citizen and has taken a hearty interest 
in public affairs. 

In 1881 Mr. Eannells was married to 
Miss Nannie Cleland, of Martinsville, 
Ohio, and they have two sons, E. B. and 
C. W., both of whom are in the employ of 
the Edison Electrical Company, of Brook- 
lyn, New York. Mr. Eannells is a thirty- 
second degree Mason and is a member of 
the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and 
Commandery, at Troy, and of the Con- 
sistory and Shrine, at Dayton, Ohio. 

HON. THOMAS M. CAMPBELL, for- 
merly mayor of Troy, Ohio, of which city 
he has been a resident for some thirty 
years, is a leading member of the Miami 
County bar and is city solicitor, an office 
he has most acceptably filled on several 
occasions. He was born in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, in 1840. 

Mr. Campbell attended the law school 
of the University of Michigan, at Ann Ar- 
bor, but otherwise he secured his educa- 
tion in the schools of Montgomery and 
Preble counties, Ohio. In 1861 he enlisted 
as a private in Company B, Seventy-first 
Eegiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with 
which he served for over three years of the 
great Civil War, receiving his honorable 
discharge at Nashville, Tennessee, Decem- 
ber 3, 1864, having been promoted to first 
sergeant. Mr. Campbell survived all the 



usual dangers of army life and his reeox'd 
shows that he was never wounded, never 
sent to a hospital, and, what he is justly 
proud of, that he was never excused from 
duty. He participated in the battles of 
Shiloh, Jonesboro, Lovejoy Station, Geor- 
gia, and Franklin, Tennessee, together 
with many less important engagements. 

In 1877 Mr. Campbell was admitted to 
the bar, and in the following year settled 
at Troy, subsequently being admitted to 
practice in the United States Courts. He 
is a member of the Miami County Bar 
Association. He has long been interested 
in local politics and in 1885 was elected 
city solicitor, serving in that capacity for 
two terms, and from 1892 to 1894, he was 
mayor of the city, and after the close of 
an excellent administration, he returned 
to private jjractice. In November, 1907, 
he was again brought forward by his party 
for the office of city solicitor, and was 
elected without opposition and is serving 
in that office at the present time. 

In 1889 Mr. Campbell was married to 
Miss Clara E. Shilling, who died May 23, 
1907, leaving one sou, Carlton W., who is 
a student in Dennison University. Mr. 
Campbell is a member of the First Baptist 
Church of Troy, and one of its deacons. 
He is prominent in Masonry, being past 
master of Franklin Lodge, No. 14, F. & A. 
M. ; past high priest of Franklin Chapter, 
and past eminent commander of Coleman 
Commandery, Knights Templar. 

JOHN FISH, president of the Troy 
Tile and Brick Company, a successful 
manufacturing enterprise of Troy, was 
born in 1860, in Illinois, and in infancy 
was brought to Shelby County, Ohio, and 
when four years of age to Miami Coimty. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



409 



wliere he was reared and educated. Mi'. 
Fish's boyhood was spent on a farm and 
he continued to engage in agricultural pur- 
suits until 1900, when he came to Troy, 
where for two years he conducted the 
sprinkling business for the city and then 
purchased a feed mill, which he ojierated 
for four years, in the meanwhile prepar- 
ing for his present enterprise. The Troy 
Tile and Brick Companj' was incorporated 
in 1894, by R. W. Crofoot and Mr. Fish 
owns a one-half interest and since his pur- 
chase has been president of the company, 
with his brother, Charles Fish, as secre- 
tary. The business is the manufacturing 
of tile and brick and they deal also in 
cement, coal and grain. 

In 1885 Mr. Fish was married to Miss 
Jennie Hetzler and they have two children 
living: Roy, who is bookkeeper in the 
First National Bank of Troy; and Earl, 
who is a High School student. One child, 
Freddie, died at the age of five years. Mr. 
Fish and family belong to the Baptist 
Church. *^In politics Mr. Fish is a Repub- 
lican and he has served four years as a 
member of the City Council, taking an 
active interest in promoting the welfare of 
this community. He has long been identi- 
fied with the Odd Fellows and is filling the 
office of noble grand in the Troy lodge. 
He is one of the city's reputable and repre- 
sentative business men. 

JAMES R. McCANDLISS, general 
farmer and tobacco grower, residing on 
his valuable estate of thirty-seven acres, 
which is situated in Section 29, Elizabeth 
Township, one mile southeast of Cass- 
town, is a representative citizen of this 
section. He was born July 29, 1850, at 
Young's Mill, near Piqua, Miami County, 



Ohio, and is a son of James and Mary 
(Abbott) McCandliss. 

The McCandliss family is of Irish de- 
scent, but the grandfather, James McCand- 
liss, was born in Pennsylvania. When 
he came to Ohio he brought his family over 
the Allegheny Mountains by wagon and 
settled first near Dayton and later near 
Picjua. He worked as a carpenter and 
also engaged in farming. In religious 
faith he was a Presl)yterian and in his 
political sympathy a "Wliig. He died in 
1878 and his burial was at Piqua. He 
married Nancy Hilands and they had the 
following children : John, Sarah, James, 
Mary, Nancy, Annie and Amos. 

James McCandliss, Jr., father of James 
R., was born in Pennsylvania and accom- 
])anied his ])areuts to Ohio in his child- 
hood. He assisted his father on the home 
farm near Piqua until his own marriage 
and then engaged in milling, in 1859 mov- 
ing to the old Slieets mill in Elizabeth 
Township and from there to Coalville, 
where he died September 25, 1897. His re- 
mains rest in the Casstown Cemetery. He 
married Mary Abbott, who still survives 
and resides with her daughter, I\Irs. Ros- 
ser, at Troy. The following children were 
born to James and Mary ^IcCandliss: 
John F., who lives in Staunton Township ; 
James R.; Laura L., who is deceased; 
Nancy, who married Charles Ros.ser; Nel- 
lie, who mai-ried George Wolfe, and re- 
sides at New Carlisle; William; who mar- 
ried Mollie West, and is now deceased; 
Joseph, who is deceased; Isaac, who mar- 
ried Mattie, daughter of John Ross; 
Charles, who married Amy Emory; Cro- 
zier, who is unmarried and resides in Cali- 
fornia ; Mabelle, who married Albert 
Cams; and an infant, deceased. 



410 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



James E. McCandliss secured a good 
public school education, attending the 
•Brown School near Piqua, the Edward 
School in Troy and later the Walnut 
Grove School in Elizabeth Township, after 
which he assisted his father until his own 
marriage in 1878. He then rented An- 
drew Sayers' farm, moved from there to 
the Coleman farm near Stillwater for two 
years and from there to a farm north of 
Troy, on which he remained for two years 
more, coming then to his present farm, 
which he rented at first and purchased in 
1900. He engages in mixed farming and 
devotes four acres to tobacco. When he 
came here he found it profitable for a time 
to quarry stone on the farm, but has since 
abandoned that industry. He has a fine 
orchard of about forty trees, wliich he set 
out himself, and has done considerable 
improving on the place. 

On November 1, 1878, Mr. McCandliss 
was married to Miss Priscilla F. Webb, a 
daughter of Lewis and Rebecca Webb. 
They are members of the Baptist Church 
at Casstown, with which he has been unit- 
ed for thirty years. Fonuerly he was an 
active member of the Grange and also of 
the Order of Red Men, but the only frater- 
nal association he still continues to have 
interest in is the Casstown Lodge, No. 
426, Odd Fellows, of which he has been 
a member for thirty-five years, having 
passed all the chairs and for the past 
twelve years having been a trustee. Tn poli- 
tics, ]\rr. McCandliss is a Democrat and he 
has acceptably served his township in the 
office of supervisor, at different times. 

LOSH 0. HARBAUGH, attorney-at- 
law and a well known member of the Piqua 
bar, was born near Brandt, Miami Countv. 



Ohio, in 1874, and is a son of John C. Har- i 
baugh. ' 

John C. Harbaugh is a veteran of the | 
Civil War. He was born in Washington 
County, Maryland, and enlisted in 1862 as 
a member of Company L, First Maryland 
Volunteer Infantry, and served until the 
close of hostilities, after which he settled 
in Miami County, where he has been ever 
since engaged in farming. 

Losh 0. Harbaugh was reared in Miami 
County, attended the country schools and 
prior to studying law, took a cormnercial 
course in a business college in Dayton. 
In the fall of 1898 he received his degree 
of B. S. at Valparaiso College, Indiana, 
having taught school for four years pre- 
viously. LTndoubtedly this profession is , 
a great training field for any other and 
^Ir. Harbaugh has never regretted devot- 
ing four years to it. In 1901 he completed 
his law course in the University of Michi- 
gan, at Ann Arbor, immediately locating 
at Piqua and practicing in all courts of the 
State. In addition to a large law business 
he is extensively interested in dealing in i 
real estate. 

On June 11, 1902, Mr. Harbaugh was 
married to Miss Mary Elizabeth David- 
son, of Ironton, Oliio, and they have two 
ohildrou : W. Davidson and John C. Mr. 
and ^Irs. Harbaugh are members of the 
Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church. 
He is identified with the ]\Iasonic frater- 
nity and with the Piqua Business Men's 
Association. 

AVILLIAIil R. MUMFORD, one of Eliz- 
abeth Township's most substantial and 
representative citizens, resides in Section 
.3, his 500-acre farm being reached by the 
Dayton and Brandt Turnpike road. Mr. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



-111 



Muiiifoi'd was born in Elizabeth Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, June 7, 1841, and is 
a son of John and ]\lary (Crawmer) 
Mumlord. The grandfather, John Mum- 
ford, spent his life in Maryland. He 
married Hannah Kniokirict and they had 
eight children, namely: James, William, 
George, Richard, Hannah, Betsey, Aman- 
da and John. 

Of the above family the youngest son 
was the father of William R. Mumford. 
In early manhood, fullowing his marriage, 
he came to Ohio and engaged first in farm- 
ing near Zanesville and then rented a farm 
in Elizabeth Townshi}), Miami County, on 
wliich he lived until he purchased the one 
on which his son lives, buying 113 acres 
from John Helvey. He went into the grain 
growing and stock raising business and 
became a man of wealth and prominence. 
f3oth he and his wife were members of the 
Universalist Church of Miami City. His 
deatli occurred September 16, 1868. He 
married Mary Crawmer, who died in Sep- 
tember, 1862, and they were both interred 
in the McKendree Church cemetery. They 
had eight children, as follows: James, 
Jolm P., AVilliam E., Joseph, Matilda, 
Julia Ann, Mary Jane and Amanda. 

AVilliam R. Mimiford was educated in 
the schools of Elizabeth Township and 
Miami City and grew to manhood a farmer 
under his father's practical training. He 
continued on the homestead for several 
years after his marriage and then settled 
on his present farm, which he lived on un- 
til the death of his wife, when he returned 
home for several years more, subsequently 
resuming his residence on his own farm. 
Of his large property about eighty acres 
lie in Pike Towuship, and twelve in Bethel 
Township, but all the rest is in Elizabetii 



Township and with the exception of twen- 
ty-five acres still in timber, all the land 
is well drained and ready for cultivation. 
Farm buihJings are on different jjarts of 
the property, Mr. Mumford finding the 
erection of one barn being the only neces- 
sity. It is a magnificent property and its 
value is represented by many thousands 
of dollars. 

On November 7, 1868, Mr. Mumford was 
married to Miss Olivia Schindler, who 
died September 29, 1876. She was a most 
estimable lady, a daughter of John and 
Sarah Schindler. To this marriage were 
born four childi'en, namely : Irwin, who 
married Susan Drake, a daughter of Ezra 
H. Drake, and has one child, Ruth; Eben, 
who married Luella M. Horn; Viola, who 
died when aged sixteen years; and OUvia, 
who died at the age of two and one-half 
years, in his political sentiments, Mr. 
Mumford is a Democrat. 

SHERMAN 1). SYLEE, dealing in real 
estate, l)onds, loans, investments and in- 
surance, is one of Piqua's representative 
Imsiness men. He was born September 29, 
1872, near Troy, Ohio, a son of Samuel 
Sylei-. 

The late Samuel Syler was born in Mi- 
ami County, in whicii his life was spent, 
he dying at the early age of twenty-nine 
years. The Syler family has been estab- 
lished in this county from its earliest days 
and in every imi)ortant sense is a repre- 
sentative one. 

Sherman D. Syler was educated in the 
schools of Troy and when he put aside his 
books he became a clerk and served as 
such with different employers for seven 
years. He tlien came to Piqua and con- 
tinued in niercaiitile ]iursuits for ten years. 



412 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



In 1S95 he engaged in a partnership in his 
present line of business, with Ira T. 
Swartz, and in 1896 he purchased his part- 
ner's interest and since then has continued 
in the business alone, through energ}' and 
business capacity placing himself in the 
front rank in this line. 

In 1898 Mr. Syler was married to Miss 
Bessie M. Knoutt", a daughter of the late 
Dr. Knouff, a leading physician of An- 
souia, Darke County, Ohio, and they have 
one little daughter, Mary Elizabeth. Mr. 
Syler and wife are members of the Green 
Street Methodist Episcopal Church, in 
which he has been treasurer of the Sun- 
day-school for seven years. His activity 
in politics is not pronounced, but his du- 
ties as a public-spirited citizen are never 
neglected. 

ALONZO J. FURROW, deceased. The 
subject of this notice was a native son of 
Miami County, born in Staunton Town- 
ship, October 18, 1842. His parents were 
Jeremiah and Sarah (Covault) Furrow, 
and he was a grandson, on the paternal 
side, of Adam Furrow, who was a native 
of the Old Dominion. The father and 
grandfather came to Ohio from Virginia in 
or about the year 1811, making the jour- 
ney with a four-horse team. Adam Fur- 
row entered a tract of eighty-three acres 
of land from the Government, which tract 
afterwards became the farm owned and 
operated by the subject of this sketch. 
Here he built a log cabin and afterwards 
erected a part of the house which in later 
years became the residence of his grand- 
son, Alonzo. At that early date this tract 
was heavily timbered and most of the land 
around was in its primeval condition. In- 
dians were still numerous, but usually not 



hostile to the settlers. Adam Furrow 
died September 30, 1854, having attained 
the advanced age of eighty-nine years. He 
and his wife, whose maiden name was 
Mary Grimes, were the parents of eight 
children, namely: Abel, David, Jacob, 
John, James, Jeremiah, Elijah and Eliza- 
beth. 

Jeremiah Furrow was brought up on the 
homestead in Miami County, where he re- 
sided most of his life. His time was not 
all devoted to agriculture, however, as he 
aided in building the canal and was line- 
man and paymaster of the canal for forty 
years. He was a member of the Masonic 
fraternity and also a valued member of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died 
September 5, 1890, his wife ha\ing pre- 
viously passed away — on June 6, 1888. 

Alonzo J. Furrow was about four years 
old when his father returned to the home- 
stead, and he subsequently resided there 
all his life, except for a period during the 
Civil War, when he was in the army. On 
August 11, 1862, he became a member of 
Company A, 110th Ohio Volunteer Infan- 
try. The first engagement in which he 
participated was at Winchester, Virginia. 
He later took part in the battle of Mine 
Run and in the Wilderness campaign, be- 
ing captured in the latter by the enemy. 
He was sent to Danville Prison, where he 
remained for a week, and was then trans- 
ferred to Andersonville Prison, where he 
spent four mouths of hardship and semi- 
starvation. At the end of that time he was 
transferred to Florence, South Carolina, 
Prison for three mouths, his total impris- 
onment lasting seven months to the day, 
he being captured May 6th and paroled 
on the 6th of October. Receiving a twenty 
days' furlough, he spent it in a visit home. 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



415 



afterwards reporting again for duty at 
Camp Chase. He was honorably dis- 
charited June 10, 1865, and returning home, 
devoted himself to agriculture and to the 
improvement of the homestead, on which 
he subsequently resided until his death. 
Tiie latter event occurred on August 17, 
11)08. 

Mr. Furrow was a man of industry and 
intelligence, keeping well informed on the 
leading issues of the day. In politics he 
was a Republican. He was a member of 
Alexandria Post, Gr. A. E., and was held 
in high esteem, not only by his comrades 
who wore the blue with him through the 
trying days of the great struggle for a 
united country, but also by his neighbors 
and the residents of this and neighboring- 
townships generally. This esteem he 
justified by his sterling character as a man 
and citizen. 

Mr. Furrow was married February 1, 
1866, to Miss Louie Riddle, a daughter of 
Manning Riddle. Six children were born 
of this union — Edna, Nellie, Charles, 
Bertha P., ElKie j\Iaud, and Henry R. 
Edna, born March 4, 1867, is now the wife 
of Harry Cecil, and has two children — 
Earl K. and Lester L. Nellie, who was 
born October 12, 1869, died January 7, 
1871. Charles, born June 4, 1872, married 
Jennie Du Bois, who died May 3, 1908. 
They had two children — Bernice, born Jan- 
uary 21, 1899, and Ralph H., born Janu- 
ary 16, 1906, both of whom are living. 
Bertha P., born December 16, 1875, died 
September 27, 1876. Effie Maud, born 
Novemlier 29, 1878, married F. M. Holmes, 
who died December 20, 1907. She has two 
children — Gladys, born June 2, 1899, and 
Robert F., born September 4, 1903. Harry 
P. Furrow, born April 9, 1883, was mar- 



ried November 26, 1902, to Lola Carson, 
and has two children — Dorothy, born June 
3, 1903, and Aileen C, born September 
26, 1904. 

MISS MARY SHEETS, who is one of 
Elizabeth Township's best known and most 
highly esteemed ladies, resides on her 
farm of 260 acres, on which she was born 
and which has always been her home. Her 
parents were Isaac S. and Nancy (Knoop) 
Sheets. 

The paternal grandparents of Miss 
Sheets were Andrew and Catherine (Sills) 
Sheets. They were born in Pennsylvania 
and moved from there tirst to Tennessee 
and then to Elizabeth Township, Miami 
Coimty, Ohio. They had eleven children, 
live of whom died in infaucy. Those who 
reached maturity were Sarah, Nancy, Eliz- 
abeth, Catharine, Eve and Isaac S. An- 
drew Sheets was both farmer and black- 
smith. 

Isaac S. Sheets was born in 1799 and 
lived on his father's farm until his mar- 
riage, when he moved to the farm on which 
his daughter Mary now resides. He en- 
gaged in farming and was an extensive 
raiser of cattle and hogs. He was a man 
of great business capacitj' and not only 
put up the substantial faim buildings but 
also erected a saw-mill, a flour mill and a 
distillery and carried on these industries 
successfully. He married Nancy Knoop, 
who was a daughter of John and Barbara 
(Hultzstein) Knoop, and they had the fol- 
lowing children: Elizabeth, lives in Al- 
cony, Ohio; Andrew, who die's in young 
manhood; Maiy, and John, Barbara and 
George, all deceased. Isaac S. Sheets died 
September 23, 1877, having survived his 
wife some fifteen vears. 



416 



HISTORY OF .MIAMI COIW FY 



The Sheets homestead is a very valuable 
property. It is situated in Section 34, 
Elizabeth Township, Ijdng along the Troy 
and Springfield Turnpike road. The 
Sheets and Kuoops are old and represent- 
ative families of this section. 

JOHN VOLENY HOWE, who carries 
on general farming in Concord Township 
and lives on his well improved farm of 160 
acres, which is situated on the north town- 
ship line, was born January 3, 1852, at 
Piqua, Ohio, and is a son of John Alex- 
ander and Rebecca (Stattler) Howe. ' 

John Alexander Howe was liorn at Ox- 
ford, Pennsylvania, and when he was very 
young, his father, Dr. Howe, died and his 
mother started with him, in 1824, to Ohio. 
The journey was made on horseback and 
in a wagon, and the mother settled first on 
a farm near Lockport, Shelby County. 
Some years later she married James Rob- 
inson and they had two children — Caro- 
line, who married William Maymyer, both 
now deceased; and Mary, who married 
Thomas Miller, both being now deceased. 
The mpther of these children then went to 
the home of her son, John Alexander, Mr. 
Robinson having also died, and there her 
last days were spent. John Alexander 
Howe had to go to work when quite young 
and for a number of years lived in the 
home of Stephen Woodney, who was as 
kind to him as a father. When he reached 
manhood he started out for himself and as 
he had no capital but his strength, he 
worked at different things and finally be- 
came a boatman on the old canal, where 
he continued for thirteen years. After 
his marriage he boiaght eighty acres of 
land from Henry Kitchen, in Washington 
Townshi]!, near Piqua, and lived there all 



the rest of his life, his death occurring in 
1891, at the age of seventy-three years. He 
married Rebecca Stattler, who was born 
south of Piqua, and died in 1893, aged 
sixty-nine years. Her father, Christopher 
Stattler, had settled in Miami County 
while Indians were still numerous. Pour 
children were born to this marriage, 
namely : Laura, who is the widow of W^ill- 
iam Du Bois, of Piqua ; Greorge, who lives 
on the home farm situated on the traction 
line three miles west of Piqua; John V.; 
and William, deceased. 

John V. Howe was two years old when 
his parents settled on the farm, on which 
he grew to manhood. His education was 
secured in the district schools during the 
winter months, but he found it necessary 
to help his father, from boyhood up to 
manhood. He remained at home until he 
married and then settled on his present 
farm, secured from his father, and has re- 
mained here ever since. He has done a 
large amount of improving, iuchiding the 
building of his comfortable eleven-room 
frame house, and other structures on the 
place made necessary by his large farming 
operations. He makes no specialty, but 
carries on general agriculture, living in 
great comfort and putting aside a modest 
sum to enjoy when he retires. 

On November 25, 1881, Mr. Howe was 
married to Miss Nellie C. Graham, a , 
daughter of James and Jane Graham. 
Many years ago the father of Mrs. Howe 
bought the present farm and here Mrs. 
Howe was born. It later was purchased by 
John A. Howe and subsequently became 
the property of its present owner. Mr. 
and Mrs. Howe have three children : Alex- 
ander, who assists his father; Ethel, who 
married Hubert Tiser; and Frona, who 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



417 



attends the Troy High School. Mr. Howe 
and fauiilj^ are members of the Christian 
Church. In politics he is a Democrat. He 
belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge at 
Covington. 

L. H. SniPMAN, a well known lawyer 
of Troy, Ohio, has been a resident of that 
city some twelve years. He was born near 
St. Mary's, Ohio, in October, 1874, and was 
reared on a faiTD. 

jMr. Shii^man, after completing the pre- 
scribed course in the common schools, at- 
tended St. Mary's High School and the 
National Normal School, being a student 
in the latter institution two terms. He 
was then an instructor in the schools for 
four years, and in 1896 moved to Troy and 
entered the law office of Mr. Gilbert. He 
studied under his preceptorship and also 
attended the law department of the Ohio 
State University for one year. After his 
admission to the bar, March 17, 1899, he 
formed a partnership with Mr. Gilbert, but 
on March 3, 1909, it was dissolved. Mr. 
Shipman's office is now on West Main 
Street. He practices in the various state 
courts, and in June, 1905, was admitted to 
practice in the Federal courts. He has 
taken an active interest in political affairs, 
and served one term as city solicitor. 

April 17, 1901, Mr. Shipman was united 
in marriage with Miss Jessie Shannon, 
who was a teacher in the public schools of 
Troy. She was born and reared in that 
city and is a daughter of Samuel Shannon. 
One son, Franklin Shipman, was born of 
this union. The subject of this sketch is 
a prominent member of the Masonic Or- 
der, Knights of Pythias, the Troy Club 
and the Island Outing Club. He is a mem- 
ber and secvotarv of the board of the 



P"'eghtley Lutheran Home at Tippecanoe 
City, lieligiously, Mr. and Mrs. Shipman 
are members of the English Lutheran 
Church. 

G. H. BUNDLE, president of the Piqua 
National Bank, president of the George H. 
Eundle Company and officially and finan- 
cially connected with a number of other 
important and successful business enter- 
prises, has been a resident of this city for 
the jsast twenty-three years and during 
this time has sei-ved as treasux*er of Miami 
County. He is a native of the State of 
New York but he was reared and educated 
in Connecticut. 

In 1871, when a young man of twenty- 
three years, Mr. Bundle came to Lima, 
Ohio, and went into the patent medicine 
business in association with Dr. Porter, 
and in the following year he purchased Dr. 
Porter's interest and continued the busi- 
ness at Lima until 1875, when he removed 
to' Fletcher and in the following year came 
to Piqua. In 1897 the business was in- 
corporated as The G. H. Rundle Company, 
with a capital stock of $140,000, and with 
the following officers : G. H. Rundle, pres- 
ident ; J. C. Duncan, of Dayton, vice presi- 
dent; A. D. Hance, secretary and general 
manager; and Allen G. Rundle. An im- 
mense business is done, the company occu- 
pies a brick block with office at No. 527 
North Main Street, and in addition to an 
armj' of chemists and workers, a force 
of 100 men are kept on the road. !Mr. 
Rundle 's additional interests are' many. 
He is president of the Piqua National 
Bank; is a director in the Stuart-Brown 
Underwear Company; is vice-president of 
the Home Telephone Com])any; is ])resi- 
dent of the G. H. Rundle and Son Com- 



418 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



pany, of "Windsor, Ontario, Dominion of 
Canada ; and has lesser interests. He has 
been an active and useful citizen and 
served with efficiency as county treasurer. 
In 1874 Mr. Eundle was married to Miss 
Amanda Hauce, who was born near Cass- 
towu, Miami County, Ohio, and they have 
two children : Allen G. and Ida. The for- 
mer was educated in the Piqua Schools and 
Exeter Academy and is treasurer of the 
G. H. Eundle Company. He married Miss 
Grace A., daughter of "W. A. Snyder, of 
Piqua. Ida was educated at Piqua and at 
an exclusive school in "Washington City. 
She married Logan A. Frazier, of Piqua. 
Mr. Eundle and family are members of the 
First Presbyterian Church of Piqua. He 
is a thirty-second degree Mason and be- 
longs to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and 
Council at Piqua, to the Commandery at 
Troy and to the Shrine and Consistory at 
Dayton. He is also a member of the Piqua 
Club. 

JOHN OEMOND MOOEE, whose busi- 
ness has been that of painter and paper 
hanger at Piqua for many years, resides 
on a beautiful farm on the Troy Pike, in 
Staunton Township. He was born in Lost 
Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
September 5, 1860, and is a son of William 
and Maria (Shidftker) Moore, and a grand- 
son of Philip Moore. 

Philip Moore, who probably was a native 
of Scotland, came west from Pennsylvania 
in a wagon to Miami County, Ohio, and 
here passed the most of his days. He and 
his wife, Eebecca, were parents of the fol- 
lowing children: Euth, deceased; Sallie. 
Susan, deceased; George, who was a sol- 
dier in the Union Army during the~Civil 



AVar; Charles, deceased; John; "William, 
also deceased. 

"William Moore, father of the subject of 
this record, was born in the eastern part of 
Miami County, and spent his boyhood days ' 
in the vicinity of Addison. He became a 
painter by trade and after his marriage 
settled on a farm in Lost Creek Township. 
Later they moved to Georgia, where he 
died, but his widow now lives at the old 
home in Lost Creek Township, aged sev- 
enty-five years. She was in maiden life, 
Maria Shidaker, and came from near Tip- 
pecanoe City, where her father was the 
owner of 300 acres of land. They became 
parents of the following children : Minnie, 
wife of John Mann; Caroline, widow of 
Webster Shidaker ; George, deceased ; John 
Ormond ; Savannah Ellen, who died at nine 
years; Bose, wife of Alva Gabriel; and 
Arthur E. 

John O. Moore sjjent his boyhood days 
on the farm and lived at home until his 
marriage in 1888, when he moved to Piqua 
and worked at his trade as painter and 
pai^er hanger. He continued there with 
uninterrupted success until 1895, when he 
purchased his present property of ten 
acres in Staunton Townsliip, about three 
and a half miles north of Troy. He also 
owns three properties in Piqua, two of 
them on Boal Avenue, and one on South 
Avenue. 

Mr. Moore was married March 7, 1888, 
to Miss Sedora M. Angle, a daughter of 
John P. and Sarah G. (Orr) Angle, both 
now deceased. Her father died in Febru- 
ary, 1897, at the age of seventy-five years, 
and her mother on October 28, 1908, at the 
age of ninety years. Five children were 
born to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. 
Moore, namely: Bertha May, who is en- 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



419 



dowed with superior musical talents and 
has been an instructor on the piano since 
she was fifteen years old ; one who died in 
infancy ; Ormond A. ; Gladys M. and Ken- 
neth P. Miss Bertha May Moore is a 
graduate in music of the State Normal 
School at Ypsilanti, Michigan, and un- 
doubtedly inherits a love of music from 
her father. She is the composer of three 
pieces of music of unusual merit. While 
he has received no musical training, Mr. 
Moore has the talent and has always 
played on the organ; his oldest son plays 
the cornet, and the three spend many 
pleasant evenings with their music. It is 
a very entertaining and hospitable family, 
as their many friends will attest, and in 
the siunmer there are few days passed 
which do not witness the arrival of crowds 
of young people from Picpia in search of 
entertainment in the beautiful little park 
and the fine bathing stream on their farm. 
In the winter many sled-loads come out to 
enjoy the hospitality of their home. Mr. 
^loore is a Republican in politics. In 
fraternal affiliation, he is a member of 
Piciua Lodge, No. 180, I. 0. 0. F. Eelig- 
iously, he and his family are members of 
tile Methodist Episcojial Church. 

A. W. DE WEESE, a representative 
member of the Piqua bar, who has made 
this city his place of residence since 1899, 
was born in 1873, in Staunton Township, 
Miami County, Ohio. 

The De Weese family is one of the old- 
est in Miami County, and the grandmother 
of A. "VV. De Weese was the first white 
child born within its borders. His father, 
Henry G. De "Weese, was a substantial 
farmer in Spring Creek Township. 

A. W. De Weese graduated first from 



the Spring Creek Graded School and then 
the Troy High School, after which he 
spent one year, with the Class of 1893, in 
the law department of the University of 
Michigan, at Ann Arbor, graduating in 
1895 from the Cincinnati Law School. Mr. 
De Weese then practiced for two years in 
partnership with Capt. Williams at Troy, 
and later conducted offices at both Troy 
and Piqua, in partnership with A. R. 
Byrkett, and after this association was 
dissolved Mr. De Weese took the Piqua 
business and now practices in all the State 
and Federal courts. He is a man of ver- 
satile gifts and for three years was editor 
of the Buckeye. He has always been 
active in j)olitics and served on the Board 
of Elections from April, 1903, until Au- 
gust, 1908. He was the candidate for the 
anti-saloon i^arty in both the mayoralty 
and city solieitorship contests, and in 
spite of the strong element gathered 
against him was defeated by the small 
margin of eight and thirteen votes, re- 
spectively. He has always upheld law and 
order and has thus stood for everything 
best in civic life. 

On December 25, 1900, Mr. De AVeese 
was married to Miss Grace Doren, of 
Pekin, Illinois. They are members of St. 
James Episcopal Church. He is an Odd 
Fellow and for three years filled the office 
of exalted ruler in the Elks organization. 

THO:\LVS CHALMERS HARBAUGH. 
The subject of this sketch was born at 
Middletown, Maryland, January 13, 1849. 
He is the son of Morgan M. and Catherine 
Eoutzahn Harbaugh. At an early age he 
came to Ohio with his parents and settled 
at Piqua, but subsequently moved to Cass- 
town, ^Miami County, where he has since 



420 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



resided. Mr. Harbaugh served in the 
Casstown post-oiBce during the Civil War 
and early took up literature as a profes- 
sion. Since 1867, in which year he pub- 
lished his first fiction, he has been con- 
stantly engaged in writing. He has con- 
tributed acceptably to nearly all the prom- 
inent publications of the country and has 
written voluminously in every branch of 
literature. 

Mr. Harbaugh has published three vol- 
umes of poetry : "Maple Leaves" (1885), 
"Bugle Notes of the Blue" (1906) and 
"Lyrics of the Gray" (1907). The two 
last books have circulated largely in both 
the North and the South, receiving the 
commendation of prominent generals on 
both sides of the great conflict. His poem, 
"Grant Dying," was the only poem of 
that nature selected for publication in 
Stedman's "Encyclopedia of American 
Literature." 

Of the numerous novels written by Mr. 
Harbaugh it is unnecessary to speak. 
They rim into the hundreds. His most 
famous novels are "The White Squad- 
ron," "Janet Sinclair," "Eobespiere," 
"Alice of Maryland," "The Black Inn," 
"By Whose Hand?" and "The Czar's 
Spy." He is a contributor to the Sunday 
magazines, "The Chicago Ledger," 
"Youth's Companion," "The Ohio 
Farmer," etc. His contributions to the 
various county newspapers under the nom 
de plume of "Tarcomed" are well known. 
. Mr. Harbaugh has visited every battle- 
field of the Civil War in search of data 
for his novels, many of which have a his- 
torical basis. He is also in demand at 
soldier reunions and on patriotic occa- 
sions, where he recites his own poems. 
He was educated in the public schools of 



Casstown and never had the chance of en- 
tering college, but he is a great reader and 
has stored his mind with every sort of 
information. He is unmarried. 

GEOEGE W. EOUTSON, one of Ohio's 
prominent educators, superintendent of 
the schools of Staunton and Concord 
Townships, Miami County, and serving in 
Ins third year as a member of the Board 
of Coimty School Examiners, has been 
identified with school and educational 
work ever since completing his own train- 
ing. He was born December 7, 1861, in 
Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
and is a son of Eeuben and a grandson of 
George Eoutson. 

George Eoutson, the grandfather, came 
to Ohio from Maryland, settling in New- 
berry Township, Miami County, in 1832. 
There his son, Eeuben Eoutson, was born 
August 5, 1833, and the old homestead 
subsequently became the birthplace and 
boyhood home of the present George W. 
Eoutson. 

George W. Eoutson attended the best 
local schools and began to teach at an un- 
usually early age, and in 1886 he became 
a student at Wittenberg College, where he 
remained until 1888. He then resumed 
teaching, for several years being con- 
nected with the schools of his native town- 
ship, and then accepted the position of 
superintendent of the schools of Casstown.- 
One year later he resigned this position 
in order to accept that of principal of the 
Covington schools, where he remained one 
year, and then spent the same period at 
North Clayton. About this time he i^ur- 
chased a farm in Staunton Township and 
resided there while he served for five years 
as township superintendent qf schools and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



421 



later as a teacher. Mr. Routson is widely 
kuown in tlie educational field, not only as 
a man of scholarly attainments, but also 
as one whose heart is in his work and who, 
in a peculiar degree, is admirably fitted 
for it. His constant aim appears to be the 
formulating and trial of new methods to 
improve the eflSciency of the schools and, 
although often forced to give way in his 
progressive methods until less intelligent 
co-workers have caught up with him, the 
superiority of all the schools with which 
he has been identified is easily proven. 

On July 21, 1892, Mr. Routson was mar- 
ried to Miss Angle Branson, who was 
born and reared in Newberry Township. 
She is a daughter of D.C. Branson (dec'd), 
who was born in Lost Creek Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, May 1, 1828. The 
Branson family is a pioneer one in Miami 
County and was an early one in New Jer- 
sey. Two brothers of the name came from 
England and founded the family, which 
has now representatives in many States. 
Mr. and Mrs. Routson have one son, 
Luther Branson. They are members of 
the Lutheran Church, in which Mr. Rout- 
son is an ofiScial. AJthough he retains his 
valuable farm in Staunton Township, Mr. 
Routson is residing in an attractive resi- 
dence in the suburbs of Troy, having pur- 
chased the property in the fall of 1907. 

ISAAC S. SHEETS, general farmer 
and dairyman, residing on a farm of 400 
acres and carrying on an equal partner- 
ship business with his mother and brother, 
Arthur K. Sheets, in Section 33, Elizabeth 
Township, was bom in Miami Coimty, 
Ohio, September 7, 1872. His parents 
were John K. and Elizabeth (Null) 
Sheets. 



The first of the Sheets family to come 
to Miami County was Isaac S. Sheets, the 
grandfather of the present Isaac S. He 
was a native of Tennessee and in 1805 he 
settled in Elizabeth Township on the farm 
now occupied by Mrs. Joseph Studebaker. 
He had the following children : Elizabeth, 
who resides at Alcony, Miami County; 
Mary, who resides on the old homestead; 
John K., who is deceased; Barbara Jane; 
George M. ; Andrew, who died in early 
manhood. Isaac S. Sheets was a fanner, 
miller and distiller and a dealer in stock 
and grain. For his day he was a most 
enterprising and successful man. He built 
the old mill in Elizabeth Township and 
shipped grain and stock to Philadelphia, 
constructing the wagons for carrj'ing the 
grain to points of shipment, there then 
being no canal yet built and no railroads. 

John K. Sheets, father of Isaac S., 
operated the milt with his brother George 
for a number of years and then divided 
the homestead farm. In 1884 John K. 
Sheets bought the Gearhart homestead of 
157 acres and then went extensively into 
the breeding of Jersey cattle, in which 
industry he remained interested until his 
death, in 1895. He married Elizabeth 
Null, a daughter of Jacob and Sybil Null, 
and they had three children, namely ; Jen- 
nie, who died when aged sixteen years; 
Isaac S., who has charge of the home 
farm ; and Arthur K., who resides in Troy, 
Ohio. 

Isaac S. Sheets first attended the Knoop 
school, not far from his father's resi- 
dence, later was a student in the Troy 
High School and then took an engineering 
course in the State University at Ann 
Arbor, Michigan. The serious illness of 
his father recalled him home, and after 



422 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the father's death he took charge of the 
latter 's hirge interests, and has success- 
fully carried them on ever since. Mr. 
Sheets has fine herds, including twenty- 
five milch cows and twenty-five young 
stock, all being registered. About forty 
acres of the land is in timber, while the 
remainder is in cultivated tracts and pas- 
turage. He devotes his whole time to his 
business and is numbered with the most 
progressive and enterprising young busi- 
ness men of this section. 

Mr. Sheets married Miss Carrie 
Schweinfurth, a daughter of John and 
Wilhelmina Schweinfurth of Ann Arbor, 
and they have one child, INIiriam. Mr. and 
Mrs. Sheets attend the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church at Troy. He belongs to the 
Masonic fraternity and retains his interest 
in his college society, the Phi Gamma 
Delta. He is a Democrat politically but is 
not active. 

A. G. STOUDEE, one of the business 
men of Troy, Ohio, is president of the 
Hobart Electric Manufacturing Com- 
pany, and has been a resident of this city 
since 1888. He was born near Muncie, 
Indiana. 

Mr. Stouder was about six years of age 
when the family moved from Indiana to 
Iowa, where he was reared and educated. 
His mother died in the latter state. He 
was variously employed during his 
younger career in business and traveled 
extensively in the diiferent sections of the 
United States. In 1888 he took up his 
residence in Troy, Ohio, and at that time 
established the Troy Sunshade Company; 
he continued with that enterprise some ten 
or twelve years, then sold out, and with 
others pui'chased the Hobart Electric 



Manufacturing plant, of which he has 
since served as president. He is a stock- 
holder and director of the Carriage Sun- 
shade Company at the pi'esent time. He 
also is a member of the Troy Club. 

LAWSON D. SMITH, owner of 100 
acres of rich farming land, situated in 
Concord Township, on the south side of 
the Swailes Turnpike Eoad, about two and 
one-half miles southwest of Troy, is one 
of the representative men of this section 
and a member of an old Miami County 
family. He was born April 7, 1854, in 
Union Township, Miami County, Ohio, and 
is a son of "William and Mary (Davis) 
Smith. 

The grandfather, John Smith, came to 
Ohio from North Carolina about 1800, and 
after he selected his tract of land in Union 
TownshiiJ, Miami County, had to cut down 
forest trees in order to find a sufficiently 
ample space on which to build his lonely 
little log cabin. He subsequently married 
the daughter of another early settler, by 
the name of Fonts, who died there, and | 
many years later he died at the home of 
his son William, in Union Township, east 
of West Milton. They had three children : 
Mary, who married Edward Fenters, both 
deceased; William; and Susan, who mar- 
ried Albert McCool, both deceased. 

William Smith was born in the little log 
house mentioned above, and with the ex- 
ception of one year during which he lived 
at West Milton, spent his whole life on the 
old place. A large part of the clearing 
of the farm fell to his share and it all 
came to him as an inheritance. He died 
there in 1905, aged seventy-six years. He 
was married (first) to Hannah R. Pear- 
son and thev had two children, neither of 



AND REPRESENTATI\'E CITIZENS 



423 



whom survives. He was married (second) 
to Marj' Davis, who died in 1906, just one 
year and one month after her husband. 
She was the beloved mother of six chil- 
dren, namely: Lawson Davis; Martha, 
who married William Pearson; Isabella, 
who married Benson Antonedies ; AVilliam 
Brousou; Leslie, who married Edward 
Bowers ; and Elizabeth, who died when 
aged nine years. 

Lawson Davis Smith was born and 
reared on the old homestead farm, which 
had been the dwelling place of father and 
grandfather, and during his youth split 
many of the rails and set posts for many 
rods of fence, that being before barbed 
wire was thought of. After his school 
days were over he settled down to hard 
work on the farm, although he had more 
than once proved his strength at the 
plough handles when not more than nine 
years old, being robust from childhood. 
He continued to live with his father until 
his own marriage and then continued on 
the farm under other conditions. He re- 
mained on that place until he came to his 
present one in Concord Township, March 
8, 1906. It is well improved property and 
Mr. Smith bought it of Dr. Means. He 
devotes about six acres to tobacco and the 
remainder of his land to grain farming. 

On Jime 9, 1875, Mr. Smith was mar- 
ried to Miss Rachel A. "Wininger, who was 
born in Indiana and is the third child of 
her parents, George and Cinderella 
(Badger) Wininger, the former of whom 
is deceased. Mrs. Wininger still survives 
and is in the enjoyment of good health, and 
takes pleasure in the fact that her seven 
daughters and three sons are all living 
and have happy domestic circles of their 
own. 'Sh-. and Mrs. Smith have had three 



children: Carrie G., who is the wife of 
Prof. George Countryman, county super- 
intendent of the schools of Phinouth 
County, Iowa, and has one son, Winston; 
Rose M., who is the wife of Charles Kess- 
ler, of Miami County, and has three chil- 
dren: Margaret, Alice and Elizabeth; 
and Edith, who died at the age of six 
months. In politics Mr. Smith is a Repub- 
lican. For many years he has been a mem- 
ber of the Union Township School Board 
and was chairman for three years. 

AMOS M. HETZLER, chief of the Troy 
Fire Department, has been a resident of 
this city for some nine years and is one 
of its most valued citizens. He belongs 
to an old pioneer family of Miami County 
and was born in 1868, at Hetzler's Cor- 
ners, a place named in honor of his grand- 
father. 

John Hetzler, grandfather of Chief 
Hetzlei-, came to Miami County when the 
country was little less than a great wilder- 
ness, and he was the founder of the vil- 
lage of Hetzler's Corners. There the 
father of Chief Hetzler, George Hetzler, 
was born in 1840, in the same house in 
which his son was born, twenty-eight years 
later. George Hetzler resides at Dayton, 
Ohio. 

Amos M. Hetzler was sixteen years old 
when his jiarents moved to the southwest- 
ern part of Kentucky, where he remained 
for seven years. He then came back to 
i\Iiami County, where he worked on a farm 
and in factoiies until he came to Troy. He 
became identified with the fire department 
and was elected its chief on December 31, 
1907. On many occasions his bravery and 
leadership have been tested and proven, 
and he enjoys the full confidence of his 



424 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



fellow-citizens as to his official efficiency. 
On February 14, 1900, Chief Hetzler was 
united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth 
Hendershott, of Conover, Miami County, 
and they have two children: Irene and 
Harold. They are members of the Baptist 
Church. Fraternally Chief Hetzler is a 
Knight of Pythias. 

JOHN HEADLEY, one of the best 
known and most efficient public officials of 
Troy, has filled the position of chief of 
police for the past three years. He has 
been a resident of this city for seventeen 
years, but is a native of another State, 
having been born in 1869, at Lexington, 
Kentucky. 

Mr. Headley remained in his native 
place until he had reached early manhood 
and then went to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, 
coming from there to Troy in 1892. For 
several years he was variously employed, 
working a part of the time in the winters 
for a coal dealer and in the summers sell- 
ing a certain excellent oil for harness, of 
his own manufacture. He first became 
connected with the public service of the 
city when he was appointed driver for the 
fire department, a position he so admir- 
ably filled for three years that he was then 
appointed chief of the department and 
that office he most acceptably filled until 
the latter part of 1907. The death of 
Chief Irwin, of the police force, left a 
vacancy which Chief Headley was ap- 
pointed, in April, 1905, to fill, and on the 
first of May following he was elected to 
the office. In fonner years he was active 
in politics, but latterly he has given but 
scant attention to matters political. He 
is a member of the order of Elks at Troy. 



GEORGE A. FREY, one of Bethel 
Township's most substantial citizens and 
prospei'ous farmers, carries on extensive 
operations, having tw.o hundred and 
seventeen acres in Section 36, Bethel 
Township, and nineteen acres in Elizabeth 
Township, all in one tract, situated on the 
Tippecanoe City and Elizabeth Turnpike; 
also other land in Elizabeth Township. 
Mr. Frey was born May 15, 1854, in Cler- 
mont County, Ohio, and is a son of Daniel 
and Sarah (Losey) Frey. 

The parents of Mr. Frey removed from 
Clermont to Miami County, and in 1862 
the father settled on a rented farm of 200 
acres, and later bought 136 acres on the 
Carlisle Turnpike, in Bethel Township, 
where he carried on mixed farming. After 
the death of his wife in 1904 he retired 
with his eldest daughter to Tippecanoe 
City, where they still reside. He married 
Sarah Losey, a daughter of Abiel Losey, 
and they had four children, namely: 
George A., Lucretia, Charles AV., and 
Sedate. 

George A. Frey obtained his education 
in the Ten Eick school in Bethel Town- 
ship, and then assisted his father up to | 
the time of his own marriage in 1879. He 
then bought 172 acres of his present land, 
which is one of the richest farms in the 
township, and made improvements, which 
included the repairing of the farm resi- 
dence and the building of a new barn. He 
purchased the remainder of his land from 
the Booher heirs, and this land he has also 
been improving. 

In July, 1879, Mr. Frey was married to 
Miss Anna M. Rudy, a daughter of Joseph 
and Louise Rudy, and they have three 
children, as follows: Norah, who married 
L. R. Wilson, of Monroe Township, and 







1^ 
o 

M 




g 

z 
z 



u 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



427 



has three children — George li., Mary 
Frances, and Marjorie; and Harry and 
Jessie, botii residing at home. Mr. Frey 
and his family are niemlsers of the Pisgah 
Methodist Eijiscopal Church, of Bethel 
Township. In politics he is a sta'nch 
Democrat, and for nine years has served 
as township trustee, for three years being- 
president of the Board of Agriculture. He 
is one of the representative men of this 
section of Miami County. 

DAVID C. MANNING, one of the most 
respected among the elderly residents of 
Brown Township, where he is now living 
retired from active life, was born in the 
northeast corner of this township Febru- 
ary 3, 1835, son of Major Clarkson and 
Phoebe (Corey) Manning. His paternal 
grandfather, Isaac Manning, was of Ger- 
man descent, and was a soldier in the Rev- 
olutionary War, serving with Washing- 
ton's army at the battle of Trenton. 

Clarkson Manning was born in Warren 
Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, 
August 15, 1794. He ^as early trained 
to farm labor, and, the school of his dis- 
trict being some two miles away, his edu- 
cational opportunities were in consequence 
very limited. In September, 1814, he was 
drafted, and served as a private under 
Captain John Logan, his company form- 
ing a part of the troops detailed for the 
guarding of New York Bay and being sta- 
tioned in the vicinity of Sandy Hook. 
During this service he opened fire on 
some British vessels that were approach- 
ing, but which thereupon retreated. From 
that time, it is said, he was known by the 
title of major (the major of the company 
being sick, he had served in his place) ; he 
retained this title to the end of his life. 



His military service was short, as lie was 
discharged in Jersey City in December of 
the same year — 1814. In later years he 
received two land warrants from the Gov- 
ernment, one .of forty and another of 120 
acres, which were obtained for him by 
Squire Duncan, of Fletcher. 

On March 18, 1818, Major Manning mar- 
ried Phoebe Corey, who was born in New 
Jersey, January 7, 1791. Early in the 
following June they started in a two-horse 
wagon for Ohio, heading for Lebanon, 
Warren County. On arriving there they 
remained a short time, and then went to 
Middletown. Here they stopped until 
April, 1819, when they emigrated to Miami 
County and entered land in Section 3, 
Brown Township. While his family and 
belongings found shelter at the nearest 
neighbor's, some four miles away, Major 
Manning went to work to erect a habita- 
tion, building a log cabin 18x20 feet and 
opening up a road to his propei'ty. He 
then took possession with his family, and 
soon all were engaged in the strenuous 
work of developing a good farm out of the 
rough and wild land on which they had 
settled. This took a number of years, but 
was finally accomplished. In 1824, on the 
prospect of a new road being opened up 
to pass by his farm. Major Manning built 
a hewed-log house, which was one of the 
best in the township and was the first 
house taxed by the county; it was also the 
only one with a shingle roof in Brown 
Township. In this the family resided un- 
til 1833, at which time the Major erected 
a brick house on the Lena Pike. Here he 
spent the rest of his life, which was pro- 
longed to his ninety-fourth year, his death 
taking place April 12, 1887, as the result 
of a fall on the ice several weeks pre- 



428 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



vious. His wife attained a still greater 
longevity, djang in her ninety-seventh. 
year, about eighteen weeks before her hus- 
band. At the time of her death they had 
enjoyed almost sixty-eight years of happy 
married life together — a remarkable rec- 
ord, which few are privileged to repeat. 
To their latest days they were well pre- 
served and intelligent old people, who took 
an interest in what was going on around 
them and kept informed with respect to 
the leading events of the day. In politics 
Mr. Manning was a Jacksonian Democrat. 
He accompanied his wife to the Leather- 
wood Baptist Church, of which she was a 
member. Mrs. Manning was an active 
church worker, a true and loyal woman 
and of 'a good and highly respectable 
family. 

Major Manning and his wife were the 
parents of seven children, as follows: 
Parkus, who died at the age of nine years ; 
Elsie Anna, now deceased, who was the 
wife of David Counts and lived in Fletch- 
er; Isaac, who died at the age of forty 
years, on his farm near Lena, in Cham- 
paign County ; Johanna, who married John 
Hair, and died in Fulton County, Illinois; 
Mary Jane, widow of William AYooley, and 
a resident of Palestine, Ohio; John, who 
died at the age of eighteen years; and 
David Corey, whose name appears at the 
head of this sketch. 

David Corey Manning was reared on the 
home farm and educated in the common 
schools of his neighborhood. When about 
twenty years of age he took a ti"ip through 
northern Indiana, southern Michigan, 
central Illinois and Iowa, looking for a 
favorable location on which to settle. He 
purchased some land in Benton County, 
Iowa, but subsequently disposed of it with- 



out having settled thereon. During the 
Civil War he took another trip, this time 
going east, overseeing a few loads of stock, 
and also visiting some friends in Plain- 
field, New Jersey. In 1865 he took charge 
of a steam saw-mill north of Conover, and 
operated it until it was destroj'ed by fire 
some three years later. In 1868 he pur- 
chased a farm in Brown Township from 
Daniel H. Knoop, which comprised sev- 
enty-seven and a half acres. This he paid 
for within ten years. He made excellent 
improvements on the property, including 
the erection of substantial farm buildings. 
At his father's death he became admin- 
istrator of the property, dividing the land 
accoi'ding to his father's wishes. He re- 
ceived forty acres of the old homestead, 
and afterwards purchased his sister's in- 
terest, also consisting of forty acres. He 
was engaged for many years in agricul- 
tural pursuits, being one of the most pro- 
gressive and successful farmers in this vi- i 
cinity. A few years ago he retired, and i 
is spending his life on his home farm, 
known as Fruit Hill farm. 

Mr. Manning was married February 5, 
1857, to Miss Caroline Throckmorton, of 
Brown Township, a daughter of George 
and Sarah (Lafferty) Throckmorton, who 
were New Jersey people. George Throck- 
morton, who was a carpenter by trade, 
came to Ohio with his parents and was 
married in Warren County. For some 
time he and his family resided in Piqua, 
but afterwards settled on a farm in Brown 
Township, where he made his home for a 
number of years. He removed to Clinton 
County, where he spent three years, but 
afterwards returned and purchased a farm 
adjoining his old place in Brown Town- 
ship. Here he died, but in the meanwhile 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



429 



had resided for a brief interval at Cou- 
over. His daughter, Mrs. Manning, was 
born in the homestead, October 25, 1838. 
j\Ir. and Mrs. David C. Manning have 
been the parents of two children — George 

D. and Charles E. The former, whose 
death occurred October 23, 1904, was an 
agriculturist and school teacher, being- 
one of the best known educators in the 
county. He was married and was an en- 
terprising and useful citizen, whose un- 
timely demise was much regretted by the 
entire community. His brother, Chai'les 

E. Manning, residing in this township, is 
also married and is a successful farmer. 

Ml-. Manning is a Democrat in j^olitical 
faith, but has taken little active part in 
politics. He was, however, elected trustee 
to fill an imexpired term of six months, 
was re-elected to the same office for one 
year and subsequently for three years 
more, his election being a voluntary ex- 
pression of the confidence of his fellow 
citizens, as he had not solicited the office. 
On his father-in-law's death Mr. Manning 
successfully and satisfactorily settled the 
latter 's estate. He was foi'raerly active 
in the work of the Grange, and at various 
times held office therein. At the present 
time he is enjoying the repose which he 
has well earned by a life of industry and 
usefulness that has been marked by fidel- 
ity to every trust reposed in him. He now 
rents out his former farm and is one of 
the most esteemed among the older resi- 
dents of Fletcher and township generally. 

NETH BROTHERS, who have con- 
ducted a first class meat business at Cov- 
ington since June 1, 1897, with market on 
High Street and slaughter house in West 
Covington, are representative business 



men of this city, who, through their enter- 
prise, have developed an important in- 
dustry. 

J. B. Neth, a member of the firm of Neth 
Brothers, was born at Covington, Ohio, 
May 7, 1871, and is a son of Jacob and 
Barbara (Flammer) Neth. George Neth, 
the junior member of the firm of Neth 
Brothers, was born at Covington, Decem- 
ber 16, 1873, and is also a son of Jacob 
and Barbara (Flammer) Neth. Jacob 
Neth and wife were both born in Gennany, 
but their marriage took place in America. 
By trade he was a weaver and he was in 
business at Covington for many years, 
where his death occurred in September, 
1908. His widow still survives. 

J. B. Neth was reared at Covington and 
when ten years old he began to work for 
the old firm of Dress, Neth & Co., the Neth 
of the firm being his uncle, Conrad Neth. 
He continued to work for that house until 
1889, with the exception of one year, and 
then was employed for a few months, on 
three different occasions, in a grocery at 
Celina, Ohio, and later spent four months 
in a grocery house at Dayton. After com- 
ing back from Dayton and before entering 
into his present enterprise he worked for 
W. AV. Witmer, undertaker, for three 
years. He is serving in his second term 
as chief of the Covington Volunteer Fire 
Department. Mr. Neth married Miss 
Mary Koons and they have two children: 
Neva Barbara and Blanche Louisa. 

George Neth left school when fifteen 
yeai's of age and began work in Charles 
Flashner's butcher shop. In 1893 he took 
a trip through the West, and while resid- 
ing in California he worked as a butcher, 
returning in July, 1897. On March 1, 1898, 
he entered into partnership with his 



430 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



brother in the present business, under the 
firm name of Neth Brothers. On July 5, 
1898, Mr. Neth was mari'ied to Miss 
Maude Downey, a daughter of George 
Downey, and they have had six children, 
namely : Lee, who died aged seven years ; 
Grace; Gladys; Juanita, who died aged 
twenty-two months; Frances and Irene 
Etoile. 

Both members of the above firm imder- 
stand business principles and their own- 
line of work in particular, and they are 
nvmibered with Covington's best and most 
prosperous dealers in what is, no less than 
bread, one of the staffs of life. Doing 
their own butchering, they can assure 
their customers of the quality of the meat 
they sell them and the large trade they 
enjoy shows that this is appreciated. 

GEOEGE R. McCONNELL, who has 
attained wide prominence in insurance cir- 
cles in the state of Ohio, has been engaged 
in that business at Troy since 1888. He 
also is president of the Troy "Wagon 
Works Company, and a director of the 
Troy Star Storm Front Company, the 
Troy Telephone Company and various 
other leading enterprises, being one of the 
foremost business citizens of the city. Mr. 
McConnell was born in Hancock County, 
Ohio, in 1862, but was reared and educated 
at Van Wert, Ohio. Early in life he 
started in the insurance business at Pauld- 
ing, Ohio, and in 1888 located at Troy. He 
represents practically all the leading fire 
insurance companies, and as fire insur- 
ance adjuster for Ohio has visited all parts 
of the state in adjusting losses. 

November 26, 1885, Mr. McConnell was 
joined in marriage with Miss Olive N. 
Hook of Van Wert, and they have a son, 



Glen G. McConnell, who is in attendance 
at Dartmouth College. Fraternally, 
George E. McConnell is affiliated with the 
Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., Knights Templar, 
and Knights of Pythias. Eeligiously, he 
and his family attend the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. 

MISS ELIZABETH SHEETS, whose 
valuable farm of 120 acres lies in Section 
23, Elizabeth Township, belongs to an old 
and prominent family of Miami County, 
one which has been established here for 
several generations. Miss Sheets was 
born in Elizabeth Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Isaac • 
S. and Nancy (Knoop) Sheets. 

Andrew Sheets, the grandfather, was 
one of the early land owners in Elizabeth 
Township. He married Catherine Sills 
and they had a family of eleven children, 
of whom five died in childhood. The re- 
maining six, who reached middle life, 
were: Isaac S. ; Catharine, who married 
Samuel Youart; Elizabeth, who married 
William Saunders; Nancy, who married 1 
Michael Knoop ; Eve, who married Samuel ' 
Sherrill; and Sarah, who became the wife 
of William Fuller. Isaac S. Sheets was a 
prominent farmer and for many years a 
valued citizen of Elizabeth Township. 
He was born January 10, 1799, and died 
in September, 1876. In June, 1824, he 
married Nancy Knoop, who was a mem- 
ber of probably the first family that ever 
settled in Miami County, far back in its 
earliest days. Mrs. Isaac S. Sheets was 
a daughter of John and Barbara Knoop. 
Seven children were born to Isaac S. 
Sheets and wife, as follows: Elizabeth, 
Andrew, Mary, John, Barbara Jane, 
George M. and a babe that died. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



431 



Miss Elizabeth Sheets is a highly edu- 
cated, cultured lady, obtaining her early 
education in the Scott school at Walnut 
Grove. Later she attended school at 
Troy, still later at Piqua aud then became 
a student in the CoojDer Female Academy 
at Dayton, completing her studies at 
Marietta, Ohio. She then returned home 
and engaged for some years in teaching 
school, finding much enjoyment in impart- 
ing knowledge to others. She taught the 
Scott School at Walnut Grove and taught 
at the home school, but after the death of 
her father she gave up teaching and re- 
turned to the homestead. One year later, 
when the home farm was divided, she re- 
ceived 120 acres, which is situated in Sec- 
tion 23. She immediately proved herself 
a woman of excellent business capacity, 
making mauy improvements on her land 
and putting up new and substantial build- 
ings. She keeps an excellent tenant on 
the place. She also owns her comfortable 
residence in Miami City. She is an active 
and interested member of the Universalist 
Church at Miami City and serves both as 
a teacher and as superintendent of the 
Sunday-school. Personally Miss Sheets 
is a most interesting lady to meet. The 
family connection is large and in none of 
them are the social qualities more ap- 
parent. 

J. W. DAVIS, who has long been promi- 
nently identified with the affairs of Troy, 
Ohio, has been a resident of the city since 
1880, and is engaged in the real estate and 
insurance business at the present time. 
He was postmaster of Troy during the 
second administration of President Cleve- 
land, receiving his appointment in 189.3, 



and during his tenure of office had the dis- 
tinction of sending out the largest amount 
of first class mail of any postmaster of the 
same class in the United States, 300 mail 
pouches being required for use in the local 
office. This supremacy brought the city 
into prominence throughout the country. 
Mr. Davis was born in Tippecanoe City, 
Miami County, Ohio, in 1862, and was 
reared and educated at that place, being a 
graduate of the Tippecanoe High School. 
In 1880 he came to Troy and accepted a 
position as clerk with the wholesale and 
retail grocery firm of D. M. McCullough. 
After one year he entered the employ of 
C. L. Coolidge (dry goods, boots and 
shoes) in the capacity of bookkeeper and 
salesman, and so continued for three 
years. He next represented E. Levering 
& Company, coffee importers of Balti- 
more, Maryland, in the wholesale and 
retail trade through the states of Ohio, 
Indiana and Illinois, continuing with that 
firm for seven years. He then became 
associated in business with Mr. C. T. 
Long, and under the name and style of 
Long & Davis they conducted a gentle- 
men's fui-nishings and fine tailoring estab- 
lishment for a period of five years. In 
1893 he was appointed postmaster, and 
upon his retii-ement from that office in 
1897 he became associated with M. K. 
Gantz and George S. Long in the owner- 
ship of the Troy Democrat, which they 
conducted two years. Mr. Davis then em- 
barked in the real estate and fire insur- 
ance business, with which he has since been 
successfully identified. He has always 
taken an active interest in politics and 
the success of the Democratic party, and 
has served as chainnan of the executive 



432 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



corumittee of that party and xis chief state 
supervisor of elections for Miami County. 
In 1889 Mr. Davis was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Ellen Eliza Shilling, who 
comes of one of the pioneer families of 
Miami County and is the youngest daugh- 
ter of Jesse Shilling Sr. One son, Brice 
Barron Davis, was born to them and died 
in infancy. Mr. Davis is past chancellor 
commander of the local lodge. Knights of 
Pythias ; eminent commander of Coleman 
Commandery; and a member of Antioch 
Shrine, A. A. 0. N. M. S., at Dayton. 

JOSHUA HUSTON COTTINGHAM, 
one of Elizabeth Township's most re- 
spected retired farmers, resides on the 
farm on which he was born, November 30, 
1828, this being a tract of 125 acres, 
located in Section 25, on the Tippecanoe 
City and Elizabeth Eoad, in Elizabeth 
Township, Miami County, Ohio. His 
parents were Joshua Enniss and Eliza- 
beth (Harritt) Cottingham. 

The Cottingham family came originally 
from England and the grandfather of 
Joshua H. Cottingham, William Cotting- 
ham, was born probably in Maryland or 
England. He married Mary Enniss, and 
in a few years moved to Kentucky; they 
subsequently came to Ohio and resided 
until death in a home at Dayton, situated 
about where Woodland Avenue now ex- 
tends. They had five children, namely: 
Joshua, Nancy, Leah, James and William. 

The father of Joshua H. Cottingham 
came to Miami City from Greene County, 
December 31, 1822. He was interested in 
agricultural pursuits all his life and ac- 
quired a farm of sixty-one acres in Eliza- 
beth Township. For a number of years 
before the railroads were built he engaged 



in teaming, carrying produce frequently 
as far as Columbus and Dayton, this being 
very lucrative employment at that time. 
Stage coaches conveyed passengers, but 
all other transportation had to be done 
by the wagoners or teamsters. His father 
had built the brick house on the present 
farm in 1831, and here the father of 
Joshua H. Cottingham lived until his 
death, which occurred when he was aged 
eighty-six years. The house remains very 
much as it was in those days, little change 
having been made in the shape of the 
building when necessary repairs were 
made. The barn was built about 1858 and 
the present owner has added twenty-four 
feet to it. 

Joshua Enniss Cottingham married 
Elizabeth Harritt, a daughter of Eobert 
and Abigail Harritt, and to this union 
were born eight children, namely : Mary 
Leah, William, Robert, Abigail, James, 
Joshua H., Elizabeth and Louisa, all of 
whom are dead with the exception of 
Louisa and Joshua H. 

Jo.shua H. Cottingham first went to 
what was known as the Kepper school, not 
far from his home, and when he grew older 
he went to school in Troy for one winter. 
He helped his father on the farm and also, 
after he was twenty-one, frequently 
worked for farmers in the neighborhood, 
and spent one year as a farmer in Indiana. 
After he came back to Miami County he 
married and then rented the Eose farm 
in Lost Creek Township, for one year, go- 
ing from there to Mrs. Haywood's farm, 
in the Bottoms, from there to his father- 
in-law's farm. He then moved to Troy 
for a time, later went on the Teneick farm 
and then went back to the homestead and 
bought his father's farm of sixty-one 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



433 



acres, together with til'ty acres from Jacob 
and John Mann. For many years there- 
after Mr. Cottingham engaged in general 
fanning and stock raising, and was con- 
sidered one of the leading agriculturists 
of Elizabeth Township during his active 
years. 

On Fel)rnary 14, 1856, Mr. Cottingham 
was married to Miss Elizabeth Bousman, 
a daughter of Leonard and Elizabeth 
(Jackson) Bousman, and they have two 
children: Milton A., who married Jennie, 
a daughter of Peter and Sarah Fair, of 
Tippecanoe City; and Freeman O., who 
married Laura E., daughter of William 
B. and Annie Widener. Mr. Cottingham 
attends and gives support to the Methodist 
Episcopal Church of Tippecanoe City. In 
politics he is a Eepublican and has served 
for some years as township trustee. 

H. L. JOHNSTON, manager and chief 
engineer of the Hobart Electric ]\Ianufac- 
turing Comi)an}", has been a resident of 
Troy, Ohio, for thirteen years. He was 
born at Bambridge, Indiana, in 1869, and 
was nine years of age when his parents 
moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Mr. Johnston attended the public schools 
of Cincinnati, and afterward pursued a 
course of study at the Ohio State Univer- 
sity in electrical engineering, graduating 
with the class of 1892. He entered the 
employ of the General Electric Company, 
in the Cincinnati office, and continued in 
its service for three and a half years. In 
1893 he represented that firm in the in- 
stallation of the electrical work for the 
interurban railroad from Troy to Piqua, 
and continued here as superintendent of 
the work for six months. This was the 
tliird interurban road built in the State 



of Ohio, and the first to run big cars. 
After retiring from the superintendency 
Mr. Johnston became associated with Mr. 
Hobart in electrical manufacturing, the 
business being incorporated under the 
name of The Hobart Electric Company. 
He was vice-president and treasurer of 
the concern until about a year ago, when 
he was made manager and chief engineer. 
It is one of the principal manufacturing 
enteriDrises of the city and transacts an 
enormous business. Mr. Johnston is the 
mechanical expert of the Troy Sunshade 
Company, in which he is financially inter- 
ested, and is the patentee of several valu- 
able articles used by that firm. 

In 1900 Mr. Johnston was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Adeline Smitli, a daugh- 
ter of D. "W. Smith, cashier of the First 
National Bank of Troy, and they have two 
children, Edward and Frances. Frater- 
nally he is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias and the Troy Club." In religrious 
attachment he and his wife are members 
of the Presbyterian Church. 

EUGENE JOHNSON, the leading real 
estate dealer at Piqua and the pioneer in 
the business, has been a resident of this 
city for twenty-seven years, during twenty 
of which he has been actively engaged in 
the real estate business. He was born in 
1851, in Gallatin County, Kentucky, but 
was reared from the age of nine years at 
Waveland. Montgomery County, Ohio, 
where his parents settled. 

Mr. Johnson was educated in the public 
schools and at Waveland Academy, an in- 
stitution conducted under the supervision 
of the Presbyterian Church. In early 
manhood he went to Kansas, where he 
looked up land claims for two years. After 



434 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



lie returned to Ohio lie engaged in tlie 
drug business at "W'aveland until he was 
twenty-two years old, removing then to 
Noblesville, Indiana. He continued in the 
drug line there until he came to Piqua, in 
1881, where he carried on the same busi- 
ness for six years. He then turned his 
attention to the real estate business and 
has done considerable building and selling 
and has platted some 600 lots. He con- 
fines his activities to city and farm prop- 
erty. When he entered into the business 
at Piqua a real estate agency was a new 
venture, and he has been the practical 
builder of this line of trade. In his own 
operations he has never had a bad title 
given through his office and there has 
.never been a foreclosure of a loan. He 
has negotiated for the larger number of 
Piqua 's numerous factories, his latest 
contract relating to the immense plant to 
be erected by the Felt and Blanket Com- 
pany, on South Main Street, during the 
summer of 1909. Among the other large 
transactions of this nature negotiated 
through him may be mentioned the sites 
of the Wood, Shovel & Tool Company, 
Miami Light, Heat & Power Company, 
Union Underwear Company, Atlas Under- 
wear Company, Piqua Furniture Com- 
pany, Dayton & Troy street car barn, 
Piqua Dyeing & Bleaching Company, the 
DeArmon-McKinney Cement Block Com- 
pany and the Colonial Saxony, Piqua 's 
handsomest flat building. He has also had 
direct charge of the platting or subdivi- 
sion of out lots of eleven additions to the 
city. At different times, also, he has been 
interested in other enterprises of more or 
less importance. A Democrat in politics, 
his interest in public matters is only that 
of a good citizen who desires the election 



of the best qualified candidates and the 
assurance of good government. ^ 

In 1879, in Noblesville, Indiana, Mr. '• 
Johnson was married to Miss Ally Loehr, - 
and they have two children, Kate and Ray, 
the latter a resident of California. Mr. 
Johnson is a member of the Presbyterian 
Sunday-school and has been a trustee of 
the church for six years; for more than 
twenty years he has been a teacher in the 
Sunday-school. He is affiliated with the 
Masonic fi-aternity. 

EGBERT S. SCOTT, for many years 
a prominent agriculturist of Miami 
County, Ohio, is now living in retirement 
in the city of Troy. He was born in Eliza- 
beth Township, Miami County, in March, 
1832, and is a son of John Scott, who first 
came to the county as early as 1820. 

John Scott was born in Pennsylvania, 
and there learned the trade of a mill- 
wright. Upon coming to Miami County, 
Ohio, he resumed his trade and became a 
very useful citizen, being at various 
periods identified with many of the old 
mills in this and adjoining counties. The 
latter years of his life were spent on the 
farm. He was one of the first abolitionists 
in the county, and for years was the only 
one to vote the Free Soil ticket in Eliza- 
beth Township. 

Robert S. Scott has always lived in 
Miami County, and his business has al- 
ways been that of a farmer. He was in 
1856 united in marriage with Miss Rebecca 
Hearst, who was born in Pennsylvania 
and was in childhood when her parents 
moved to Miami County, Ohio. Her death 
occun-ed in 1878. Mr. Scott formed a 
second union with Miss Rebecca Wharton, 
who was born in ]\Iiami County, and is a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



435 



duugiiter of Oliver aud Jane (Duer) 
^^'llal•ton.• 

Oliver Wharton, father of Mrs. Scott, 
way born iu Bucks Couuty, Peuusylvania, 
May 17, 1807, and was four years old when 
his parents moved west to Warren County, 
Ohio, where they took rank among the 
pioneers. There he was reared aud edu- 
cated, aud at the age of fourteen years 
hegau learning the trade of a wheelwright. 
He served an apjjreuticeship of seven 
years and then opened a shop of his own. 
He coutiuued there until 1836, when he 
moved to Fletcher, iu Miami County, Ohio, 
and established a successful business. He 
continued at Fletcher vmtil 1865, when he 
moved upon his farm in Brown Township 
and si)ent the declining years of his life. 
He was married to Miss Jane Duer, who 
was born in Pennsylvania, but was living 
in "Warren County, Ohio, at the time of 
her marriage. Two sons aud two daugh- 
ters were the issue of this union, namely : 
AVilliam, Samuel, Phebe and Rebecca 
(Scott). 

Mr. and Mrs. Scott ai-e parents of three 
sons: Robert Stanley; Alva Wharton, 
deputy surveyor of Miami County; and 
Ernest H., who is an electrician by pro- 
fession. Religiously they are members of 
the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, of 
which Mr. Scott is an elder. Politically 
he is a Republican. 

JOHN A. NUNLIST, proprietor of the 
City Hotel at Tippecanoe City, Miami 
County, Ohio, has been in the hotel busi- 
ness for a period of thirty-five years, 
which in length of time makes him the 
oldest man in that business in the county. 
He was born in Xieder Erlinsbach, Kan- 
ton Solothurn, Switzerland, December 5, 



1844, and is a son of Victor and Catherine 
(Buser) Nunlist, both natives of Switzer- 
land. 

Victor Nunlist moved with his family to 
the United States in 1860, arriving in New 
York City after a voyage lasting several 
weeks. They immediately afterward 
moved west to Berlin, Shelby County, 
Ohio, where Mrs. Nunlist died in 1861, at 
the age of forty-three years. He died on 
a farm in Shelby County in 1865, aged 
forty-five years. They were parents of 
the following children, all but the young- 
est of whom were born iu Switzerland: 
John A. of Tippecanoe City; David, de- 
ceased ; Lena, wife of John Shaper of Day- 
ton, Ohio; William, a resident of Dayton; 
Emil, who lives at Springfield, Ohio ; Al- 
bert, also of Spriugfield; Elizabeth, who 
married Charles Stuby and lives at 
Springfield, Ohio; and three daughters 
who entered convents and became Sisters 
of Charity. Only one of these sisters is 
now living and is located at Phoenix, 
Arizona. 

John A. Nunlist worked on a farm with 
his father until 1862, then on May 2 of 
that year enlisted for service in the Union 
Ai-my as a member of Company C, One 
Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment, Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted at Sid- 
ney, Ohio, and was sent with the regiment 
to Kentucky. He remained in the service 
until June, 1863, when his father secured 
his release owing to the fact that he had 
entered the army before he had reached 
the required age. He returned home and 
the same year located at Tippecanoe City, 
where he learned the trade of a butcher, 
being in the employ of Fred Huber until 
1871. He then started up a shop of his 
own aud conducted it successfully until 



436 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



1874, when on August 1 he embarked in 
the hotel business. In 1878 he purchased 
the City Hotel and has conducted the es- 
tablislmieut with uninterrupted success 
ever since. He has a well equipped and 
furnished hotel, and its popularity is 
easily exijlained after one has been enter- 
tained for a meal and enjoyed Mr. Nun- 
list's hospitality. He has acquired much 
valuable property in Tippecanoe City and 
is one of its heaviest taxpayers. He has 
been identified with all measures and en- 
terprises for the upbuilding of the place 
and is most highly esteemed as a citizen. 
He is a fancier of good stock and has 
raised many standard-bred roadsters and 
good draft horses. 

June 19, 1871, Mr. Nuulist was imited 
in marriage with ^liss Julia Messmer of 
Ti])pecanoe City, and they became parents 
of the following children : Mamie, who 
married Jacob Hand, Jr., of Dayton, and 
has a daughter, Cecelia Hand; Lulu, who 
married A. W. Taylor, a grocer and livery- 
man of Tippecanoe City, and has a son, 
John Nunlist Taylor; Frank David, who 
is associated in business with his father; 
and Edward Frederick, wlio conducts a 
lohmibing business in Tippecanoe City. 
The last-named married Miss Bertha 
Prill, and they have a daughter, Catherine. 
Eeligiously the family belongs to St. 
John's Catholic Church. Mr. Nunlist is 
a Democrat in politics. 

N. W. CADY, a veteran of the Civil 
War and for many years a leading edu- 
cator in Eastern Ohio, who now lives re- 
tired in his pleasant home on "West Mar- 
ket Street, Troy, was born in 1837, in 
Morrow County, Ohio, where he was 
reared and educated. His first self-sup- 



porting occupation was teaching, which 
he followed for three years in the Morrow 
County schools, and subsequently for the 
same length of time in those of Cham- 
paign County. He was teaching in the St. 
Paris school when the first gun was fired 
in the Civil "War and he was the first 
volunteer from St. Paris in the three 
mouths' service. 

In 1861 he enlisted for three years, be- 
coming a member of Company I, Forty- 
second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- 
try, having Col. James A. Garfield com- 
manding, and during the three and one- 
half years of hard service he took part in 
the following serious and decisive battles : 
Middle Creek, Kentucky; Chickasaw 
Bayou, Black River; Arkansas Post, Ar- 
kansas; Thompson Hill, Champion Hill, 
Vicksburg, Jackson and Opelousas, Louis- 
iana, together with many minor engage- 
ments. Mr. Cady served as sergeant of 
his comi>any and although he was ever at 
the post of duty he survived all the dan- 
gers of camp and field and returned safely 
to his home after being mustered out in 
1864. 

Mr. Cady came then to Miami County 
and engaged in teaching, and spent fully 
twelve years in educating work in Miami 
and Champaign Counties, a part of the 
time being superintendent of the township 
schools. In 1896 he took up his residence 
at his present location in Troy, his pleas- 
ant home being so situated that he can 
enjoy the benefits of city life with a rural 
environment. 

In 1861 Mr. Cady was married to Miss 
Anna Mott, who was born in Miami 
County. Her father, Josiah Mott, was 
born in Warren County, Ohio, and came 
to ]\Iiami County when a young man. Mr. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



437 



and Mrs. Cady have six children, all 
daughters and all ladies of culture and 
high educational attainment, namely: 
Zelhi, who has been successful in educa- 
tioual work for some twenty-three years; 
Nettie, who was a teacher for four years 
prior to her marriage to Elwood French 
of Oklahoma ; Mary, who is the wife of 
Cliarles Armstrong of Marysville; Har- 
riet, who taught school eight years before 
she married Frank French, a resident of 
Texas; Alice, who taught for seven yeai's 
and then married Joseph H. Levering of 
Miami Coimty; and Elfie, who is teaching 
her third year in the Miami County 
schools. 

Mr. Cady has been an active citizen, tak- 
ing an earnest interest in public affairs 
and lending his influence to all that has 
served to uplift the community. He has 
served as a justice of the peace and as 
assessor. He belongs to the Grand Army 
of the Eepublic, and is a member of the 
Universalist Church. 

FEANK E. D. KEPLINGER, secretary 
and treasurer of the Pioneer Pole and 
Shaft Company of Piqua, and addition- 
ally interested in other business enter- 
prises of importance, was born in 1867, 
at Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he was 
reared and educated. 

^Ir. Keplinger's first work was done in 
the supply department of the Pennsylva- 
nia Eailroad, where he was employed for 
two years as a clerk, after which he was 
engaged for six years as bookkeejier in 
the First NatiouaV Bank at Fort Wayne 
and subsequently for four years was as- 
sistant i)ostmaster in that city. ^Ir. Kep- 
linger then served two years as traveling 



auditor for the Fort Wayne Electrical 
Corporation. He then came to Ohio and 
embarked in the manufacture of poles and 
shafts, at Canton, where he owned a fac- 
tory in connection with his brothers, C. AV. 
and AV. E. Kepliuger, and he continued 
there until he became Secretary and 
Treasurer of the Pioneer Pole and Shaft 
Company in 1903, when he came to Piqua. 
He is a stockholder and director in the 
Metropolitan Paving Brick Company, of 
Canton, and also a stockholder and direc- 
tor in the Imperial Rubber Company. 
He is a man of acknowledged business 
ability and occupies a prominent place in 
the commercial life of Piqua. 

In 1890 Mr. Keplinger was married to 
Miss Clara Douglas Bond, of Fort AVayne, 
Indiana, and they have one son, Living- 
stone Bond, who is a student in the Uni- 
versity of AVisconsin, at Madison. Mr. 
Keplinger and family are members of the 
Episcopal Church. He is identified with 
the Masonic bodies at Piqua and belongs 
also to the Piqua Club. 

JAMES HARRISON ESTEY, general 
farmer and tobacco grower, residing on 
his fertile farm of seventy-two acres, 
which is situated in Section 25, Elizabeth 
Township, Miami County, was born near 
Couover, ^liami County, Ohio, December 
11, 1840. His parents were Michael and 
Mary (Swindler) Estey. 

David Estey, the grandfather, was an 
early settler in Miami County. He en- 
tered 160 acres from the Government, get- 
ting a sheepskin deed for the same. This 
land was situated four miles northwest of 
Casstown and his life was spent in agri- 
cultural pursuits. He married Mary 



438 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Knoop and they had a family of uiue chil- 
dren, as follows : Mchael, James, Charles, 
George, William, Jotham, Mary, Lucy and 
Myra. 

Michael Estej-, father of James H., re- 
sided at home on his father's fann until 
after his wife's death. She left four chil- 
dren: Silas Virgil, who died while serv- 
ing as a soldier in the Civil War; James 
Harrison; Emily J., who married Silas 
French, and Alda Zera, who married 
Joseph French. In the spring of 185J, 
Michael Estey went to California and 
later to Montana, following mining for 
about two years, and then settled on a 
fai-m in Jasper County, Missouri, where 
he resided during the remainder of his 
life, being about eighty-five years old at 
the time of his death. He married a lady 
of Jasper County after locating there and 
the children of his second union still live 
in Missouri. 

James H. Estey was a little boy when 
liis mother died and he soon went to live 
with a Mr. Blaker, with whom he made his 
home until he entered the anny. He first 
attended the Jones school, which was a 
log house in Lost Creek Townsliip. and 
later had somewhat better advnntnges in 
the Lost Creek school, which was situated 
two and one-half miles north of Casstown. 
He had not nnich more than reached nuin- 
hood when the Civil War was declared 
and he enlisted in Company ^V, Forty- 
fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving 
for three years and ten months. He took 
part in many important engagements, in- 
cluding Lewisburg, West Virginia, and 
Knoxvilie, Tennessee, in the almost con- 
tinuous skirmisliing which was more dan- 
gerous than real fighting. He received a 
wound about his ankle, in one meeting 



with the enemy, which not only prevented 
active service for about four months, but 
continued to afflict bim for many years, 
never completely cured. When the war 
closed he returned to the old home above 
Casstown and remained there until his 
marriage in the spring of 1869, after which 
he went to Idaho and there followed min- 
ing for a year, after which he rented a 
farm in Boise Valley. Later he joined his 
father in Jasper Comity, Missouri, and re- 
mained there for some years, but subse- 
fiuently returned to Miami County to make 
this section his jiermanent home. He pur- 
chased seventy-two acres of fertile land, 
with house and barn standing, from John 
(Jreer, and here Mr. Estey has been en- 
gaged ever since. A branch of the New 
York C!entral Railroad runs through his 
]»ro])eity. He has a fine orchard and his 
land will produce any crop, but he devotes 
tlie larger part of it to tobacco and has 
put u]i sheds to take care of it when liar- 
^■ested. He has done quite a great deal 
of improving since purchasing this land 
and has a very valuable farm. 

]Mr. E.stey was married in 1869, to Miss 
Debby Eoe, a daughter of John and 'Slary 
Koe, and they have one daughter, Elsie 
M., who is the wife of William F. Bohlen- 
der. residing in Tippecanoe City. Mr. Es- 
tey and family belong to the English 
Lulliern Church at Tippecanoe City, in 
which he has been a deacon for two years. 
He is also a member of the D. M. Eouser 
I'ost, G. A. K., of that place, which is two 
and one-half miles west of his farm. He 
is a stanch Kepublican in his political 
^ iews but takes no active part in politics 
in his township, having no desire to hold 
olhce. 



AND REPRBSENTATTYE CITIZENS 



439 



SAMUEL McCURDY is a prosperous 
faiTuer and well known resident of Con- 
cord Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
where he is the owner of two farms, con- 
sisting of 272 acres in all. He was born 
in Ireland in 1849 and is a son of Samuel 
and Eliza (Barr) McCurdy. 

Samuel McCurdy, Sr., was born in Ire- 
land and there engaged in agricultural 
pursuits until about the year 1850, when 
he moved with his wife and children to 
the United States. They crossed the 
water in a sailing vessel, the voyage con- 
suming five or six weeks, and locating at 
Allentown, Pennsylvania, where Mr. Mc- 
Curdy was employed in the iron works for 
some three years. He then moved west to 
Troy, Ohio, before the days of railroads, 
making the trip down the Ohio River to 
Cincinnati, thence north by the canal to 
Troy. He there engaged in pumping 
water for the railroad, which had just 
been completed through Troy, and during 
the three years he was thus employed he 
missed but a day and a half. He bought 
a farm of eighty acres in Concord Town- 
ship, on which his daughter, Nancy, now 
lives, and with the help of his sons cleared 
the place. He farmed there until his 
death in 1894, at the age of eighty-eight 
years. His wife preceded him to the 
grave, djdng at the age of eighty years. 
They were parents of the following chil- 
dren, all of whom were born in Ireland: 
Robert; Isabella, wife of John Sype. both 
deceased ; Eliza, who was the wife of Will- 
iam Fleming, both now deceased; Jane, 
widow of Robert Pearson; Margaret, 
widow of John Minton; Nancy; Samuel, 
whose name heads this record; and two 
who died in infancy. 

Samuel McCurdv, Jr., was about one 



year old when his parents came to this 
country from Ireland, and was quite young 
when they located on the farm in C'oncord 
Township. He has ever since lived with- 
in site of the old home, wiiich place he 
helped to clear. He attended the public 
schools when not at hard work on the 
farm, and lived with his father until his 
marriage in 1871, then for a few years 
rented and farmed. He later bought a 
tract of forty acres, to which he added in 
time, but in 1890 he sold out and purchased 
liis present home farm on tiie Troy and 
Covington Pike from the Correy heirs. He 
has made extensive improvements on the 
place and followed general farming with 
a high degree of success. 

December 28, 1871, Mr. McCurdy was 
united in marriage with Susan Correy, 
who was born and reared on the fanii on 
which she now lives and is a daughter of 
Robert and Rebecca (Eaton) Correy, of 
Concord Township. They became parents 
of the following children: Charles, who 
died at the age of twenty-two years ; Sam- 
uel H., of Troy, who married Sarah Stew- 
art and has three children — Ralph, Myrtle, 
and Fred; John, of Concord Township, 
who married Ella Longendeli)her, and has 
a daughter, Helen; Joseph; Mary; Jennie; 
Rosa ; Bessie ; AVilliam, and Walter. Polit- 
ically Mr. McCurdy is a Democrat. 

DAVID W. TOBIAS, who has efficient- 
ly filled the arduous position of railway 
mail clerk for a period of fifteen years, is 
now employed as such on the Panhandle 
Railroad, between Indianapolis and Pitts- 
burg. He was born on a farm to the north 
of Covington, March 28, 1859, and is a son 
of Elias and Elizabeth (Wenrick) Tobias. 

Elias Tobias was born in Berks County, 



440 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Peuna. In boyhood he came to Ohio and 
lived for a short time in Montgomery 
County and then came to Newberry Town- 
ship, Miami County. He married Eliza- 
beth Wenrick, who was born in Franklin 
County, Penna., and accompanied her 
parents to near Covington, Miami County, 
in girlhood. To this marriage four chil- 
dren were born, namely : Reuben, who died 
in infancy; Rebecca, who is the wife of 
George Rench, of Covington; David "\V. ; 
and Samuel, who lives at Piqua. In 1867 
Elias Toljias bought 102 acres of farm 
land at Greenville Falls, west of Coving- 
ton, and resided there until 1902, when he 
retired to Covington, where his death oc- 
curred May 12, 1908. His wife had died 
November 18, 1884. They were most wor- 
thy people, respected and esteemed l)y all 
who knew them. 

David W. Tobias was educated in the 
public schools and in 1877 he graduated 
from the Covington High School, after 
which he engaged in teaching for some 
nine years and was considered an efficient 
instructor. During the next five years he 
traveled for a nursery, selling nursery 
stock and when he retired from that ac- 
cepted the superintendency of a creamery 
near Covington, for about a year. Then 
lie entered the mail service and is now one 
one the best trained and most reliable men 
on the line. He owns a share in the home 
farm, which is still in his father's name. 

October 31, 1880, Mr. Tobias was mar- 
ried to Miss Hulda Cassel, a daughter of 
John and Susan (Hartzell) Cassel, the 
former of whom was a farmer in New- 
berry Township, where he died February 
24, 1887. Mrs. Cassel still survives, al- 
though she has outlived many of her con- 
temporaries. She was born February 23, 



1819, and is one of the most venerable res- 
idents of Miami County. Mr. and Mrs. 
Tobias have two children : Erla, who mar- 
ried W. W. Chaffin, of Fort AVayne, In- 
diana, and has one son, Wendell Tobias; 
and Luther, who resides at Covington. 
Mr. Tobias belongs to the Order of Odd 
Fellows. 

C. F. CLASS is a prominent farmer of 
Newton Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
and is the owner of 154 acres of valuable 
land, eighty-two acres of which is in the 
farm on which he lives. He was born near 
Trotwood, in Montgomery County, Ohio, 
February 22, 1857, and is a son of Jacob 
and Louisa (Klopfer) Class. 

Jacob Class was born in Wittenberg, 
Germany, and was eighteen years old when 
he accompanied his parents to the United 
States. His father bought a farm near 
Trotwood, Montgomery County, Ohio, and 
also owned considerable land in Miami 
County. After his marriage, Jacob Class 
located on a farm in Randolph Township, 
Montgomery County, where he continued 
to reside until 1869, in which year he 
moved to the vicinity of the Fall Branch 
schoolhouse, in Newton Township, Miami 
Coimty. He cleared a great deal of the 
land owned by his father, as well as his 
own farm, and continued to reside there 
until his death, in December, 1890. His 
wife died in October, 1868, and both were 
buried in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. He 
was married to Louisa Klopfer, a daugh- 
ter of John and Elizabeth Klopfer, and 
they reared the following children : Philip, 
C. F. (sub.iect of this record), John, Jacob, 
Louisa, and Isaac. Religiously they were 
members of the Lutheran Church. 

C. F. Class attended the Fall Branch 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



443 



school aud continued to help his father on 
the home farm until he became of age, 
when he began working out by the month. 
After his marriage he farmed his father's 
place for one year, and then moved to his 
l^reseut home farm. He cleared about two- 
thirds of his land, which was heavily tim- 
bered, laid about 400 rods of tile for drain- 
age, and made other important improve- 
ments. He has a complete set of sub- 
stantial buildings on his land, all of which 
he has had built, as the place was entirely 
unimproved at the time of his coming. He 
is engaged in general farming and stock 
raising and devotes altout thirty acres of 
his land each year to tol)acco growing, at 
which he has met with much success. He 
is a substantial and progressive business 
man, and among his other interests is a 
stockholder in the Pleasant Hill Banking- 
Company. 

April 22, 1879, Mr. Class was joined in 
marriage with Miss Laura Kinnison, a 
daughter of George and Elizabeth Kinni- 
son, and they became parents of the fol- 
lowing children: Elsie, deceased; Pearl, 
wife of Howard Furnas, of Dayton; Ola, 
wife of Opal Bench; Goldie, wife of Sam- 
uel Evervine; Sylvia; and lea. Religious- 
ly they attend the Lutheran Church. In 
fraternal affiliation i\Ir. Class is a member 
of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows 
at Pleasant Hill. He is a Democrat in 
politics. 

DR. WARREN COLEMAN, senior 
member of the well known medical firm of 
Coleman & Shilling, whose offices are lo- 
cated at No. 201 West Water Street, Troy, 
Ohio, was boi-n in this city, September 22, 
1865, son of Dr. Horace and Mary L. (Aid- 
rich) Coleman. His paternal grandfather 



also. Dr. Asa Coleman, was a leading j^hy- 
sician in his day. 

Dr. Horace Coleman, father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was a man of good edu- 
cation, and a graduate of the Medical Col- 
lege of Ohio in the class of '49. He began 
medical practice in 1850 at Logansport, 
Indiana, and remained there until Octo- 
ber, 1861, at which time he entered the 
Federal army. He served as surgeon of 
the Forty-sixth Regiment, Indiana Volun- 
teer Infantry, and subsequently of the 
One Hundred Forty-seventh Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, continuing until 
the close of the war. He afterwards set- 
tled in Troy, Ohio, where he became the 
leading physician and surgeon. He was 
also prominent in local politics and for a 
number of years was assessor of internal 
revenue for the Fourth District of Ohio. 
He also served on the City Council and 
was for some time president of the Board 
of Education. He was one of the board 
of directors, also, of the First National 
Bank of Troy. In 1868 he was a delegate 
to the Republican convention at Chicago, 
which nominated Grant and Colfax for 
president and vice-president of the United 
States. He has attained an advanced de- 
gree in the Masonic Order. At the present 
time he is residing in Washington, D. C. 
By his marriage to Mary L. Aldrich, which 
took place November 9, 1847, he became 
the father of seven children, of whom the 
Kul>ject of this .sketch was the youngest. 

Warren Coleman, M. D., the date of 
whose nativity has been already given, ac- 
quired his literary education in the gram- 
mar and high schools of Troy, Ohio. He 
subsequently graduated from the Medical 
College of Ohio in the class of '88 and 
began the practice of his profession in 



444 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Troy. In November, 1904, he formed the 
present medical partnership of Coleman 
& Shilling, which has i)roved a happy com- 
bination both from a business and a pro- 
fessional standpoint. 

Dr. Coleman married Miss Francis 
Einehart, a daughter of C. F. Rinehart. 
He is a member of the County, State, and 
American ]Medical Associations. In Pol- 
itics he is a stanch Republican. Mrs. 
Coleman is a member of the Presbyterian 
church. They have a pleasant home at 
the corner of Main and Adams Streets, 
Troy. 

JOHN L. PRUGH, cashier of the Piqua 
Savings Bank and formerly treasurer of 
Miami County, has been a representative 
and useful citizen throughout his entire 
mature life. He was born in 1855, in New- 
berry Township, Miami Coimty, Ohio. 

Jesse Prugh, the father of John L. 
Prugh, was one of Miami County's promi- 
nent men and for many years was very 
active in all public affairs. He was a na- 
tive of Maryland and when he came to 
Ohio, in boyhood, lived first in Montgom- 
ery County and from there came to Miami 
County, settling in Newberry Townshii?, 
where lie cleared up a farm from the wil- 
derness. He was a strong Abolitionist and 
was one of the founders of the Republican 
party in this section, and when Civil "War 
was declared, he gave his most earnest ef- 
forts to the raising of troops and pro- 
viding for the necessities of those 
families whose bread-earners left for 
the battle field. He was commissioned 
a recruiting officer with the rank of lieu- 
tenant colonel, and the county records bear 
testimony to the success of his efforts. He 
died in 1894. 



John L. Prugh enjoyed the educational 
advantages oifered by the common schools 
of Newberry Township and the Piqua 
High School and his first business associa- 
tion led him into the clothing line and in 
this he continued for twenty-five years, a 
part of the time in connection with Mr. 
Flesh, under the finn style of Flesh & 
Prugh. In 1896 Mr. Prugh was elected 
treasurer of Miami County and was re- 
elected to that office in 1898 and served 
through the two terms with the greatest 
efficiency. After retiring from public life, 
in 1901, he accepted the position of cashier 
of the Piqua Savings Bank, his recognition 
as a financier being general. 

In 1876 Mr. Prugh was married to Missi 
Mate L. RajTier, a daughter of Joseph! 
Rayner, an old and prominent resident of I 
Piqua. Mr. and Mrs. Prugh have three 
children, namely: Estella, who is the wife 
of J. F. Stewart, assistant manager of the 
U. S. Handle Company, resides at Piqua;- 
Florence is a successful teacher in the pub- 
lic schools of Piqua; Ray is a student in 
the Ohio Wesleyan College, at Delaware, 
Oliio. Mr. Prugh and family are members 
of the Green Street ]\lethodist Episcopal 
Church, in which he has served on the of- 
ficial board for twenty years, a longer 
period than is credited to any other officer. 
He was one of the incorporators of the 
Y. M. C. A., at Piqua and has always been 
deeply interested in its work. Mr. Prugh 
is identified fraternally with the Masons 
and Odd Fellows. 

CORY HARRISON NOLAN, general 
farmer and well known citizen of Staim- 
ton Township, resides on his well im- 
proved farm of forty-one acres, which is 
situated on the Sidney Road, aboiit two 



AND KEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



445 



and one-half miles north of Troy. He was 
born January 12, 1868, on his father's 
farm in Staimton Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is a son of Michael and Phebe 
KathrjTi (Conrad) Nolan. 

The ancestors of the Nolan family came 
to America from Ireland. The grand- 
father, Israel Nolan, was the first of the 
family to come to tliis county. He worked 
as a weaver for a time in Cincinnati, Ohio, 
and then settled on a farm in Miami Coun- 
ty, two miles east of the present Nolan 
farm. He had seven children, namely : 
John, James, Daniel, Michael, Elizabeth, 
Hannah and Sarah, all of whom are de- 
ceased. 

Michael Nolan, father of Cory H., was 
born in 1818, in Miami County, Ohio, 
where the greater part of his life was 
spent. In 1849 he went to California 
by way of the plains and remained in 
the gold regions for three years. He be- 
came the owner of a mine and met with 
more success than did many other pros- 
pectors, and when he returned to Miami 
County he possessed enough capital to 
purchase a cleared farm of eighty acres, 
situated three miles northeast of Troy, in 
Staunton Township, on the Urbana Turn- 
pike Eoad. He resided on that farm for 
seven j^ears and then bought a farm of 101 
acres and later disposed of his eighty- 
acre farm. This laud was formerly the 
property of Hii-am Smith. It lay about 
one mile north of his first purchase, near 
the l)e Weese schoolhouse. Eight years 
later he bought the eighty acres which is 
now the old homestead, but was the Eckert 
Shaffer farm, and also a farm of 101 acres 
adjoining his other 101 acres. He was an 
excellent business man and carried on 



blacksmithing in connection with his farm- 
ing. He died in June, 1889. He married 
Phebe Kathryn (Conrad) Kaw, a widow, 
who had one child, Caroline K. To this 
marriage were born six children, namely: 
Emma ; John ; Elizabeth, who is the wife of 
Charles Waters; Cory Harrison; Hattie, 
who is the wife of Mare Kurtz; and Nora. 
The mother still s\irvives and resides on 
the home place. 

Cory H. Nolan was about one year old 
when the family moved to the second farm 
and eight years old when his father came 
into possession of the old homestead. He 
attended the country schools and remained 
at home until his marriage. For a short 
time after this event, he resided on his 
father-in-law's place, but in the following 
year, December 3, 1897, he moved to his 
present farm, which he had bought from 
the John C. AYinans estate. Here he car- 
ries on farming and devotes eight acres 
to tobacco growing and six to potatoes. He 
erected a large tobacco shed on his prop- 
erty and he disposes of his cured tobacco 
to local dealers. His comfortable 12-room 
house was on the property when he bought 
it but he has considerably improved and 
added to the otlier farm buildings. 

Mr. Nolan was married December 16, 
1896, to Miss Grace P. Speagh, a daughter 
of Lewis L. and Sarah C. (Marshall) 
Speagh, who was a graduate of the Troy 
High School class of 1892, and they have 
two children — Mary Catharine Speagh and 
John William. Mr. and Mrs. Nolan are 
members of Eaper Chapel, Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and Mr. Nolan is sujjer- 
intendent of the Sunday School. In pol- 
itics he is a Repul)lican and as a man of 
intelligence he i*- much interested in all 



446 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



that concerns his county and esi:)ecially in 
the public matters in wliich his own com- 
munity plays a part. 

JOHN FENEMOEE, a representative 
business man of Covington, who has been 
actively identified with the commercial life 
of this city for almost a quarter of a cen- 
tury, is a member of the well known firm 
of Rulil & Fenemore, clothiers and gents' 
furnishers. Mr. Fenemore was born in 
England, January 15, 1842, and is a sou of 
John and Elizabeth (Eose) Fenemore. 

Mr. Fenemore was thirty-two years of 
age when he left his native land. After 
reaching America he spent one year at St. 
Louis, Missouri, working at his trade of 
tailor, after which he came to Ohio and 
was emploj'ed by Henry Flesh, of Piqua. 
for two years, and then established his 
permanent home at Covington. Here he 
wox'ked until 1884, for A. Eoutson, and 
then, in i)artnership with Albertus M. 
Ruhl, inirchased the clothing business of 
Falmestock Brothers, and since then the 
firm of Euhl & Fenemore has lieen one of 
importance in the business circles of Cov- 
ington. ]\Ir. Fenemore was married in 
England, in 1870, to Miss Elizabeth Cath- 
erine Bacon, and they had one sou, John 
Henry, who died at Piqua, in infancy. Mr. 
Fenemore is a member of the Presbyterian 
Church. He is identified fraternally with 
the Knights of Pythias. 



County, Ohio, from which place his par- 
ents moved when he was four years old, 
to Monroe, Michigan, where he was reared 
and educated. 

Mr. Miller started out in commercial 
life as a grocery clerk and after some ex- 
perience went to Detroit and there became 
connected with the Standard Insurance 
Company, with which he was identified for 
seven years. He then came to Piqua and 
for some years was in the grain business 
with the Eagle mills, after which, in part- 
nership with his brother-in-law, George 
Harrey, started the Champion Feed Mills, 
wliieh they operated for ten years. In 1901 
Mr. Miller entered into partnership with 
Mr. Spencer, under the firm name of Spen- 
cer & Miller, and they operate an elevator 
in Piqua and one three miles south of the 
city and do a large business. 

In 1892 Mr. Miller was married to Miss 
May Louise Bates, of Piqua, and they have 
two children, Donald D. and Melville S. 
Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the 
Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church, 
in which he is secretary of the official 
board. Fraternal life has atti'actions for 
him and he is identified with the Odd Fel- 
lows, the Maccabees and the Masons, in 
the latter organization belonging to the 
Blue Lodge and Chapter, being past wor- 
shipful of the former and the present high 
priest of the latter. Socially he is con- 
nected with the Cosmopolitan Club. 



MELVILLE W. MILLEE, of the firm 
of Spencer & Miller, operating grain ele- 
vators at Pi(iua and extensive dealers in 
grain, is one of the representative business 
men of this city and one who has had a 
large experience in this particular line. 
He was born in 1868, at Carey, Wyandot 



J. NELSON CONWAY, proprietor of 
the Conway Laundry at Piqua, a model in- 
stitution of its kind, was born at Piqua 
in 1867, son of Captain John and Sarah 
Jane (Manson) Conway. On his mother's 
side, as will presently be seen, he is of 
Revolutionary ancestry. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



447 



Capt. John Conway, father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was a native of Penn- 
sylvania, who became a resident of Piqua 
prior to tlie Civil "War. For a number of 
years he was captain of a canal boat and 
was well known to the canal and river 
trade. Later he engaged in the transfer 
and storage business, and he introduced 
the tirst covered transfer vans ever seen 
in this city, and in Miami County. His 
death occurred in 1902. 

Capt. Conway was married in 1863 to 
Sarah Jane Manson, a daughter of James 
Nelson and Sarah (Harvey) Manson, the 
former of whom died August 15, 1870, and 
the latter December 27, 1900. Her great 
grandfather was David Manson, Sr., who 
was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 
October, 1753, and came to America jjrior 
to the Revolutionary "War. In July, 1776, 
he enlisted from York, Pennsylvania, for 
two months, as private, in Captain Sav- 
age's Company, Colonel Smith command- 
ing. He re-enlisted in September, 1776, 
for three and a half mouths, in Capt. W. 
"W. Cosby 's -Company, Colonel McAllis- 
ter's Regiment. He enlisted again, in 
January, 1778, for two months, in Capt. 
John Rippy's Company, Colonel McAllis- 
ter's Regiment. Dui-ing his service in the 
Revolutionary AVar, he was for some time 
a private in the body guard of General 
"Washington. 

He was married February 1, 1780, in 
York, Penna., to Jean Johnston, and in 
1807 they came to Miami County, Ohio. 
He died in 1836, and is buried in the ceme- 
tery attached to the Brown schoolhouse, 
eighteen miles east of Piqua. 

David Manson, Jr., son of the foregoing 
and next in the present line of descent, 
married Miss Sarah Cornwall, September 



11, 1810. He and his wife resided on a 
farm three miles northeast of Piqua, in 
Springfield Township. He was a survey- 
or by profession, and during the winter of 
1822-23 lie took a severe cold, while on a 
surveying expedition, which developed 
into })neumonia and caused his death 
April 25, 1823. At this time his youngest 
child, Martha, was but a few months old. 
He was a soldier in the War of 1812, en- 
listing from ]\Iiami County as a ])rivate in 
Capt. John Williams' Comj)any, Major 
Henry Prince's Regiment of Ohio Alilitia. 
His wife, Mrs. Sarah Cornwall Manson, 
died in 1838. Their son, James Nelson 
Manson, maternal grandfather of the .sub- 
ject of this .sketch, was a grand nephew of 
Gen. Mahlon Dickerson IManson. 

Capt. John and Sarah J. (Man.sou) Con- 
way were the parents of three children, 
namely: Mattie, who married H. M. Al- 
exander, of Piqua, and died in March, 
1905; J. Nelson, and William. 

J. Nelson Conway grew to manhood in 
his native city of Piqua, attending the pub- 
lic schools, including the high school, of 
which he is a graduate. He then became 
associated with his father in the transfer 
business and thus continued for several 
years, after which he accepted a position 
as a driver of a laundry wagon, which was 
his introduction to the business in which 
he has since been so successful. After 
some experience under several different 
employers, he entered into the laundry 
business for himself, with a partner, and 
conducted it for two years and a half 
imder the style of Morton & Conway. He 
then purchased his partner's interest and 
has been the sole ])roprietor ever since. 
He purchased the building at No. 112-114 
E. Ash Street and has equipped it with 



448 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



tlie most modern machinery known to the 
hiimdry trade, having now one of the best 
and most up-to-date plants of the kind to 
be found in all this section. He gives em- 
ployment to four men and twelve girls, and 
the quality of the work he turns out is un- 
excelled. 

In 1906 Mr. Conway was married to 
Miss Gertrude Raney, of Piqua, Ohio. 
Fraternally he belongs to the Elks and the 
Knights of Pythias. He is one of Piqua 's 
most representative and go-ahead business 
men. 

GEORGE DREES, one of Covington's 
representative business men, dealing in 
groceries, meats, fish and oysters, has been 
established on the corner of High and 
Spring Streets, Covington, for the past 
sixteen years. He was born at Covington, 
Ohio, February 15, 1861, and is a son of 
Henry and Agnes (Neth) Drees. 

Henry Drees, who is at the head of the 
dry goods and notion house of Henry 
Drees & Son, is one of the old and substan- 
tial business men of Covington. He was 
born in the Kingdom of Prussia, in Au- 
gust, 1833 and remained in his native land 
until he had almost reached his majority, 
in the meanwhile attending the German 
schools and learning the tailor's trade. 
On August 2, 1854, he landed at Quebec, 
Canada, made his way from there to Cleve- 
land, Ohio, and then came to Covington, 
where he ran a tailor shop prior to estab- 
lishing his present business, in 1863. In 
1893 he associated his son, J. Henry, with 
him and the present firm style was adopt- 
ed. He married Agnes Neth, who was 
born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Septem- 
ber 25, 1835, and she accompanied her par- 
ents to America in 1854 and came to Cov- 



ington in 1855. To Mr. and Mrs. Drees i 
were born the following children: Rose, ' 
who is the wife of William Deubner, of i 
Green\alle, Ohio ; George, of Covington ; J. 
Henry, of the firm of Henry Drees & Son ; 
AVilliam, who operates a sawmill and coal 
yard at Covington; Agnes, who is the 
widow of George Brooks; Conrad F., who 
is a soap and talcum powder manufacturer 
at Covington; Mrs. Kate Motter; and 
Paul, who resides at Covington. 

George Drees was reared in his native 
place and attended the public schools and 
he began to work before he had completed 
his education, being employed by his uncle, 
Casper Brinkman, on a farm near Coving- 
ton, and many a vacation hour was spent 
in farm duties. "\Mien he was fourteen 
years of age he began to learn the mercan- 
tle business, first with his father and later 
with Drees, Neth & Company, and later 
went into the wholesale' and retail lumber 
business for himself. In this enterprise 
he prospered and continued it for some 
four years and then turned his attention 
in the present direction, establishing a 
business which is one of importance at 
Covington. Mr. Drees was married (first) 
to ^liss Anna Kraighbaum, who left two 
sons at death: Harold and Donald. His 
second marriage was to Miss Lulu Brown, 
and one daughter survives her, Helen. 

]\Ir. Drees has been an active and useful 
citizen and has serv^ed as a member of the 
City Council for more than twelve years. 
He has also served as chief of the ^"olun- 
teer Fire Department and for eleven years 
he was a member of Company E, Third 
Ohio National Guard, and was drum 
major, with the rank of sergeant, of the 
regimen t<al band. He is social by nature 
and has numerous fraternal connections, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



449 



these including membership in the Masons, 
Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows and En- 
campment, Rebeccas, Red Men and the 
Order of Pocahontas. 

HORACE C01.EMAN, M. D., whose 
many years of successful professional life 
at Troy gave bim a place of prominence in 
medical circles in Miami County, but who 
is now a resident of Washington, D. C, 
was born December 27, 1824, at Troy, 
Miami County, Ohio, and was a sou of Dr. 
Asn Coleman, a leading physician in his 
day. He enjoyed superior educational ad- 
vantages and completed his iiterar>- 
studies at Gambier, Ohio. Partaking of 
his father's scientific tastes, he turned his 
attention to the study of medicine and 
under his father's supervision completed 
his preparatory reading, then entering the 
Medical College of Ohio, where he was 
graduated in 1849. In the early part of 
18.30 he oi)ened up a practice at Logaus- 
l)ort, Indiana, where he remained until Oc- 
tober, 1861. He then entered the Federal 
army as surgeon of the Forty-sixth Regi- 
ment. Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in 
which lie served for nearly three years. 
In ^lay, 1864, he became surgeon of tlie 
One Hundred Forty-seventh Regiment 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and so continued 
until the close of the war. His experiences 
during this jieriod served but to l)etter 
qualify him for the practice of his profe.s- 
sion, and after his return to Troy he easily 
became the leading physician and surgeon 
of his native city. 

A.side from his professional life. Dr. 
Coleman was intimately connected with 
the ])ublic affairs of city, county, and 
State. After his return to Troy he was 
appointed assessor of internal revenue for 



the Fourth District of Ohio, and was re- 
tained in ofSee until the revenue system 
was reorganized. He was connected with 
a number of local organizations, including 
charitable and benevolent bodies, and 
served on numerous civic boards. He was 
a public spirited member of the City Coun- 
cil and was president of the Board of Edu- 
cation. His business connections included 
membership on the board of directors of 
the First National Bank of Troy. A 
steadfast Republican in his political views, 
he was always in the confidence of the 
party leaders, and fi'equently served on 
important coumiittees, and in 1868 he was 
sent as a delegate to the Republican con- 
vention, held at Chicago, III., which nomi- 
nated Ulysses S. Grant and Schuyler S. 
Colfax for president and vice-president of 
the United States. For himself he claimed 
no political office, but he was notably loyal 
to his friends. He was prominently iden- 
tified with the Masonic fraternity. 

Dr. Coleman was married on November 
9, 1847, to Mary L. Aldrich, of New Eng- 
land ancestry, and to this marriage were 
born seven children, the yoiingest of 
whom, Warreu Coleman, maintains the 
professional name and standing of both 
his father and grandfather. Dr. Warren 
Coleman is the senior member of the 
prominent medical firm of Coleman & 
Shilling, whose offices are located at No. 
201 AVest AVater Street, Troy, Ohio. 

AVILUIAM ELMER SEE, a representa- 
tive citizen of Elizabeth Townsbip, resid- 
ing on bis well improved farm of 157 
acres, which is situated in Section 32, on 
the Springfield and Troy Turnpike, about 
four miles southeast of the latter place, 



450 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



was born January 5, 1863, and is a son of 
Jacob and Ellen (Jackson) See. 

Samuel See, the grandfather of William 
E., came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, and 
settled at Tipjjecanoe City. He was a 
brickraason by trade and was always iden- 
tified with the brick business. In his youth 
he had the reputation of being able to lay 
more brick in a given time than any other 
workman in the county. He had four 
children — Jacob, Sarah, Katherine, and 
Henry. 

Jacob See married Ellen Jackson, who 
is a daughter of William and Mary Jack- 
son, and they had two children — AVilliam 
E. and Amanda. The latter is the wife of 
Charles Martin, of Elizabeth Township. 
For many years Jacob See was a respected 
citizen and representative farmer of Eliz- 
abeth Township, where he died June 7, 
1906. His widow now resides in Troy 
and enjoys good health and has a wide ac- 
quaintance. 

AVilliam E. See obtained his education 
in the Kyle school, near his home, and at 
Walnut Grove, afterward taking up farm 
duties with his father. He continued to re- 
side at home both before and following his 
marriage, and when his father died he in- 
herited the farm. He has it all under cul- 
tivation with the exception of sixteen acres 
still in timber, and through his excellent 
methods makes every acre yield to its ut- 
most. His buildings are of a substantial 
character and he assisted to construct them 
all. 

Mr. See was married January 10, 1888, 
to Miss Clara Hoover, who is a daughter 
of Shannon and Margaret Hoover, of 
Staunton Township. They have two chil- 
dren : Verna, who is a High School stu- 
dent at Troy; and Lauren, who goes to 



school in Elizabeth Township. Mr. See is 
affording his children all the advantages 
in his power, being a great friend to the 
public schools and believing in popular 
education. For some six years he has 
been a member of the School Board of 
Elizabeth Township. The mother of Mr. 
See has witnessed many changes since she 
came first to Elizabeth Township. The lit- 
tle settlement around Grayson Station is 
on a part of the old homestead farm, the 
land having been bought bj' the Big Four 
Railroad. 

JAMES T. BARTMESS, deceased, for- 
merly county auditor of Miami County, 
Ohio, was a man whose death, on account 
of his superior qualities of mind and char- 
acter, brought a distinct loss to the com- 
munity in which his useful life had been 
passed. He was born at Covington, Ohio, 
October 8, 18-15, and was a son of Hamilton 
and Jane (Barbour) Bartmess. 

James T. Bartmess was taught the sad- 
dler's trade by his practical father, but 
neither necessity nor inclination led to his 
following it. His education was secured 
in the Covington schools, at Waynesburg 
College, at AVaynesburg, Pa., and the Cum- 
berland University, at Lebanon, Tennes- 
see, and he was graduated from that insti- 
tution in June, 1874. After he came home 
he became a teacher in the Covington 
schools. In 1875 he became superintend- 
ent of the schools of Tippecanoe City and 
filled that position for twentj'-one years, 
only giving up his educational work in 
order to assume the duties of county au- 
ditor, to which he was first elected in No- 
vember, 1895. He served through two 
terms, a period of six years, and then re- 
tired to private life, having no political 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



451 



ambitions. For fifteen years he was a 
member of the Miami County Board of 
School Examiners, and all that time was 
clerk of this body. Mr. Bartmess then be- 
came cashier of the Citizens National 
Bank of Covington, a position he contin- 
ued to fill until his death, May 2, 1905. 

lu his political views he was a Eepub- 
lican. From boyhood he had entertained 
a i)atriotic love of country and when Civil 
War was first declared, he endeavored to 
overcome opposition and become a soldier, 
but he was not accepted until 1862, and 
then only in the capacity of drummer boy. 
He continued until the close of the war a 
member of Company G, llOtli Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and twice suf- 
fered imprisonment, once at Libby Prison 
and second at Andersonville. For a num- 
ber of years he was active in the Grand 
Army of the Republic Post, first at Tippe- 
canoe City, later at Troy, which he served 
as commander and in other offices. 

On December 23, 1875, Mr. Bartmess 
was married to Miss Mary Belle Routson, 
a daughter of A. Routson, of Covington, 
and they had three children : Blanche ; 
Ruth, who died when aged five years; and 
James William. Mr. Bartmess was a con- 
sistent member of the Presbyterian church. 
He was a Knights Templar Mason and an 
Odd Fellow and belonged to the Royal 
Arcanum. In private life he was a man of 
genial disposition, kindly and companion- 
able. 

M. K. BROWN, who resides at No. 607 
West High Street, is a well known citizen 
of Piqua and is now retired from business 
activity. He was born in that city in No- 
vember, 1846, and is a son of John and 



Mary (Knox) Brown, his father being one 
of the pioneer manufacturers of Piqua. 

John Brown was born in Cynthiana, 
Kentucky, and was among the early set- 
tlers of Miami County, coming as early as 
1805. He was a hatter by trade and en- 
gaged in the manufacture of hats in Piqua 
for many years. He took an active part 
in the affairs of that period and for years 
served on the school board. His death oc- 
curred September 15, 1846. He married 
]\Iary Knox, who was born in Lebanon, 
Tennessee, and they reared a family of 
four children: James Harvey Brown, 
who is deceased; Mary T. Brown; Henry 
C. Brown; and M. K. Brown. .Mary 
(Knox) Brown, the mother of this family, 
first came to ^Nliami County, Ohio, in 1816, 
from Tennessee, where she was born. Mrs. 
Brown died July 14, 1888. 

^I. K. Brown received a good public 
school training, and then turned his at- 
tention to agricultural pursuits. He 
farmed in Washington Township for a 
period of thirty-five years, then retired to 
Piqua to enjoy the fruits of his early toil. 
He and his brother, Henry C., own a valu- 
able farm of 260 acres in that township, 
which they now rent out. Henry C. 
Brown is a prominent jNlasou, belonging to 
both Blue Lodge and Chapter. ]\liss Mary 
T. Brown is a member of the Baptist 
Church of Piqua. 

HON. ROBERT N. EYLER, mayor of 
Tippecanoe City, elected on the Citizens' 
ticket, has filled this important office since 
January 1, 1908, and has given the city a 
vigorous but clean economical administra- 
tion. Mayor Eyler was born April 4, 1870, 
in B^rcderick County, Maryland, and is a 
son of Benjamin and Martha Eyler, both 



452 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



members of old Maiylaud families. The 
grandfathers on both sides were farmers 
and Mr. Eyler's father combined farming 
and work as a carpenter. He died in 1886, 
when aged sixty-six years and was sur- 
vived by his widow until January 10, 1900, 
she dying aged seventy-three years. 

Robert N. Eyler attended the public 
schools in his native State and worked on 
the home farm and after coming to Miami 
County worked two years longer at farm- 
ing. In March, 1899, he came to Tippe- 
canoe City, where for one year he was en- 
gaged in the cigar business, and for three 
and one-half years afterward he was ship- 
ping clerk for the Davis Whip Company, 
and for two and one-half years was ticket 
agent for the D. & T. Electric Railway. 
He returned to the Whip Company for one 
more year and in the spring of 1900 was 
elected township assessor. He served two 
years in that office, being very active in 
))olitics in the meanwhile and serving for 
six years as a member of the Republican 
County Central Committee. In 1907 he 
was nominated for mayor and was elected 
on the Citizens' ticket. 

In 1900 Mayor Eyler was married to 
Mrs. Anna B. Clark, a daughter of George 
AVyant, of Bowerston, Harrison County, 
Ohio, and they have one son, Alva G. 
Mayor Eyler is a member of Lodge No. 
174, F. & A. M., Tippecanoe City, of which 
he was worshipful master for two years 
and also was both junior and senior war- 
den, and is also a member of Troy Chap- 
ter, Royal Arch Masons. He belongs also 
to the Modern Woodmen of America of 
Tippecanoe City and for eight years was 
clerk of Camp No. 6713, and from March 
1, 1907 to March 1, 1908, he was district 
deputy, having eight counties imder his 



supervision. He was reared in the United 
Brethren Church but now holds member- 
ship in the English Lutheran. 

G. W. LORIMER, president and gen- 
eral manager of The Auto Sand Mixer 
Company, and secretary and treasurer of 
The American Machine Telephone Com- 
pany, Limited, is one of Piqua's represen- 
tative men. He was born in County 
Brant. Ontario, Dominion of Canada, in 
1874, and there was educated and later 
learned telegraphing, which he followed 
until 1892. 

About that year Mr. Lorimer became in- 
terested in the automatic telephone ex- 
changes and accepted the position of sec- 
retary treasurer of The American Ma- 
chine Telephone Company, Limited, for 
the manufacture of machine telephone ex- 
changes, which is known as the Lorimer 
system, he and his brother being the 
patentees. They have these exchanges es- 
tablished in Canada, Prance and Italy and 
in the interests of his business he has visit- 
ed those countries. The Auto Sand Mixer 
Company, of Piqua, manufacturing, was 
organized and incorporated in 1906, with 
a capital stock of $40,000, with G. W. Lori- 
mer as president and general manager; 
V. E. Minnich, vice-president; G. A. 
Vaugier, treasurer; and Dr. P. L. Snorf, 
secretary, for the manufacturing of sand 
mixing machinery for foundry use. Mr. 
Lorimer is the patentee of this invention. 
In addition to the patents he has already 
secured on his two notable inventions, he 
has fourteen more pending relative to the 
same. 

In 1897 Mr. Lorimer was married to 
Miss Jennie Hunter, of Ontario, Canada, 
and thev have three cliildren: A. Hoyt, 




W. F. MILLER 



1 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



455 



Genevieve and Harry Towusend. Mr. and 
Mrs. Lorimer are members of the Presby- 
terian Church. He is a thirty-second de- 
gree Mason, is past master of Warren 
Lodge, of Piqua; belongs to the Blue 
Lodge and Chapter at Piqua; the Council 
and commandery at Troy; and the Con- 
sistory at Dayton. Mr. Lorimer has many 
beautiful souvenirs of travel in his hand- 
some home and he has also perhaps the 
finest collection of archeological specimens 
and old fireanns belonging to any private 
person in the State of Ohio. He has been 
interested in making this collection for 
many years, having at present 200 of these 
antique firearms. The collection would 
adorn any museum. 

ELVA A. JACKSON, postmaster of 
Troy, Ohio, is one of a family of two chil- 
dren born to Dennison H. and Phoebe 
(Parker) Jackson. His father, who was a 
railroad man, died in 1863. The subject 
of this sketch was born in Dayton, Ohio, 
February 1, 1850, and was educated in the 
common schools. In 1871 lie located in 
Tippecanoe, Ohio, and was in the employ 
of Ford & Co. as assistant engineer and 
superintendent until July 11, 1898. He 
was then elected to the office of county 
clerk of Miami County, in which he served 
two terms. Afterwards he was engaged 
in business in Troy until February 10, 
1908, when, having been appointed post- 
master, he assumed the duties of that 
office, which he has since held. 

Mr. Jackson married Miss Anna M. 
Wynonhagcn, who was a daughter of 
David Wynonhagen. He and his wife are 
members of the Baptist church. In politics 
Mr. Jackson is a Republican. He is well ad- 
vanced in Free Masonry, belonging to all 



the divisions of the Order. He has a pleas- 
ant residence at the corner of Simpson 
and Cherry Streets. 

W. F. MILLER, proprietor of the lead- 
ing livery, feed and sales stables at Troy, 
Ohio, has been identified with the interests 
of this city for the past seventeen years 
and has investments in different concerns. 
He was born at West Milton, Miami 
County, Ohio, in 1856, and is a son of 
George W. Miller, a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, who died in 1907. The latter was 
brought to Ohio in childhood, spent many 
years as a teacher and farmer in Miami 
County, and lived retired for some fifteen 
years or more previous to his death. 

After completing his public school course 
Mr. Miller left the farm and operated a 
flour and feed store, to which he later add- 
ed a grocery and bakery. He then visited 
in California for two years, and when he 
came back to Ohio he engaged in clerking 
in Miami County for D. W. ]\IcCullough & 
Co. for five years, later was in a retail coal 
business, and then entered the employ of 
the Troy Bending Works. Still later he 
became an employee of the Pioneer Pole 
and Shaft Company, for which concern he 
worked for six years, spending a part of 
the time buying and manufacturing lumber 
in the South for their use. He then pur- 
chased his present business, which he has 
established on North Cherry Street. He 
has the largest and best equipment in Troy 
and handles a large amount of trade. lie 
keeps on an average thirty-five head of 
horses and has all kinds of conveyances 
for hire. He owns lumber tracts in the 
South and is also interested in the firm 
of :Miller & Flowers, gents' furnishers, at 



456 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Piqua. His business standing is high and 
his worthy citizenship is unquestioned. 

Mr. Miller was married (hrst) in 1881, 
to Miss Lilly B. Tucker, who died in 1892, 
leaving two children — C. E., who is his 
father's bookkeeper and for five years was 
a traveling salesman through the South; 
and Essie, who is the wife of F. 0. Flow- 
ers, a leading business man of Piqua. Mr. 
Miller was married (second) to Miss Fran- 
ces Dollinger, who was born and reared in 
Newberry Township, Miami County. They 
are members of the First Presbyterian 
Church. 

JAMES W. BRANDON, who is em- 
ployed in the railroad postal service, has 
been a resident of Piqua for twelve years 
and here are centered his main interests. 
He was born March 2, 1871, at Covington, 
Ohio, and is a son of Thomas Brandon. 

Thomas Brandon was born in 1844, in 
Darke County, Ohio, and has been engaged 
in agricultural pursuits through a long- 
life. He now lives retired at Covington. 
During the Civil War he served for 100 
days as a member of the 147th Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry. 

James W. Brandon was reared and edu- 
cated at Covington and after graduating 
from the High School, engaged in teach- 
ing for about six years. He then entered 
into the railway mail service and for the 
past thirteen years has been connected 
with the C. H. & D. Eailroad, between De- 
troit and Cincinnati. On September 29, 
1897, Mr. Brandon was married to Miss 
Grace Purdy, of Covington, Ohio. They 
are members of the First Presbyterian 
Church at Piqua. He is identified with the 
Masons and the Knights of Pvthias. 



LE BOY HAGEE, a prominent business 
citizen of Piqua, Ohio, has been identified 
with the Piqua Ice Company during the 
most of his business career. He was born 
on North Main Street, in Piqua, July 23, 
1879, and is a son of George and Dora 
(Roeser) Hager. 

George Hager was born in Germany and 
in the early fifties took up his residence in 
Piqua, Ohio. During the Civil War he 
ran a boat on the Canal, but during the 
last twenty-five years of his life was en- 
gaged in the ice business. He died in 
July, 1908, after a long and useful life. 
He was married to Dora Roeser, who also 
was born in Germany and is still living at 
the old home on North Main Street. 

Le Roy Hager was the only child born 
to his parents and was reared in Piqua. 
After graduating from Piqua High School 
he imrsued a four years' course in civil 
engineering in Ohio State University. He 
engaged in professional work in the em- 
ploy of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- 
pany for one and a half years, at the end 
of which time he began his connection with 
the Piqua Ice Company. He has been with 
that concern continuously since and en- 
joys high standing among the business 
men of the city. Mr. Hager was married 
April 29, 1903, to Miss Sally Ingham, of 
Columbus, Ohio, and they have one son, 
Robert Ingham Hager. Religiously, they 
are members of the Presbyterian Church. 
Fraternally, Mr. Hager is affiliated with 
Greek letter societies at Ohio State Uni- 
versity. 

JOHN M. BASHORE, who is serving 
his twelfth year as a member of the Miami 
County Fair Board, is a substantial citi- 
zen of Covington and is the owner of a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



457 



farm of 118 acres iu Newtou Towusliip, 
whifli lie lias farmed since early manhood. 
He was born on a farm in Newton Town- 
ship, September 17, 1849, and is a son of 
Benjamin S. Susanna (Martin) Bashore, 
who were early residents of the county. 

The subject of this record was reared on 
his father's farm two miles south of 
Greenville Falls, in Newton Township, and 
received his schooling in the district 
schools. After marriage he and his wife 
set lip housekeeping on the farm he now 
owns, living there from November, 1871, 
until February, 1903, when he moved to 
Covington. There he purchased of his 
sister the fine frame house now occupied 
by them. He made most of the improve- 
ments on the farm and always engaged in 
general farming, following modern and ap- 
proved methods iu his work. He always 
has taken an interest in the affairs of the 
community in which he has lived, and is 
progressive and enterprising. He served 
twelve or fourteen years as pike superin- 
tendent of Newton Township, and was also 
first elected to the fair board from that 
township. 

May 18, 1871, Mr. Bashore was married 
to Miss Sarah Jane Moist, who was born 
near Dayton, in Montgomery County, 
Ohio, and is a daughter of Henry Moist. 
Her mother died at her birth and she was 
reared in the family of an uncle, Abraham 
Moist, who lived southwest of Covington. 
To them was born four children — Charles, 
Susanna, Frederick, and one that died at 
birth. Susanna is the only one living. She 
first married, James Shoe, and their 
daughter, Martha Shoe, makes her home 
with Mr. and Mrs. Bashore. Susanna 
formed a second union with Michael Bash- 
ore and they live in Missoula, Montana. 



Politically, the subject of this record is a 
Kepublican. In fraternal affiliation he is 
a member of the Improved Order of Red 
Men. 

WILLIAM HARRY GILBERT, Troy, 
Ohio, is one of Miami County's most 
})roniinent and successful lawyers, occupy- 
ing an enviable position at the bar of the 
county. He was born on a farm near 
Gettysburg, in Darke County, Ohio, De- 
cember 28, 18C3, and is a son of Henry 
and Mary E. (Harry) Gilbert. 

Henry Gilbert was born on a farm in 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and ac- 
companied his ]iarents in 1837 on their 
removal to Miami County, locating on a 
farm near Croft's mill, two miles west of 
Covington. He was joined in marriage 
January 4, 1863, with IMiss iMary E. Harry, 
who located in Miami County with her 
parents when she was a young girl. They 
set up housekeeping near Gettysburg, in 
Darke County, and now reside iu retire- 
ment at Pleasant Hill, Miami County. 

"William H. Gilbert is the eldest of seven 
children born to his parents, of whom all 
but the youngest gi-ew to maturity and are 
still living. He was reared on the home 
farai and received a preliminary educa- 
tion in the district schools, supplemented 
by a short course in the normal school at 
Portland, Indiana, in 1884, and in the Nor- 
mal School at Ada, Ohio, in 1885. After 
leaving school he continued a systematic 
course of study in literature, history and 
the sciences, and is a man of intellectual 
attainments. He began teaching school at 
seventeen years of age, and taught four 
winter terms in district schools of Darke 
County. 

In the spring of 1886 he began prepara- 



458 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



tions for the profession of law in the offices 
and under the direction of Meeker, Bow- 
man, in Greenville. In November of that 
year he left the office of that firm but con- 
tinued study under the preceptorship of 
its members until October 4, 1888, when 
he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme 
Court of Ohio. In the meanwhile he was 
appointed librarian of the Greenville Law 
Library and special court bailiff and 
served as such while reading law until he 
opened an office for practice. He con- 
tinued at Greenville until October, 1892, 
when he removed to Troy and embarked 
in practice. In April, 1899, he formed a 
partnership with Mr. L. H. Shipman, who 
had been a student in his office, and the 
firm of Gilbert & Shipman continued for 
ten years, enjoying throughout this sec- 
tion of the State a large and successful 
practice. This firm was dissolved by mu- 
tual consent. 

Mr. Gilbert is now engaged in the prac- 
tice alone. His offices are located in the 
new Masonic Temple in Troy, where he 
occupies two suites of offices, consisting of 
five well appointed rooms. His office is 
modern in every respect, and is equipped 
with a large and practicable working li- 
brary. Mr. Gilbert employs all the help 
necessary to enable him to dispose of a 
large practice with facility and dispatch. 
He has had a large and lucrative prac- 
tice from the time he opened an office in 
Troy. During the seventeen years of his 
practice here, he has tried more cases 
than any other lawyer at the bar. He has 
been employed on one side of practically 
every important civil case tried in the 
Courts of Miami County during that pe- 
riod. He has been also employed in the 
more important criminal cases. He does 



not accept employment in minor criminal 
cases. He has been employed in all first 
degree murder cases in both Miami and 
Darke counties, since his admission, ex- 
cept one. He has always appeared for the 
defense in the homicide cases, except in 
the recent case in Miami Common Pleas 
Court, of Forde White, charged with the 
murder of his father. In this case, the 
court appointed Mr. Gilbert to assist in 
the prosecution. His efforts were success- 
ful and White was convicted of murder in 
first degree. His services in this case were 
highly satisfactory to the public and to the 
court. The case rested entirely on circum- 
stantial evidence, and the public generally 
believed White's conviction was due to 
Mr. Gilbert's closing argument in the case. 

Mr. Gilbert has devoted himself exclu- 
sively to the practice of the law. He allows 
nothing to divert his attention from the 
practice. He has been well rewarded for 
Ms services, and has accumulated a com- 
fortable fortune from the practice alone. 

Mr. Gilbert is a careful, capable and 
conscientious lawyer, with a profound 
knowledge of the law and the ability to 
present his case to court or jury in a 
clear, concise, and convincing manner. 
He has met with more than ordinary suc- 
cess and enjoys the confidence and good 
will of the people. 

November 19, 1890, William H. Gilbert 
was joined in marriage with Miss Vir- 
ginia G. Meeker, a lady of refinement and 
many accomplishments. She is a daughter 
of Hon. D. L. Meeker, of Greenville. One 
child, Virginia Gilbert, was born to this 
union on July 16, 1907. He owns and lives 
in one of the most substantial homes in 
Troy. 

Mr. Gilbert is domestic in taste and de- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



459 



voted to his family. His time, outside of 
business hours, is spent in his own home, 
in the companionship of his family. 

Mr. Gilbert has never sought political 
preferment. He declined a nomination 
for Congress when twenty-eight years of 
age. He also declined numerous offers of 
political advancement since. He believes 
a lawyer who wishes to succeed in the 
practice should not permit politics to 
break in on his time. He believes his 
clients are entitled to his time and sei'vices. 

Mr. Gilbert is now in middle life, and 
in good health. The best years of his pro- 
fessional life still lie before him. 

EEV. WILLIAM H. ALLISON, rector 
of St. James Episcopal Church at Piqua, is 
one of the most earnest and scholarly 
clergj'men of the diocese to which he be- 
longs. He was born in July, 1873, in the 
city of New York, and was reared there 
and at Yonkers, New York. 

After graduating with honors from Co- 
lumbia University, in the class of 1897, 
Dr. Allison entered the Berkley Divinity 
School at Middletown, Connecticut, where 
he was graduated in 1900. Following this 
he was ordained and for one year served 
as assistant rector of St. Andrew's Church 
at Ann Arbor, Michigan, when he became 
pastor of St. Mary's Church, at Detroit, 
where he remained for five years. He 
then served St. John's Church of Coving- 
ton, Kentucky, for one year, when he ac- 
cepted the call to St. James' Church at 
Piqua, where he has a congregation of 250 
communicants. His work is appreciated 
and the closest ties bind him and his 
people. 

In 1901 Rev. Allison was married to 
Miss Ethel L. Tillotson, of New Haven, 



Connecticut. He is very prominent in 
Masonry, being a member of Blue Lodge 
No. 91, F. & A. M., of Detroit ; Peninsula 
Chapter, of Detroit ; Detroit Commandery 
No. 1, of Detroit; and the Mystic Shrine, 
of the same city. He also retains member- 
ship in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon, of col- 
lege days, and he belongs to the Piqua 
Club. 

A\'ARREN HARTLE, who has been in 
the railway mail service for about three 
years, is a well known resident of Coving- 
ton, Miami County, Ohio, and is the owner 
of 110 acres of valuable land in Newberry 
Township, seventy acres of which is locat- 
ed in Section 13, and forty acres in Sec- 
tion 14. He was born on this farm Janu- 
ary 17, 1873, and is a son of Peter and 
Mary (Gilbert) Hartle, a grandson of 
Frederick Hartle, and great-grandson of 
John Johannes Hartle. 

John Hartle, the great-grandfather, was 
a native of Zweibriicken, Pfaltz, Gei-many, 
and was a soldier of the Revolutionary 
War. He lived at Albany, New York, at 
the time of the war but afterward went to 
Hagerstown, Maryland, where he married. 
He later moved to Blair County, Penn- 
sylvania, when an old man and there 
passed away. 

Frederick Hartle, giandfather of War- 
ren, moved from Blair County, Pennsyl- 
vania, some time after his marriage, to 
Miami County, Ohio, where he entered 160 
acres of land, of which the forty-acre tract 
in Section 14, owned by our subject, 
formed a part. All of this quarter section 
continues in the family name. Frederick 
bought additional land and became a large 
landowner. He died and was buried on 
the old farm in Newberry Township. 



460 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Peter Hartle was born in Blair County, 
Pennsylvania, and was but a small boy 
when liis parents moved to Miami County, 
Ohio. Here he grew to maturity and 
learned the carpenter's trade, which he 
followed many years. He enjoyed a wide 
reputation as a carpenter, being unex- 
celled as a workman, and he erected many 
buildings, among them being the old coun- 
ty house and barn at Troy. He later took 
up farming in Newberry Township, put- 
ting up all the buildings on the farm, even 
to making of the doors and sashes. He 
died there in 1902, at the age of seventy- 
eight years, after a long and useful life. 
His wife survived him some two years. 
She was in maiden life Mary Gilbert, and 
was born and raised in Newberry Town- 
ship, a part of Covington being situated 
on what was the old Gilbert homestead. 
Her father, Thomas Gilbert, was a native 
of South Carolina, and from there enlisted 
for service in the War of 1812. He came 
north with his regiment and was finally 
discharged at Greeneville, Ohio. Being 
a poor boy, he decided to remain in the 
north and invest the pay he received for 
military service, in land; time proved the 
wisdom of his investments and he died 
leaving an estate estimated at $80,000. He 
was a very public-spirited man and was 
the founder of the Greenville Creek Chris- 
tian Church, and always liberal in its sup- 
port. 

Warren Hartle was reared on the home 
farm and continued to live there some ten 
years after his marriage. In 1906 they 
moved to Coving-ton, renting his farm 
property, and they have a fine home on 
Wall Street. Among his cherished pos- 
session is a thirty-five dollar note issued 
by the Continental Congress to his great- 



grandfather, John Hartle, in payment for 
military service during the Eevolution. In 
1896 Mr. Hartle was married to Miss Mar- 
garet Young, a daughter of S. F. Young, 
of Darke County, Ohio, and they have two 
children — Grace W. and Guy D. Relig- 
iously, they are members of the Christian 
Church. 

I. B. PATTERSON, who lives retired 
from active business life, occupying his 
pleasant and comfortable home at No. 607 
West Ash Street, Piqua, is a native of 
Miami County, Ohio, and was born in 
Spring Creek Township in 1846. 

William Patterson, father of I. B., was 
a pioneer in Spring Creek Township, set- 
tling about 1820 in the woods and subse- 
quently clearing up a farm on which he 
lived iintil 1864. He then moved into 
Shelby County and died there in 1869. 

I. B. Patterson was reared on his fath- 
er's farm and attended the district schools 
through boyhood. He continued to follow 
agricultural pursuits until he was about 
forty-five years of age. He then went into 
the coal business, which he carried on for 
a few years, after which he became inter- 
ested in the manufacturing of staves and 
hoops, which he carried on for ten years, 
in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. He then 
returned to Piqua and here has found con- 
genial friends and surroundings and has 
made it his permanent home. He is finan- 
cially interested in the Fairbanks Steam 
Shovel Company, of Marion, Ohio. 

In 1875 Mr. Patterson was married 
(first) to Miss Anna Meeker, who died in 
1890, leaving one son, Carl, who is a resi- 
dent of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1893 
Mr. Patterson was married (second) to 
Miss Nancy Pruden, and they have three 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



.461 



children — Arthur, Helen, aud Ruth. Mr. 
Patterson and wife are members of the 
First Presbyterian Church. He is identi- 
fied with the Masons, belonging to the or- 
ganization at La Eue, Ohio. As a good 
citizen he has made his presence felt at 
Piqua, giving encouragment to the move- 
ments for bettering conditions of all kinds 
and contributing to charities and benevo- 
lent objects. 

GIDEON G. UPDIKE, located on a well 
improved farm of forty acres in Section 
34, Elizabeth Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, is engaged in general farming and 
tobacco raising. He is a native of New 
Jersey, having been born near the city of 
Princeton, December 25, 1847, and is a son 
of Jacob and Johanna (I\[ount) Updike. 

John Updike, grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was born in 1790, aud 
was married to Mary Updike, who was 
born in 1786, and, although bearing the 
same name, was of no blood relationship. 
They were parents of the following chil- 
dren: Eliza, born in 1810; Johnston, 
born in 1811 ; Jacob, born in 1813 ; Sarah, 
born in 1816 ; Lydia, born in 1818 ; Pris- 
cilla, born in 1821 ; Theodore L., born in 
1823 ; John S., born in 1825 ; Gideon, born 
in 1828 ; Philomen, born in 1830 ; and one 
who died in infancy. 

Jacob Updike was joined in marriage 
with Johannah ]\Iount, a daughter of 
Hezekiah Mount, and their children were : 
Gideon G., whose name heads this sketch; 
Matthew G., deceased; and Adeline, wife 
of Frank Vandeveer of Warren County, 
Ohio. 

Gideon G. Updike first attended school 
at Cedar Grove, New Jersey, the school 
building being a small structure, eight- 



cornered and built of niggerhead stone. 
Upon leaving school he worked on the 
home farm until he was twenty-one years 
old, and then came west to Carlisle, War- 
ren County, Ohio, whei-e he followed car- 
pentering several years, working in the 
construction of many houses and barns in 
that vicinity. In 1870 he returned east 
and was married, but again took his trade 
and residence at Carlisle, Ohio. He after- 
ward rented a farm in that vicinity, but 
after some six years moved to Miami 
County. He fanned near Troy for six 
years, then rented the Kline farm near 
Casstown, from which he moved to the 
vicinity of Eai)er Church, where he farmed 
for ten years. At the end of that time he 
moved to the Husler farm near Troy, on 
which he was located nine years, and from 
there moved to what was known as the 
A. P. Barnes farm of forty acres, which 
he purchased of George Ralston. It is 
located on the Casstown Pike, three and 
a half miles east of Troy, in Section 34, 
Elizabeth Township. He follows general 
farming and tobacco growing, having 
about five acres planted to that commod- 
ity. He is a Republican in politics, and 
has always taken a progressive interest 
in the affairs of the community in which 
he has resided. He was on the school 
board of Staunton Township ten years, 
and is at the present time serving as pike 
supervisor. 

February 16, 1870, Mr. Updike was 
united in marriage with Louisa Carson, a 
daughter of Isaac H. and Lydia Ann Car- 
son, and they became parents of three 
children, as follows: Walter G., who died 
in infancy; Wilber D., who married Ora 
PeAVeese, daughter of Alexander and 
Esterline DeWeese, and has a son, Rob- 



462 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ert F. ; aud Ada C, deceased wife of 
Larkin Hole of Piqua, by whom she had a 
son, Harry. Fraternally, our subject is 
a member of Franklin City Lodge, K. P., 
in Warren County. He is a member of 
the Methodist Episcopal church at Eaper 
Chapel, and is a director of the cemetery. 

CHAELES E. MAETIN, one of Piqua 's 
representative and reliable business men, 
wlio is engaged at Piqua as a general 
cement contractor, was born June 19, 
1852, at Piqua, Ohio, and is a son of Fred- 
erick and Louisa (Eoempler) Martin. 

Both parents of Mr. Martin were born 
in Germany, October 10, 1821, and April 
10, 1822, respectively. In 1835 Frederick 
Martin came to Piqua, where he learned 
the carpenter's trade and later entered 
into general contracting. He married 
Miss Eoempler, who came to America at 
the age of thirteen years, and they had 
four children, the three survivors being: 
George F., who resides at Peoria, Illi- 
nois; Henrietta, who is the wife of J. M. 
Hibben, who is the oldest merchant at 
Hillsboro, Highland County, Ohio; and 
Charles E. 

Charles E. Martin was reared and edu- 
cated at Piqua, working in early manhood 
with his father, later engaging in general 
contracting and since 1884 has been con- 
fining himself to cement contracting, being 
the pioneer in the cement business in this 
section. He put up his own fine residence 
at No. 629 West Ash Street. Mr. Martin 
built the first concrete bridge ever erected 
in Miami County, the first structure of 
the kind he had ever built. The bridge 
stands across the Washington Pike about 
two miles south of Piqua. 

July 25, 1901, Mr. Martin was married 



to Miss Marietta Knight, who was born 
near Casstown, Ohio, a daughter of Ste- 
phen and Delilah Knight, her father being 
a member of a pioneer family. They have 
one son, Frederick. Mr. Martin and fam- 
ily are identified with the Green Street 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a 
member of the Knights of Pythias and at- 
tends the lodge at Troy. 

ISEAEL H. EOSENBEEGEE, a highly 
respected citizen and substantial retired 
farmer residing at Covington, has a large 
enterprise in hand in the colonization of 
the farmers of the Miami Valley in Col- 
fax, New Mexico. Mr. Eosenberger was 
born on a farm near Tiffin, Seneca County, 
Ohio, on what was then known as the 
David Troxell farm, April 8, 1844, and is 
a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Hart- 
sough) Eosenberger, a family of consid- 
erable prominence. 

Mr. Eosenberger grew to manhood on 
the home farm, attending the country 
schools at first and later the High School 
at Findlay, after which he taught school, 
teaching four terms before he was mar- 
ried and two terms afterward. He had 
accompanied his parents when they moved 
from Seneca to Hancock County, estab- 
lishing the home in Washington Town- 
ship, seven miles southwest of Fostoria, 
and was living there when he entered the 
army during the Civil War. He enlisted 
at Toledo, however, from Sandusky 
County, in the spring of 1864, in Com- 
pany G, Eighty-ninth Eegiment Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry, in which he served until 
the close of the war. His regiment was 
visited with a scourge of measles and 
fourteen members died of the disease, 
while Mr. Eosenberger was confined to a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



465 



hospital, at Huutsville, Alabama, for two 
and one-lialf months, suffering from the 
epidemic, and barely escaping with his 
life. 

Mr. Rosenberger was married in Octo- 
ber, 1867, to Miss Margaret Ebersole, a 
daughter of Abraham Ebersole, a farmer 
of Hancock County, Ohio, and they have 
three children — Frank, Elizabeth and 
Ella. Frank is cashier of the Leipsic, 
Ohio, bank. Elizabeth married Morris M. 
Mikesell, who is vice-president and gen- 
eral manager of the Farmers' Develop- 
ment Company, of New Mexico, where 
they reside. They have two children, 
Margaret and Frank. Ella is a teacher of 
Domestic Science, at the W. C. A. Home 
at Dayton, Ohio. 

Mr. Rosenberger resided on his farm in 
Hancock County until 1906, when he sold 
out and moved to Covington, where he has 
erected a handsome brick residence of 
modern construction which is equipped 
with furnace heat, baths and electric light. 
He is one of the Board of Directors of the 
Farmers' Development Company, owns 
valuable town property at Los Angeles, 
California, where he and wife spent two 
winters. He also owns one-third section 
near Medicine Hat, Canada. He is a 
member of the Brethren Church and is 
treasurer of the local body. 

THE MAGEE BROS. COMPANY, 
printers, binders and engravers, at Piqua, 
is one of the representative business en- 
terprises of this city and was established 
in 1896 by Charles W. and Edwin R. 
Magee, under the style of Magee Bros., 
and was incorporated April 1, 1909, under 
the present style, with a capital stock of 
$50,000. 



Like many other of tlie successful con- 
cerns at Piqua, this business was started 
in a small way, the equipment consisting 
of one job press operated in one room of 
12 by 14 feet in dimensions. The contrast 
is afforded by the building now utilized, 
with dimensions of 110' by 64 feet, which 
was built especially for them as the part- 
ners struggled to keep abreast of their 
increasing trade. This building has been 
thoroughly equipped with all the modern 
machines and devices that now must be 
included in a thoroughly up-to-date print- 
ing plant, nine presses being kept con- 
stantly at work. Among the improved 
machinery may be noticed the type-setting 
and casting machines, which appear al- 
most human in the mechanical work they 
perform. 

Charles W. Magee was born in Trum- 
bull County, Ohio, and was educated in 
Piqua. His life work has been the found- 
ing and developing of the business of 
which he now is president. He married 
Miss Edith Simon, of Piqua, and they 
have one son, Charles Edwin. Mr. Magee 
is a member of the Green Street Metho- 
dist Episcopal Church. He has been in- 
terested in all that pertains to public 
matters at Piqua and served four years 
as a member of the City Council. Frater- 
nally he is identified with the Elks and 
Knights of Pythias, and belongs to the 
Elks Club, and the Piqua Club. 

Edwin R. Magee, vice-president and 
secretary of the Magee Bros. Company, 
was, like his brother, born in Trumbull 
County and educated in Piqua, supple- 
menting the public school course by one 
in a business college. He married Miss 
Hattie L. Tyson, of Fletcher, and they 
have two children, Vesta Verne and Wal- 



464 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ter Hart. Mr. Magee is a member of the 
Elks, the Eed Men, the Maccabees and 
the Elks Club. He belongs to the Green 
Sti-eet Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Otto Simon, treasurer of the Magee 
Bros. Company, is a native of Piqua, 
where he was reared and educated. Prior 
to entering into his present business con- 
nection, he was in the transfer business in 
this city. He married Miss Sena Phillips, 
also a native of Piqua, and they have one 
daughter, Helen. He is a member of the 
German Lutheran Church. Fraternally 
he is a thirty-second degree Mason. He 
has been a very active and public-spirited 
citizen. His public services include mem- 
bership in the board of review of the city 
of Piqua and valuable service in the city 
council. 

JOSEPH WAEREN BOWMAN, who 

has long been classed among the foremost 
citizens and business men of Tippecanoe 
City, is secretary, treasurer and general 
manager of the Dye Fruit Company, a 
thriving and successful concern which 
operates on an extensive scale. He has 
been a promoter of and closely identified 
with many interests which have had an 
important bearing on the material wel- 
fare and advancement of the community. 
Mr. Bowman was born in Frederiektown, 
Miami County, Ohio, March 6, 1845, and 
comes of one of the pioneer families of 
the county. 

Joseph Bowman, father of the subject 
of this sketch, was born near Knoxville, 
Tennessee, in 1801, and was about nine 
years of age, when, in 1810, his father, 
Jacob Bowman, moved with his family to 
near Springfield, Ohio. Jacob died soon 
after Ms removal to Ohio, and Joseph 



went to live with an uncle, Thomas New- 
man, in Montgomery County, Ohio. At 
the age of sixteen years he borrowed $2.50, 
with which he purchased a basket and a 
small stock of goods, and by peddling 
through the country was able to make and 
accumulate a little money. Then for sev- 
eral years he engaged in the Indian trade. 
It was his custom to purchase goods in 
Cincinnati and have them hauled to the 
headwaters of the Mississinewa Eiver; 
there he would unload on the bank of the 
river, cut down a tree and dig out a canoe, 
into which he placed his goods. He floated 
down that stream to the Wabash, thence 
to the Ohio Eiver, there being many In- 
dian villages and but one white man along 
his route. He traded with the Indians for 
furs and arriving at the Ohio River, made 
his way up that stream to Cincinnati. 
There disposed of his furs and laid in a 
stock of goods for another trip. Thus he 
traded with the Miami and Pottawatomie 
tribes for four or five years, and some 
time between 1820 and 1822 he started a 
small store in Frederiektown, Miami 
County. He was in business there con- 
tinuously for nearly half a century and 
became a man of prominence and affluence, 
owning at one time seven or eight farms 
besides having varied business interests. 
He was possessed of a pleasing person- 
ality and was immensely popular with 
his many acquaintances throughout the 
county. His death occurred in 1871, at 
the age of seventy years. He was united 
in marriage with Mary Sheets, who was 
born in Montgomery County, Ohio, in 
1808, and died in Frederiektown at the 
age of seventy-six years. The following 
children were born to them: Caroline, 
who was the wife of Aaron Furnace, and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



465 



died iu Monroe Township, Miami County, 
at tlie age of forty years ; Ann, who was 
the wife of Robert Furnace and also died 
in Monroe Township, at the age of forty 
years; Eliza Jane, who was the wife of 
Henry Neal and died in Monroe Town- 
ship, aged sixty-nine years ; Oliver Perry, 
who died in Toledo, Ohio, at the age of 
sixty-five years; Mary Ellen, widow of 
A. B. Carey of Lebanon, Warren County, 
Ohio; Joseph Warren, subject of this 
sketch; Daniel Webster, who died in To- 
ledo, Ohio, at the age of fifty-nine years ; 
Ellwood, who died at three years; and 
Reed, who was seven years old at the time 
of his death. Oliver Perry Bowman, who 
for more than twenty years was engaged 
in the real estate business at Toledo, was 
married to Martha Jane Gray of Warren 
County, Ohio. Daniel Webster Bowman 
was for many years in partnership with 
his father at Fredericktown, but later was 
a manufacturer in the city of Toledo. He 
was married to Miss Isabella Turner. 

Joseph Warren Bowman attended the 
public schools of Fredericktown, and later 
commercial school at Toledo. He then sold 
hardware for his father and brother until 
1866 when he became a member of the firm 
of Bowman, AVells and Company at Tippe- 
canoe City, dealing in dry goods and 
boots and shoes. At the end of a year he 
purchased the interest of Mr. Wells and 
the firm became J. W. & 0. P. Bowman, 
continuing as such for two years, when 
J. W. Bowman purchased his brother's 
interest. It was then conducted imder the 
name of J. W. Bowman, and later, for 
three years under the name of Bowman 
and Lindley. Mr. Bowman purchased the 
interest of his partner and it was suc- 



cessively operated under the name of 
J. W. Bowman and Bowman & Davis un- 
til 1898, when the subject of this record 
sold out to Samuel Smith. He has since 
that time been identified with the Dye 
Fruit Company, of which he is now secre- 
tary, treasurer and general manager. 
They have 160 acres devoted to the grow- 
ing of fruits, having about 28,000 trees, 
principally cherries, peaches and plums. 
Mr. Bowman also, owns, individually, a 
farm of 130 acres in Monroe Township. 
He is president and stockholder of the 
Tipp Whip Company; was formerly in- 
terested in the glucose plant and was one 
of the organizers of the Strawboard 
Works. He also was one of the organ- 
izers of the Tippecanoe City National 
Bank, of which he has been a director 
since its inception. He has a fine home 
which he built in Tippecanoe City, located 
on West Main Street. 

In 1866 Mr. Bowman was united in 
marriage with Miss Maggie M. Perry, a 
daughter of Nathan and Isabella Perry of 
Darke County, Ohio, and tlie following 
were the issue of their union: Frank 
Perry, who died at the age of fourteen 
years ; Howard E., an insurance man, who 
died in March, 1907, at the age of thirty- 
four years; Stella W., wife of E. L. 
Crane, who is vice-president and assistant 
cashier of the Tippecanoe City National 
Bank; and Bessie M., who is living at 
home. Howard E. Bowman was married 
to Miss Eva Munger of Piqua, and is sur- 
vived by his wife and one child, Enona 
Gene, the latter being four years old. 

Josepli W. Bowman is an enthusiastic 
Republican, and has always been active 
in the support of the principles of that 



466 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



party. Fraternally, be is a member of 
Blue Lodge No. 74, F. & A. M., at Tippe- 
canoe City. 

A. MOEEISON OEK, vice-president of 
the Orr Felt and Blanket Company, one 
of Piqna's successful business enterprises 
and one of Miami County's largest manu- 
facturing plants, was born September 7, 
1856, in Darke County, Ohio, and is a son 
of Gen. W. P. Orr. 

Mr. Orr was reared in Darke County 
and secured his education there and at 
Piqua, and when he went into business it 
was as a dealer in grain and linseed oil, 
with Orr and Leonard, under the style of 
Orr & Leonard. This name later was 
changed to the W. P. Orr Linseed Oil Com- 
pany, which subsequently sold out to the 
American Linseed Oil Company. When 
this change came about, Mr. Orr remained 
with the new company, in charge of the 
sales department at Cincinnati, until 
February, 1907, when he severed this con- 
nection. In the meanwhile, Mr. Orr had 
become financially interested in a paper 
mill and stove works in Miami County and 
also looked into other investments which 
resulted, in 1900, in his buying out the 
F. Gray Felt and Blanket Manufacturing 
Company, and the establishment of his 
own large enterprise. Increasing business 
has shown the absolute necessity of an ex- 
tension of quarters and facilities and a 
new plant located on South Main Street 
is in course of construction, which, when 
finished will give the plant 190,000 square 
feet of floor space. The old quarters at 
No. 129 East Water Street were formerly 
considered adequate, but the new ones 
will be vastly superior, being equipped 
with all modern appliances, a compound 



condensing engine being used and elec- 
tricity transmitted to every point. This 
will be the largest felt and blanket mill in 
the country. EmplojTnent is given to 
some 400 work people and the pay roll 
amounts to a very large sum. Mr. Orr is 
a director in the Citizens National Bank, 
the Piqua Sa^angs Bank and the Piqua 
Home Telephone Company. 

Mr. Orr was married to Miss Eliza Van 
Bibber Boal, who was born in Kentucky. 
He has four children: AV. P., Jr., who is 
engaged in the wool business in Australia; 
Margaret, who is the wife of E. D. Hop- 
kins, Jr., of Baltimore, Marjdand ; Martha 
Louise, and Morrison Boal. Mr. Orr is a 
member of the Presbyterian Church. He 
is identified with the Elks and with the 
Piqua Business Men's Club. 

JiEY. JAMES J. CEOWLEY, pastor 
of St. Mary's Eoman Catholic Church, 
at Piqua, was born in England but was 
reared at Bardstown, Kentucky. After 
completing the long course of ecclesias- 
tical training which is required for the 
priesthood. Father Crowley was ordained 
and was stationed in Kentucky, from 
whence he came to Ohio in 1883. 

Father Crowley had charge of St. 
Mary's Catholic Church at Franklin, 
Ohio, for nineteen years, going from there 
to St. Mary's Church at Oxford, Ohio, 
and fifteen months later, in January, 1904, 
came to his present pastorate at Piqua. 

St. Mary's Eoman Catholic Church at 
Piqua was established in December, 1843, 
and is the first Catholic Church built in 
this city. Father James Halloran was 
the first pastor, and Eev. James P. Cahill 
succeeded him, and was later followed by 
Eev. H. Henry. Eev. E. P. Hickey took 








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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



469 



charge in 1887 and remained in charge 
for fourteen years. The present church 
edifice and school building were erected 
during that time. Father Crowley has 
greatly improved conditions since he took, 
charge, both in a material and spiritual 
way. The parish now includes 220 fami- 
lies and the pupils in the church school 
number 230, five rooms being utilized. The 
prosperous condition of the affairs of the 
parish reflect credit upon the Christiaai 
zeal as well as the executive ability of 
Eev. Father Crowley. 

JOHN H. BRANSON, clerk of the New- 
berry Township School Board and one of 
the most progressive citizens of that town- 
ship, resides on his fai'm of fifty-nine acres 
located in Section 6, about three and a half 
miles north of Covington. He was born 
on the quarter-section of which this farm 
was a part, September 18, 1857, and is a 
son of DeWitt Clinton and Charlotte D. 
(Suber) Branson, his father being in his 
day one of the most prominent men of the 
county. 

The first of the Bransons to come to 
Miami County, Ohio, was Moses Nutt 
Branson, grandfather of John H. He was 
born in Burlington (now Ocean) County, 
New Jersey, December 28, 1801, and as he 
was verj' young when his parents died, he 
was bound out. In 1817, at the age of 
fifteen and a half years, he came west to 
Montgomery County, Ohio, where he re- 
mained several years after his marriage, 
and then settled in Lost Creek Township, 
Miami County, and lived there until his 
death. He was married July 8, 1821, to 
Harriet Nutt, a daughter of Levi and 
Sarah Nutt. 

DeWitt Clinton Branson was born in 



Lost Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
May 1, 1828, and was there reared to man- 
hood. After completing his schooling he 
began to teach, being eighteen years old at 
the time, and he continued at that voca- 
tion after his marriage and removal to 
Newberry Townshiij. He served about 
eighteen years as justice of the peace, and 
later one term as county commissioner, 
and was widely known over the county. 
He owned a farm of 100 acres in New- 
berry Township, and another of eighty- 
three acres in Shelby County, Ohio. His 
death occurred August 24, 1906, and he is 
survived by his widow. She was in maiden 
life Charlotte D. Suber, and is a daughter 
of George Suber. Mr. and Mrs. Branson 
became parents of the following children: 
Harriet (Hildebrand) ; Caroline E. (John- 
ston) ; Willis, who is president of the New- 
berry Township School Board; John H.; 
Frank; Sarah (Hartzell) ; Lydia Ann 
(McMakeu); and Angle (Routson). 

John H. Branson was reared on his 
present farm and has always followed 
farming. He has from an early age taken 
a deep interest in public affairs, especially 
those relating to the welfare of his own 
township. He was elected township trus- 
tee and served until his removal to New- 
ton Township disqualilied him from filling 
out his term. He Hved in that township 
for six years and farmed for Colonel Ul- 
lery when the latter was serving as county 
treasurer. During the Spanish-American 
War Mr. Branson served as corporal in 
Company A, Third Regiment, Ohio ^'olun- 
teer Infantry, and was stationed with his 
regiment, first at Tampa, Florida, then at 
Fernandina, Florida, then at Hunt.sville, 
Alabama. He is a member of the Spanish- 
American War Veterans. His farm ad- 



470 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



joins the old Union Churoli, whieli was 
built in 1852 and is the oldest church build- 
ing in the township. In 1900 he erected 
a magnificent brick residence of nine 
rooms, and the entire farm presents a neat 
and attractive appearance. He is serving 
his seventh year as a member of the 
School Board. Mr. Branson was united 
in marriage with Miss Nancy Jane Law- 
rence, who was born in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Joseph 
and Maria (Shafer) Lawrence. They 
have had four children : Albert W. ; Elmer ; 
Ruth, who died at the age of three years ; 
and Benjamin Arthur. 

WESLEY D. WEAVER, of ^liami City, 
Miami County, Ohio, is a retired farmer 
and respected citizen of that community. 
He was born on the old home place in 
Brown Township, Miami County, January 
31, 1858, and is a son of John and Libby 
(Deviney) Weaver. 

Peter Weaver, grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was married to Winnie 
Ross, and their offspring were as follows: 
Peter, Jane, Polly, Nancy, Hannah and 
John. John Weaver married Libby De- 
viney and had the following children : 
Mary Lavina, who is the wife of John 
Arnold and lives near Fletcher, in Brown 
Township ; Ella, who married John Craw- 
mer; Josie, who married Eli Madaris; 
Lucy, who is the wife of Edward Crum- 
baugh ; and Wesley D. 

Wesley D. Weaver attended school at 
New Hope, Brown Township, and assisted 
his father on the home farm until his 
marriage in 1882. He then rented the 
farm of his father-in-law for a period of 
eleven years, afterward retiirning to the 
home place to look after the affairs of his 



father who had become an invalid. Upon 
the latter 's death, Wesley remained for a 
time on the home place and then went to 
Champaign County, where he rented and 
farmed a place. He next purchased a 
house and three acres of land in Section 
10, Elizabeth Township, where he has 
since lived. He has made many improve- 
ments on this ])lace, which is located on 
the Springfield Pike. He also purchased 
forty acres in the southeastern corner of 
Section 9, in Elizabeth Township, two and 
a half acres of it being timberland. In 
addition to this land, he owns a lot on Star 
Avenue in Toledo, and a one-fifth interest 
in other pro]jerty in that city. 

June 8, 1882, Mr. Weaver was united in 
marriage with ^liss Mary Crawmer, a 
daughter of Michael Crawmer of Miami 
County. He is a Democrat in politics, and 
served one term as road su]iervisor. Fra- 
ternally, he is a member of the Knights 
of the Golden Eagle, and also belongs to 
the Temple. In religious attachment, his 
wife is a consistent member of the Chris- 
tion Church. 

AARON B. COURTER was born in 
Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
February 27, 1849, and is a general farmer, 
owning fiftj'-one acres in Bethel Township, 
three miles northwest of New Carlisle. 
His parents were William and Abigail 
(Moore) Courter. 

William Courter was a native of Ohio, 
where his life was spent, mainly as a 
farmer in Bethel Township. He died in 
1863 and was interred at New Carlisle. 
He married Abigail Moore and they had 
nine children — Nancy Jane, Henry F., 
John, Sarah M., Aaron B., Elizabeth. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



471 



"William, Mary and Eachel. The mother 
of tills family died in 1889. 

Aaron B. Courier attended school for a 
short time in his boyhood, at New Car- 
lisle, but as he was the fifth in an increas- 
ing family and his father had little means, 
he had, while still young, to provide more 
or less for his own support. He engaged 
in farm work and about 1868 entered the 
employ of a Mr. Bare, with whom lie re- 
mained for twenty-six years. Mr. Bare 
came to Bethel Township from Cumber- 
land County, Penna., and settled on the 
present farm, where he died. Having no 
children, the farm came to Mr. Courier 
who had so faithfully remained with him 
for so many years. After Mr. Courier 
took charge he repaired the buildings and 
did a large amount of improving. He 
raises excellent crops and is numbered 
with the successful farmers of the town- 
ship. 

On Decemlier 28, 1893, :\Ir. Courier was 
married to Miss Harriet Hale, a daughter 
of John and Mary Ann Hale, and they 
have two children — Mabel May and AVill- 
iam Lawrence, both of whom are attentive 
pupils of Fairview School, District No. 3, 
Bethel Township. In his political views, 
Mr. Courier is a Republican. 

GEORGE S. LONG, private secretary 
to Governor Harmon, has for a quarter 
of a century enjoyed an enviable position 
at the bar of Miami County. Ohio, and has 
been identified, as stockholder and direc- 
tor, with numerous business enterprises 
of Troy, of which city he is a resident. 
He was born in Troy, Ohio, and is a son 
of Jacob F. Long, who was a carpenter 
by trade and first located in that city in 
1854. 



Mr. Long was reared in Miami County 
wliere he attended the public schools, being 
a graduate of Troy High School. After 
teaching one year in the schools of Troy 
he entered Dartmouth College and gradu- 
ated therefrom with ilie degree of A. B., 
in 1879, after which he taught in the 
Portsmouth (Ohio) High School for a 
period of three years. He then returned 
io Troy and prepared himself for the 
legal profession in the office and under the 
direction of Hon. Tlieodore Sullivan. He 
was acbniited to practice in 1884, and im- 
mediately thereafter opened an office in 
Troy. He practices before all State and 
Federal courts, and has been connected 
with much of the important litigation in 
Miami County. He has taken a more or 
less active interest in political affairs, and 
has at times been called upon to fill offices 
of public trust. He served as mayor of 
Troy, a member of the City Board of Edu- 
cation, as State senator from his district 
in 1898 and 1900, and in 1908 was ap- 
pointed private secretary to Governor 
Harmon, upon the duties of which place 
he entered in .January, 1909, at Columbus, 
Ohio. 

George S. Long was united in marriage 
with Miss Lina "Weller, a daughter of 
Capt. J. B. AVeller of Troy, and they have 
one son, Frederick, who is a student in 
Dartmouth College. Fraternally, Mr. Long 
is a Scottish Rite ^Fason, and a member 
of the Indei)endent Order of Odd Fellows, 
Knights of Pythias and the Elks. In re- 
ligious attachment, he and his wife are 
members of the Eiiiscopal Church. 

ROBERT S. SPROUL, an esteemed 
citizen and retired farmer, residing in one 
of the pleasant homes of Troy, situated 



472 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



at No. 403 South Mulberry Street, belongs 
to one of the old pioneer families of Miami 
County. He was born July 2, 1846, in 
Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
and is a sou of Samuel Sproul, who was 
a native of North Carolina. 

Mr. Sproul was reared on a farm three 
miles south of Casstown, Miami County, 
and there engaged in fanning and stock- 
raising for many years. In 1893 he re- 
tired to Troy and this city has been his 
home ever since. He takes a good citizen's 
interest in public matters and does his full 
share in charitable and benevolent work. 
He attends the Presbyterian Church. 

In 1872 Mr. Sproul was married to Miss 
Clara Shidaker, who is a daughter of the 
late Henry C. Shidaker. He was born 
February 20, 1825, in Miami County, Ohio, 
and was a son of Valentine and Emily 
(Harter) Shidaker, the former of whom 
was a native of Maryland and the latter 
of Kentucky. The Shidaker family orig- 
inated in Germany. The pioneer of the 
family in Miami County was Michael 
Shidaker, the great-grandfather of Mrs. 
Sproul, who came to Elizabeth Township 
in 1805 and entered Section 14, being one 
of the very earliest settlers. He was suc- 
ceeded by his son Valentine, who died in 
1846, leaving eight children: Mitchell, 
Lucy, Catherine, Henry C, Andrew, Jona- 
than, Sarah and Eobert. In the course of 
time the jiroiierty came to Henry C. 
Shidaker, who had remained on the old 
homestead during the lifetime of his par- 
ents. On October 8, 1847, he married 
Elizabeth Edmunds, of Virginia ancestry, 
and they had three children, namely: 
Lucy Matilda, Laura E., and Clara F. 
The Sproul family entered land about 
1812 and to such families as the Sproul 



and Shidaker may be attributed the prog- 
ress and development of Miami County, 
their thrift, enterprise and industry con- 
tributing to its material prosperity, and 
their sterling virtues to its excellent citi- 
zenship. 

ALBERT NUTT, one of Bethel Town- 
ship's excellent farmers, who cultivates 
his own fifty-four acres which is situated 
four and one-half miles east of Tippe- 
canoe City, on the Studebaker and Pisgah 
Turnpike Eoad, and rents an additional 
twenty acres which adjoins his own land, 
was born in England, September 6, 1857, 
and is a son of James and Hannah (White- 
head) Nutt. 

Albert Nutt is one of a family of eleven 
children, four of whom came to America. 
In 1884, Mr. Nutt came to the United 
States and when he reached Tippecanoe 
City, Ohio, he first worked as a nursery- 
man, this having been his business in his 
native land. Later he bought Ms pi-esent 
fann of William Ash worth. He has made 
all the improvements here, putting up the 
substantial buildings and making the place 
a valuable projserty. 

In 1880 Mr. Nutt was married to Miss 
Alice Heaton, a daughter of Stephen Hea- 
ton, and they have three children : Annie, 
who resides at home; Emma, who married 
Edwin AVeldy, and has one son; and May, 
who resides with her parents. Mr. Nutt 
and family attend the English Lutheran 
Church. jMr. Nutt does not give much at- 
tention to politics, but he has identified 
himself with the Republican jjarty. 

W. R. THOMPSON, M. D., who, for 
some thirty years has been in the active 
in-actice of medicine and surgery at Troy 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



473 



aud enjoys a well earned reputation for 
professional skill, was born in Montgom- 
ery County, Ohio, where he was reared. 

After completing the common school 
course in his native county, Dr. Thompson 
attended the Ohio Wesleyan College, going 
from there to the University of Michigan, 
where he was graduated from the medical 
department in 1869. He first took up 
practice in Tennessee, but after a year 
and a half he returned to Montgomery 
County and located at Vandalia, where he 
remained until 1879, when he came to 
Troy. Dr. Thompson is an active aud 
valued member of the Miami County, the 
Ohio State, and the American ^Medical 
Associations. He is surgeon of the 
C. 11. & D. Railroad and of the larger 
number of corporations of Troy and num- 
bers patients from all this section of the 
State. 

In 1871 Dr. Thompson was married to 
Miss Laura A. Stouder, of Tippecanoe 
City, Miami County, and they have three 
children, namelj': Charlotte, who is the 
wife of AV. E. Boyer, cashier of the Troy 
National Bank; Fannie E., who is the 
wife of Walter Coles ; and Wilbur R., who 
is a st\;dent, in his sophomore year, in the 
University of ^lichigan. In addition to 
being eminent in his profession. Dr. 
Thompson is an active citizen, recogniz- 
ing his responsibilities as such and lending 
his influence to everything of which his 
judgment approves as being beneficial to 
the community. 

JA:MES E. SIMES, of Covington, 
Miami County, Ohio, is clerk in charge 
in the railway mail service, running from 
Richmond, Indiana, to St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, and has been in the service since 



April 27, 1889. He was born at Sugar 
Grove, in Newton Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, October 1, 1868, aud is a 
son of Thomas J. and Mary E. (Berlin) 
Simes. 

Thomas J. Simes was born in Thomp- 
sontown, Pennsylvania, July 24, 1842, and 
died in Covington, March 18, 1906. He 
was a miller by trade and at one time con- 
ducted what is now known as the Kindell 
Mills. He subsequently operated a grain 
elevator in Covington, aud still later en- 
tered the fruit tree business at which he 
continued until his death. He was in 1867 
married to Mary E. Berlin, who survives 
him, and they became iDarents of two sons 
and two daughters. In 1883 he united 
with the Christian Church, of which he 
was thereafter a liberal supporter. From 
early manhood he was affiliated with the 
Masonic Lodge. During the Civil "War he 
served as a member of the P^'orty-fourth 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and 
later was a member of the G. A. R. He 
was a man prominent in business, cluirch 
and fraternal circles, and was well known 
over the county. For some years he served 
as a member of the Covington School 
Board. 

James E. Simes was reared at Sugar 
Grove and attended the public schools at 
Covington, after which he completed a 
course in the Miami Conunercial College 
at Dayton, Ohio. He was not yet of age 
when he entered the railway postal service 
durins: the administration of President 
Harrison and he has continued without 
interruption since. Mr. Simes was united 
in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Krieg- 
baum, a daughter of Conrad and Susan 
(Smith) Kriegbaum, and they have a 
daughter, Miriam Erla. Fraternally, he 



474 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



is past master of Covington, Lodge, 
F. & A. M. 

HARKY SHILLING, M. D., physician 
and surgeon at Troy, and junior member 
of the medical firm of Coleman & Shilling, 
was born at Troy, Ohio, in 1876, and is a 
son of Charles K. Shilling, of this city. 
After completing the High School course 
at Troy, where he was graduated in 1895, 
he was in the employ of a life insurance 
company for a time and then entered the 
department of medicine in the University 
of Cincinnati, where he was graduated 
with his degree, in 1903. During a term 
of eighteen mouths he gained practical ex- 
perience as an interne in the Cincinnati 
Hospital, coming directly to Troy when he 
was prepared to enter into practice. He 
formed a jjtartnership with Dr. Warren 
Coleman and the medical firm of Cole- 
man & Shilling stands very high in the 
profession. He is a member of the Miami 
County and State Medical Societies and 
keeps fully informed concerning every de- 
velopment in modern medical science. In 
1906 Dr. Shilling was married to Miss 
Clara Prugh, of Piqua, and they have one 
daugliter, Katherine. Dr. Shilling is a 
member of the Baptist Church. Frater- 
nally he is an Odd Pillow. He is a mem- 
ber of one of the old pioneer families of 
Miami County. 

H. S. THOMPSON, one of the leading 
citizens and business men of Troy, Ohio, 
is identified with the Allen and Wheeler 
Company, and is engaged in farming on 
a large scale, owning three good farm 
properties in the county. He has been a 
resident of this city eight years. 

]\fr. Thompson was born in Saginaw, 
Michigan, in 1879, and received a pre- 



liminary education in the public schools 
of that place. He later completed a course 
at Williams College, in Massachusetts, and 
after leaving that institution went to 
Florida where he engaged in the lumber- 
ing business for two years. At the end 
of that time he came to Troy and became 
actively associated with the Allen & 
Wheeler Company. At the end of five 
years he turned his attention to farm- 
ing, in addition, and he and his wife are 
the owners of the Stillwell farm in the 
outskirts of Troy, Mrs. Thompson owning 
also two other farms in Miami County. 
He is also largely interested in Florida 
lands, and is a prominent member of the 
Masonic Order, the Troy Club and the 
Island Outing Club. Mr. Thompson was 
in 1904 united in marriage with Miss Bes- 
sie Coleman, a daughter of Horace Cole- 
man, and they make their residence at 
No. 50.3 South Market Street, in Troy. 
Religiously, they are members of the Ejjis- 
copal Church. 

THOMAS L. PURDY, whose accidental 
death, at Lima, Ohio, February 21, 1907, 
brought grief to a devoted family and sad- 
ness to a wide circle of friends all through 
Ohio, where he was very well known, was 
a native of Covington and a member of 
one of the old and representative families 
of Miami County. He was born at Cov- 
ington, Ohio, December 22, 1850, and was 
a son of James L. Purdy. 

Tliomas L. Purdy was reared at Coving- 
ton, Ohio, and obtained his education in 
her schools. He entered into business as 
a traveling salesman for a commercial 
house of Piqua, but after his marriage he 
resided for seven years on his fatlier-in- 
law's farm in Newberry Township, Miami 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



475 



C-ounty, after wbicli lie returned to Cov- 
ington and entered the Weaver & Kendell 
drug store as a clerk. Subsequently, in 
association with L. A. Bollinger, he bought 
the store and continued to operate it until 
1888, when he sold, having been connected 
with that place either as clerk or pro- 
prietor, for a period of ten years. He 
then accepted a position as traveling sales- 
man, with the Columbus Pharmical Com- 
pany, of Columbus, and later was con- 
nected, in the same capacity, with other 
concerns. Just prior to the ac<;ident wliich 
resulted in his death he had accei)ted a 
position as mail weig-ber in the railway 
mail service and was on his way to enter 
ujion his duties at Napoleon, Ohio. He 
was struck by a locomotive at Lima and 
was hurried to a hospital, but no surgical 
skill was able to save his life. 

On June 1, 1871, Mr. Purely was mar- 
ried to Katherine Darner, who is a daugh- 
ter of John L. and JMary (Mutz) Darner. 
John L. Darner was born near Frederick, 
Maryland, a son of Jacob Darner, and in 
boyhood accompanied his parents to 
Montgomery Coimty, Ohio, and was reared 
on a farm six miles south of Dayton. In 
that county he was married, in 1848, to 
Mary ^lutz, and they came immediately to 
Miami County, where he purchased a farm 
of 160 acres in Newberry Township, three 
and one-half miles north of Covington. 
On tills farm Mrs. Purdy was reared. She 
was the eldest of five children, the others 
being: Mrs. Lucy Bartmess, who died in 
189(); ^Irs. Laura Reisner, whose hus- 
band, James W. Keisner, is connected with 
the Government service, in the U. S. Pen- 
sion office, at "Washington, 1). C. ; Mrs. 
Addle M. Darst. who lives on the old home 
farm; and Jessie, who is the wife of Dr. 



William Arthur Minton, of Bradford. The 
father of tliis family died in 1884 and the 
mother in August, 1907. 

To ]\Ir. and Mrs. Purdy were born lour 
children, namely: Grace, who is the wife 
of James W. Brandon of Piqua ; Lucy E. ; 
Ethel, who is in partnership with Miss 
Gertrude Wliitmer in the conduct of a 
millinery store at Covington ; and Joiin L., 
who is a resident of Dayton. He married 
Nellie Coppock, of Pleasant Hill, and they 
have one son, Thomas Henry. John L. 
Pui-dy is emi)loyed in the office of the Bar- 
ney (.<: Smith Car Comj^any of Dayton. 

The late Thomas L. Purdy was a man 
of Christian life and for many years had 
been a member of the Presbyterian 
Church. He was identified with the 
Knights of Pythias. During lii.s many 
years of travel as a representative of busi- 
ness houses, he had formed many ac(|uaint- 
ances and in almost every section had 
made personal fiiends. 

B. W. JONES, D.D.S., the leading den- 
tal surgeon of Troy, lias been a valued 
lesident of this city for the past nineteen 
years. He was bom in 1869, near AVest 
Unity, Fulton County, Ohio, but was 
mainly reared and obtained his literary 
training at Hudson, Michigan. After de- 
ciding upon dentistry as his chosen pro- 
fession. Dr. Jones gave considerable at- 
tention to ])reliminary study and then 
entered the Indiana Dental College, at 
Indianapolis, where he was graduated in 
]iS90 with his degree. He at once located 
!it Troy, finding here a hearty recognition 
of his jtrofessional .skill, and he has never 
had reason to regret his choice of home 
and business field. He is a member of the 
Ohio State Dental Association and he 



476 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



keei>s tliorougbly abreast of the times in 
the progress made in dental science. His 
office is conveniently maintained on the 
Public Square at No. 4171/2. He has addi- 
tional business interests but devotes the 
larger part of his time and attention to 
his profession. 

In 1893 Dr. Jones was married to Miss 
Nora May Lickly, of Hudson, Michigan, 
and they have one daughter, Josephine. 
He is a Knight Templar Mason and a 
Knight of Pythias, and he belongs to the 
Troy Club and the Troy Business Men's 
Association. 

JOHN PENCE STOCKSTILL, a prom- 
inent retired farmer, residing on his 
valuable property of 160 acres, situated in 
Section 4, Bethel Township, one mile west 
of New Carlisle, has resided here for the 
past thirty years. He was born March 
20, 1841, in Shelby County, Ohio, and is a 
son ofElias D. and Elizabeth (Shroyer) 
Stockstill. 

Thomas Stockstill, the grandfather, was 
born iu North Carolina, from which State 
he came to Ohio seeking a home where 
slavery was not permitted. He reached 
Dayton and at the one store which was 
then the only mercantile establishment in 
the place, he applied for work and was 
directed to J. Haines, who lived near 
Palmer Chapel, which he had built. ^Ir. 
Stockstill came up to the requirements of 
Mr. Haines and after working for him for 
one year was accepted as a sou-in-law, 
Mr. Stockstill marrying Catherine Haines, 
the only daughter of his employer. A 
family of nine children was born to them, 
namely: Elias D., John, Stephen, Irvin J., 
Rachel, Sarah, Susan, Katherine and an 
infant daughter, who died unnamed. After 



marriage, Thomas Stockstill and wife 
esrablished themselves on a farm of 130 
acres near Palmer Chapel, to which Mr. 
Stockstill later added eighty acres. He 
served in the War of 1812 and for a nimi- 
ber of months was stationed at the block- 
house at Sidney. He was a man of Chris- 
tian life and character, a member of the 
]\Iethodist Episcopal Church and a very 
earnest temperance worker. The ashes of 
))(itli Tliomas Stockstill and wife rest iu 
the family vault on tlie old home farm in 
iliami County. 

Elias 1). Stockstill settled in Salem 
Township, Shelby County, Ohio, after his 
marriage, on land which he secured from 
the Government and continued to reside 
on that farm for thirty years, when he re- 
tired to Sidney, where the remainder of 
his life was spent. In his early years of 
political activity-, he voted with the Demo- 
cratic i)arty, but for the twenty years pre- 
ceding his death he was a Prohibitionist. 
Both he and wife were consistent members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church at 
Sidney and they were buried in the ceme- 
tery belonging to that church. He married 
Elizabeth Shroyer, a daughter of Thomas 
Shroyer, and thej* had four children — 
Tliomas, Elizabeth, David W. and John P. 

John P. Stockstill went to school in his 
boyhood in Salem Township and he re- 
members the little log structure with its 
slab benches and its poor accommodations. 
He attended one term of school at Fort 
Jefferson, but just at that time the Civil 
"War began and he detennined to be a 
soldier. He enlisted in Company I, llStli 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he 
served from August, 1862, until the close 
of the war, being mustered out at Chicago, 
Illinois. He took part in many hard fought 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



477 



battles and eudured uiauy of the hardships 
of . military life, but survived them all. 
After the war he returned to Shelby 
County and then worked at the tinner's 
trade for ten years, at Sidney, after which 
he engaged in bridge-building for six years 
for the Chicago & Dayton Railroad. 
Shortly after his marriage he decided to 
settle on his present farm, which was then 
imcleared and unimproved projDerty. In 
addition to clearing the land and putting 
up all buildings, he had to drain 200 rods. 
He retained four acres as a timber tract 
but put all the rest of the land in tillable 
shape and continued to cultivate it him- 
self until others were able to assume the 
responsibility, when he retired from active 
labor. 

He first married ^lary L. Miller and 
they had two children — Carrie, who died 
at the age of eight years ; and Bessie, who 
married 0. B. Key, resides in Shelby 
County, and has three children, Frederick, 
Oat, and Allen. 

On October 30, 1879, Mr. Stockstill was 
married, second, to Miss Jennie Varner, 
a dai;ghter of Abraham and Elizabeth 
Varner, and they have had two children: 
Varner, and W. N. Stockstill. 

In politics Mr. Stockstill is a Democrat 
and for one year he served as assessor of 
Bethel Township. He is a member of 
Palestine Commandery in the Masonic 
fraternity and belongs to the Odd Fellows 
and order of Rebecca, at New Carlisle. 

J. WILLIAM NORRIS, a representa- 
tive business man of Troy, who has been 
engaged in merchandising in this city al- 
most since boyhood, occupies his handsome 
residence at No. 4-t4 South ;Mu1 berry 
Street, and carries on his grocery at No. • 



449 South :\Iull)erry, which modern struc- 
ture lie put uj) in 1890. He was born in 
1865, in Indiana, and was only six months 
old when his parents came to Troy, where 
his father, H. P. Norris, died in 1895. 

yiv. Norris was reared and educated at 
Troy and when only twelve years of age 
was already providing for his own sup- 
port, serving as a clerk in a grocery store. 
In a few years he embarked in business 
for himself and since 1890 has been estab- 
lished at his present location. His busi- 
ness interests are confined to his own line, 
but all matters of public moment claim his 
attention and he is in every way a repre- 
sentative citizen. In 1887 Mr. Norris was 
married to Miss Nannie Curtis, of Miami 
County, and they have two children, Carl 
and Robert, the older sou being in his 
father's employ. ]\lr. Norris and family 
Iielong to the Christian Churcli. 

HARRY E. COOMBS, one of Bethel 
Township's representative citizens and 
for thirteen years a member of the School 
Board, carries on general farming on his 
two tracts of land, both lying in Section 
16, one of thirty acres and the other of 
1741/2 acres. He wds bor?, September '20, 
1863, near ]\Iorgantown, in Monongalia 
County, West ^'irg•inia. His father was 
George Valentine Coombs and his grand- 
father was Elisha Coombs. 

Elisha Coombs was born in M:n\land, 
where he married Elizabeth Wright, and 
they had five children: George V., E. H., 
Frank, Emma W. and Harriet. About 
1870 they came to Miami County and re- 
sided in the home of a daughter, at Troy, 
during the remainder of their lives. Elisha 
Coombs was a very earnest and active 
worker in the Methodist Episcoi)al Church, 



478 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



a leader in prayer meetings and experience 
meetings and served for years as a class 
leader. In politics he was, a Whig and 
was opposed to slavery and on many occa- 
sions he assisted negroes to reach free- 
dom. 

George Valentine Coomhs was born in 
Allegheny County, Maryland, where he 
lived until he was forty years of age, ex- 
cept for the time he spent in West Vir- 
ginia. When he came to Ohio during the 
childhood of his son, Harry E., he settled 
on the farm of 1741/-. acres in Bethel 
Township, Miami County, which is now 
the property of his son. All the land had 
been cleared except ten acres and all the 
buildings with the exception of the barn 
were in good condition, but he found it 
necessary to drain eighteen acres. During 
the Civil War he was captain of a com- 
pany in the 100-day service in AVest Vir- 
ginia. In Bethel Township he took an 
active part in public matters, voted with 
the Eepublican party and served accept- 
ably in a numl)er of township offices. Late 
in life he retired to Troy, Miami County, 
Ohio, where he died in April, 1892. He 
belonged to an Odd Fellow lodge at Mor- 
gautown, West Virginia, and when he left 
West Virginia transferred to New Car- 
lisle Lodge and was in good standing at 
his death. He was a charter member of 
Hickory Grove Grange, Bethel Township. 
Both he and wife were members of Pisgah 
Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he 
was a trustee for years. He married 
Sarah Anderson and they had seven chil- 
dren — Scott. Flora, two that died young, 
Frank, Harry E. and Emma, the sur- 
vivors being Flora and Harry E. 

Harry E. Coombs enjoyed excellent 
school advantages, attending the New Car- 



lisle High School and Springfield College, 
after which he returned to receive prac- 
tical farm training from his father, and 
this he has put to excellent use. When 
the homestead became his own property 
he added thirty acres to it, which he pur- 
chased from Frank Judd. He carries on 
extensive farming and fattens for market 
about two carloads of cattle every year. 

Mr. Coombs was married October 1, 
1889, to Miss Mary S. Johnston, a daugh- 
ter of David A. and Abarilla E. (Stafford) 
Johnston, and they have three children: 
Howard J., Emma L. and Lois Elizabeth. 
The eldest was a member of the graduat- 
ing class of the Bethel High School of 
1909. the second, of the class of 1911, and 
only her tender years has kept the young- 
est yet in the Glenwood School in District 
No. 9. In their intellectual attainments 
and social qualities they are credits to 
their parents and the community. 

]Mr. Coombs completed a very fine resi- 
dence in 1896 and has improved all his 
buildings with paint, making the whole 
place exceedingly attractive. He is a 
member of Hickory Grove Grange, of 
Bethel Township. With his family he at- 
tends the Presbyterian Church at New 
Carlisle. 

SPAFFORD WOODHULL MAX- 
AVELL, a representative retired citizen 
of Staunton Township and a veteran of 
the Civil War, resides on his valuable farm 
of 1021/0 acres, which lies along the Troy 
and Piqua Turnpike, with the Dayton & 
Miami Railroad passing through it. He 
was born on his father's farm, near Frank- 
lin, Ohio, October 20, 1806, and is a son 
of Thomas and Susanna (Jones) Maxwell. 

The paternal grandfather of ]\Ir. Max- 



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AND REPRESENTATIX'E CITIZENS 



481 



well, Thomas Maxwell, was born in Scot- 
land and qamc to America and settled in 
Moumonth County, New Jersey, prior to 
the Revolutionary AYar, and died in Ohio 
when aged eighty-two years. His family 
consisted of seven sons and two daughters. 
Of the sons, Thomas was one of the first 
born, in 1880, and he was six years old 
when the surviving members of the family 
decided to migrate to Ohio. The trip on 
the river was made on a fiat-boat and land- 
ing was effected at Cincinnati. A few 
years later the family settled at Franklin, 
in Warren County, and there Thomas fol- 
lowed chairmaking for some years, and 
then Ijought a farm in Warren County, 
which he sold in 1839 and purchased the 
farm which his son, Spafford W., now 
owns, in Miami County. Its former owner 
was Caleb Hathaway, who had entered the 
land from the Government, and Mr. Max- 
well has the old deed, which bears the sig- 
nature of Thomas Jefferson, then Presi- 
dent of the United States. 

Thomas Maxwell the second spent the 
remainder of his life on this farm, his 
death occurring in October, 1881. He was 
twice married, (first) to Susanna Jones, 
who died on the present farm, in the fall 
of 1839, and (second) to Anna McCurdy, 
who came to Miami County from Lancas- 
ter County, Pennsylvania. She died in 
1872, leaving no issue. The four children 
born to the first union were: Stephen J., 
who is now deceased; Martha, deceased, 
who married William Duncan, also de- 
ceased; Rachel, deceased, who married J. 
Rowlands, also deceased; and Spafford 
Woodhull. The name borne by Mr. Max- 
well was bestowed on him ])y his grand- 
mother, in memory of a distinguished min- 
ister of New Jersev. 



Spaffoi'd W. Maxwell was too young to 
remember the overland journey from War- 
ren to Aliami County, but he has very vivid 
recollections of his boyhood, wiiicli was 
spent in assisting his father to clear the 
farm and in attending school in the log 
structure provided for that ]iuri)Ose. He 
continued to live at home until 1864, when 
he entered the Federal army as a mem- 
ber of Company K, 147th Pennsylvania 
Infantry, under Capt. J. F. Counts. When 
the regiment reached Washington City he 
was promoted to be corporal of his com- 
pany, and served in that rank until the 
close of the war. In the ])resent year of 
universal commemoration of President 
Lincoln, he recalls with pleasure the time 
when he saw him, at Arlington Heights, 
in the last year of the war. L'pon his re- 
turn to private life, Mr. Maxwell resumed 
farming with his father, and in 1872 he 
purchased the place and for many years 
continued agricultural pursuits. He has 
done a large amount of improving. His 
commodious nine-room house is mainly of 
frame, but one part of it is a hevvn-log 
structure, which was put up in 1818. 

On January 8, 1868, ]\Ir. Maxwell was 
married to ^liss Rachel Devol, a daughter 
of Harrison Devol, an old poineer, and 
they have had seven children, namely: 
Minnie, who died in 1905, was the wife of 
Edwin Foster ;AValter, who resides at Troy, 
Ohio, married Carrie jMillhouse; Sallie, 
who married Frank Kendall, resides with 
her i)arents; Anna, who resides at Troy, 
married James (iunder; Bertha and Merta, 
twins, the former of whom is the wife of 
Harry Morrow, of Piqua, and the latter 
of whom died when aged eighteen years; 
aTid Wilber D., who resides on a farm near 



482 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Casstown, Miami County, aud married 
Gertrude McDowell. 

Mr. Maxwell and family belong to the 
Presbyterian Church, in which he has been 
an elder for some forty years. In his 
younger days he was a great Sunday 
School worker and served for a long time 
as superintendent of the school. In poli- 
tics he is a Republican and has always 
taken much interest in public matters and 
at various times has accejitably served in 
townshii^ offices. He is a member of Cole- 
man Post, G. A. R., at Troy, Ohio. 

SAMUEL F. BERRYHILL, senior 
member of the firm of S. P. Berryhill & 
Son, dealers in poultry, eggs, ])roduce and 
coal at Covington, was born on a farm in 
Brown Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
May 29, 1860, and is a son of A. M. and 
Catherine (Brelsford) Berryhill. The 
parents of Mr. Berryhill are both de- 
ceased. The father was a farmer and 
well-known stock dealer and trader, pass- 
ing the larger portion of his life in the 
neighborhood of Fletcher, Ohio. 

Samuel F. Berryhill was educated in the 
schools of Brown Township and engaged 
in farming until 1887, when he started in 
the poultry business at Fletcher, where 
he continued until be came to Covington, 
in 1906. For three years he was engaged 
in the clothing business at Enid, Okla- 
homa, in ]iartnership with his son. Mr. 
Berryhill ])urchased a farm of 140 acres 
in Brown Township, on which he raises 
cattle and hogs and has the land under 
rental. He has been in his present busi- 
ness for twenty-two years and has asso- 
ciated his son Carl with him, under the 
firm name of S. F. Berryhill & Son. 

In March, 1909, a stock company was 



formed for the manufacture of ice, known 
as The Covington Artificial Ice Company, 
with a capita! stock of $15,000 and with 
the following officers : S. F. Berryliill, 
president; J. W. Ruhl, vice-president; 
C. C. Shuman, secretary and treasurer. 
The Y)]ant will have a capacity of fifteen 
tons per day. 

Mr. Berryhill was married in 1880 to 
Miss Jennie E. Smith, who was reared at 
St. Mary's, Ohio, a daughter of James B. 
Smith. They have one son, Carl A., who 
married Miss Cora Shaw, of Oklahoma. 
Carl A. Berryhill belongs to the Elks and 
both he and father are members of the 
Knights of Pythias. The firm of S. F. 
Berryhill & Son is a representative one in 
Covington business circles. 

REV. GOSWIN B. MENGE, the pres- 
ent assistant at St. Boniface Church, 
Piqua, Ohio, has accomplished much for 
the good of the church and its members, 
in spite of the fact that he is the youngest 
clerg\'man ever stationed in this county. 
Born at 952 Hatch Street, Mt. Adams, 
Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 3, 1883, he 
received his primary schooling at the Im- 
maculata. Completing the course in 1896, 
he entei'ed St. Xavier College, the most 
famous Roman Catholic institution for 
higiier education throughout the Ohio Val- 
ley. Seldom meditating on a future 
career, with but one end in view, the ob- 
taining of a thorough college education, 
Father ]\Ienge devoted much time to par- 
ticular studies, receiving special instruc- 
tions in various branches. Under the 
direction of Rev. James Shannon, S. J., he 
obtained a special course in electricity, 
which has proven of much advantage to 
him even in his ecclesiastical career. De- 



AXD REPRESENTATIVE CITIZEN'S 



483 



tenniuetl to obtain a knowledge of the 
people in general he plunged into politics 
and frequently assisted at primaries and 
conventions. In June, 1903, he graduated 
from St. Xavier, obtaining the degree of 
Bachelor of Arts. 

The future was a matter Father Menge 
seldom considei'ed, l)ut his thoughts were 
turned in this direction by the death of his 
brother Lawrence. After mature deliber- 
ation, and seeking counsel from both 
friends and foes, he chose an ecclesiastical 
career, entering Mt. St. ]\Iary's Seminary 
of the AVest tlie September following his 
graduation from St. Xavier. Being or- 
dained priest by Archbishop Moeller in 
June, 1907, he was assigned to Rev. 
George P. Steinlage as assistant. 

Father Menge is a devoted son of his 
Alma Mater, a member of its Alumni 
Association, aud of the Xothree Club, a 
society composed of the members of the 
Xavier Class of '03. He is the first 
assistant sent to St. Boniface Church 
direct from the Seminary, and his motto, 
'"Bigotry is ignorance," has gained for 
him many non-Catholic friends. 

EEV. JOHN H. SNELL, general farmer 
and representative citizen of Bethel Town- 
ship, residing on his valuable estate of 
eighty-one and one-half acres, was born 
in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
"November 3, 18-19, and is a son of Daniel 
and Susannah (Detrick) Snell. 

Daniel Snell was born in 1S14, in Rock- 
ingham County, Virginia, and was twenty- 
five years of age when he came to Miami 
County and took up his residence in Bethel 
Township, from which he later moved to 
Clark County, where he died in August. 
1893. In politics he was an" old-time 



Democrat. lie married Susannah Detrick, 
who died February 2, 1895, and both were 
buried in a cemetery not far from Spring- 
field, Clark County. They were worthy 
members of the German Baptist Church. 
They had eight children, namely: Bar- 
bara, Elizabeth, Catherine, Jacob, Daniel, 
Philip, John H. and Abraham. 

John H. Snell was afforded excellent 
educational advantages and made good 
use of them. For several years he at- 
tended school at Lawrenceville, Clark 
County, then spent two terms in Spring- 
field College, after which lie embraced 
teaching as his profession, devoting him- 
self to this for the succeeding thirteen 
years, three of which were spent in Kan- 
sas. After he married, in 1877, he had 
settled in Clark County, where he taught 
school and also engaged in farming, after 
which he visited Kansas, where he lived 
on a farm for six years, being recalled 
to Clark County on account of his father's 
failing health. He remained there for 
two years and then purchased his present 
fine farm in Bethel Township, Miami 
County, from Milton Sensman. This fann 
is favorably located, being situated four 
and one-half miles west of New Carlisle 
and reached by the Studebaker Turn])ike 
Road. He found all the i)reseut buildings 
standing, but repairs were needed, and he 
has done considerable improving since tak- 
ing charge of his property. Grain, hay, 
fruit and stock are the products of his 
farm. 

On December 2, 1877, Air. Snell was mar- 
ried to Miss Susanna Xeher, a daughter of 
Adam Xeher, and they have had two chil- 
dren : Edgar A., who died October 25, 
1900; and John D.. who married Media 



484 



HISTORY OF MIA:\1I COUNTY 



Chalk, a daughter of William Chalk. They 
have two children, Milo aud Thelma. 

Mr. Suell aud I'auiily are members of 
the old German Bai^tist Church of Bethel 
Township, in which he has been a minister 
for the past live years. Like his father, 
he is a Democrat. 

LEAVI8 C. GESSAMAN, one of Bethel 
Townshij)'s substantial citizens, engages 
in general farming on his ninety acres of 
valuable land, which is situated not far 
from the village of Phoneton. He was 
born on this farm in Miami County, No- 
vember 8, 1856, and is a son of George 
J. and Malinda (Fluke) Gessaman. 

The Gessaman family is numbered with 
the old representative ones of Bethel 
Township. The grandfather, George Ges- 
saman, came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, 
accomi)anied by his wife, and reached the 
little frontier town of Dayton in 1811. 
There they were directed into the great 
wilderness where they had located a claim 
of. 160 acres in the forests of Bethel Town- 
ship, and their grandson, Lewis C. Gessa- 
man, has the old sheepskin deed from the 
Government, which cemented the contract. 

George Gessaman was a typical pioneer, 
and before his strong arm the giants of 
the forest fell to make room for the build- 
ing of his first cabin. On his cleared land 
he carefully planted the cherry stones he 
had thoughtfully lirought from his old 
Pennsylvania home, and these transplant- 
ed seeds in the coui'se of years produced 
the Hue cherry orchard which his descend- 
ants now enjoy the fi'uit of. No trace is 
left of the buildings he put up, but it was 
his industry and strength that cleared up 
the larger part of the original farm. It is 
certain that at one time he was a soldier 



and in all probatiility he fought in the 
War of 181:^. He died in 1839, his wife 
a few years later, and their burial was in 
Bethel Cemetery. They were among the 
founders of the German Reformed Church 
in this section. 

George J. Gessaman, father of Lewis 
C, was born March 19, 1819, on tlie farm 
which is now owned by the latter. He was 
twent}'^ years old when his father died and 
he took charge of the home farm and also 
of two eighty-acre farms in Indiana, which 
had l)een willed to his two sisters. He 
gave filial care to his mother as long as 
she lived. He acquired other land in addi- 
tion to the homestead and at the time of 
his death owned 182 acres, which he di- 
vided among his children. He erected the 
substantial buildings now in use, including 
the fine brick residence. He was never a 
l^olitician, but he always took an interest 
in public affairs, especially those in con- 
nection with the good government of the 
township, casting his vote with the Repub- 
lican party. Both he and his wife were 
worthy members of the German Reformed 
Church. During the Civil W^ar he was 
twice drafted ; on the first occasion he paid 
a substitute, and on the second he was 
found to have passed the age limit. He 
died March 9, 1894, his wife having passed 
away February 13, 1882, and both were 
buried in the Bethel Cemetery. He was 
married in early manhood to Malinda 
Fluke, a daughter of John Fluke, and thir- 
teen children were born to them, all of 
whom reached mature years with the ex- 
ception of the four eldest — John George, 
John Peter, David and Margaret. The 
others were named res])ectively : Sarah, 
Harriet, Lavina, Martha, Charlotte, Lewis 
C, William L., Sylvester G., and Grant. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



485 



Lewis C. Cessaruau first attended tlie 
Poplar drove scliool near his home aud 
had only tlie educational chances which 
came to country hoys in more or less iso- 
lated regions in his youth. He worked for 
his father until he purchased the farm, and 
lias spent his whole life oji the old place. 
The land was all cleared when he came 
into possession and all tlie improving he 
has found necessary has been the putting 
up of a few buildings, with a little repair- 
ing and draining. The land has been well 
fertilized and carefully cultivated by its 
three owners and if placed on the market 
would bring a large pr-ice i)er acre. Mr. 
Gessaman is a stockholder and one of the 
directors of the City National Bank of 
Tippecanoe City. 

On December '2, 1888, Mr. Gessaman was 
married to Miss Margaret E. Warner, 
daughter of Amos Warner. Mrs. Gessa- 
man died February 15, 1903, and was in- 
terred in the new cemetery at Bethel. She 
is survived by one son, Ernest L., who at- 
tends school. Mr. Gessaman was married 
(second) December 27, 1905, to Miss Lu- 
ella Perry, a daughter of Cyrus Perry. 
They are members of the Eeformed 
Church, of Bethel, Mr. Gessaman being an 
elder. In his political sentiments he is a 
Ee]niblican. At one time he was identified 
with the Grange and also with the Odd 
Fellows. 

WILLIAM HARRISON IIELMER, a 
representative citizen of Lost Creek Town- 
ship, residing on a tract of ten well im- 
proved acres, situated on the Troy and 
Urbana Turnjjike Road, about nine miles 
northeast of Troy, also owns a fine farm 
of sixty acres in this township, which is 
now o]ierated by his son. He was born 



August 1-1:, 18G0, on his father's farm in 
Concord Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
and is a son of William Jasper and Sarah 
Elizabeth (Reeder) Helmer. 

William Jasper Helmer was l)orn in 
1828, in Green County, Ohio, and was a 
son of Peter and Mary (Yates) Helmer, 
the former of whom was born in Germany 
aud the latter in the State of New York. 
Peter Helmer and wife came to Ohio wlien 
all this section was a wilderness, journey- 
ing down the river to Cincinnati in a flat- 
boat and settling near Osborn, in Green 
County, where both died when advanced in 
years. Their ashes rest in the old Helmer 
family graveyard there. Ail their seven 
children have also passed away: Arthur, 
Solomon, William J., Elmii-a, Ellen, Sarah 
and Minei'va. 

AVilliam Jasjjcr Ilclmcr spent his entire 
life in Ohio, during his earlier years oper- 
ating a farm near Osborn. In 1870 he 
moved to Miami County and ])urchased a 
farm near the Studcbaker Woolen Factory 
in Elizabeth Township and for some ten 
years carried on the farm and worked with 
his sons in the factory. He died on that 
farm in February, 1900. In 1854 he was 
married in Greene County, to Sarah Eliza- 
beth Reeder, a native of Clark County, 
Ohio. She still survives and resides one- 
half mile east of the Orphans' Home, on 
the Troy and Springfield Turnjuke. To 
William J. Helmer and wife were born 
the following children: (ieorge Washing- 
ton, who lives in Elizabeth Township; 
Belle, who is the wife of Albert Gabriel, 
of Lost Creek Townshi]); William Harri- 
son; Dora, who is the wife of William 
Marr, of Mis.souri; Minnie, now deceased, 
who was the wife of Isaac Dye; Ellen, who 
is the wife of Thomas Dewey, of Elizabeth 



486 



HISTORY OF yilXMI COUNTY 



Township; Mary, who is the wife of Sam- 
uel Stoner, of Texas; Harriet, who is the 
wife of Samuel Harris, of Springfield, 
Ohio; and Blanche, who is the wife of 
Charles Folkerth, of AVest Milton, Ohio. 
William J. Helmer served in the Civil 
War and was honorably discharged. 

William H. Helmer attended the district 
schools in his youth, helped his father on 
the home farm and continued to live at 
home until his marriage. For ten years 
he worked in the Studebaker AVoolen mills, 
and in November, 1883, bought his farm of 
sixty acres, in Lost Creek Township, it 
was known as the old Eev. Rapi3 farm and 
was then owned by Daniel Flook. lie con- 
tinued to work that farm until July, 1907, 
when he turned it over to his son aud re- 
tired to his present small place, which con- 
tains enough land to keep him busily em- 
ployed without making any heavy demands 
on his strength or time. 

Mr. Helmer was married (first) on Jan- 
uary 16, isyi-, to Miss Mary Eddy, who 
died May 31, 1892. She was a daughter 
of William and Emeliue Eddy. Two chil- 
dren were born to that marriage: Bessie, 
who married Carl Thackara, aud lives in 
Champaign County; and Charles, who re- 
sides on his father's large farm, married 
Lillian Bair, and has one child, Eeeva. On 
June 3, 1893, ilr. Helmer was married 
(second) to Miss Josephine Weatherhead, 
a daughter of John and Mary Weather- 
head. In politics ^Ir. Helmer is a Demo- 
crat. He has served frequently in town- 
ship offices and for ten years was road 
superintendent. 

DAA^IS MARTINDALE, owner of a 
well improved farm of 104 acres in Staun- 
ton Townsliip, Miami County, Ohio, comes 



of a prominent aud influential family of 
the county. He was born on the home 
farm in Monroe Township, August 2, 1861, 
and is a son of John and Delilah (Macey) 
]\fartindale. His grandfather, John Mar- 
tiudale, Sr., came to Ohio from the East 
at an early date and settled in Montgomery 
County, near the Miami County line. There 
he resided until his death at a ripe old age. 
John Martindale, Jr., was born on the 
old home place in Montgomery County, 
and was one of the following children born 
to his parents : Robert, Martin, William, 
Jessie, Samuel, Stewart, Martha, Rachel, 
Rebecca, Mary, Cynthia Ann, and John. 
He spent his boyhood in helping to clear 
the old farm, and received a very limited 
schooling. Farming continued to be his 
occupation throughout his active career, 
and he achieved a higher degree of success 
than the average. After his marriage he 
purchased eighty acres of land in Monroe 
Township, Miami Coimty. and to this later 
added eighty acres, and this continued as 
his home until he and his wife moved to 
Tipjiecanoe City, where they are spend- 
ing the twilight of life in the peace and 
comfort of retired life. He became the 
owuer of many valuable tracts in various 
parts of ^liami aud Montgomery Counties, 
aggregating hundreds of acres. He sold 
each of his sons good farms and still re- 
tains more than 500 acres. The foundation 
of his fortune was two thousand five hun- 
dred dollars, and his rise to affluence came 
through hard work, foresight and good 
Imsiness judgment. He was united in mar- 
riage with Delilah Macey, who also was 
liorn in Montgomery County, and their 
children are as follows: Henry Davis, 
subject of this record, who has 104 acres 
located in Staunton Township, two and a 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



487 



half miles southeast of Troy; AVilliatti, who 
is the owner of 103 acres in Butler Town- 
ship), ^Montgomery County; AVarren, who 
has 111 acres in Monroe Township, ^liami 
County; Edward, whose farm of eighty 
acres is also located in Monroe Township; 
and Ella, who is the wife of Samuel Near, 
of Miami County. 

Davis Martindale spent his boyhood 
days on the home farm and, being the 
eldest child, started in to work for his 
father when quite young. He started op- 
erating his present farm as early as the 
spring of 1883, but did not purchase it 
until 1893. He has spent about $4,500 in 
improvements and has a' very desirable 
property in all its appointments. He has 
always followed general farming along 
modern ideas, and takes rank among the 
progressive citizens of the township. He 
was elected to the Miami County Fair 
Board in 1907, and has since served ca- 
pably in that cajiacity. 

February 26, 1887, Davis Martindale 
was united in marriage with Miss Laura 
Ella Eidemiller, a native of Monroe Town- 
ship, and a daughter of John and Augusta 
Eidemiller, who came to this county from 
Germany. Three children are the issue of 
this union: Edith, Vernon and Blanche. 
The subject of this sketch is a Republican 
in politics, has been a member of the Cen- 
tral Committee since 1908, and has served 
as school director. 

SAMUEL ZOLLINGER, president and 
treasurer of The S. Zollinger Company, 
wholesale grocers, at Piqua, vice-president 
of the Citizens' National Bank, of Piqua, 
and financially interested in other large 
enterprises, stands among the leading busi- 
ness men of this citv. Mr. Zollinger was 



born in Lickiug County, Ohio, August 22, 
1838, and is a son of John and Susanna 
(Whitmore) Zollinger. 

The father of Afr. Zollinger was a prom- 
inent citizen of Piqua for many years. In 
1848 he established himself here in the re- 
tail grocery business, in which he continued 
until 1881, his active career closing only 
with his death. For a number of years he 
served the township as trustee and his 
good judgment and thorough and practical 
methods were beneficial to his community 
as long as he lived. He married Susanna 
AVhitmore and they reared a family of 
two sons and two daughters, namely : Sam- 
uel, the subject of this sketch; J. W., who 
died in 1905; Mary C, residing at Piqua, 
who is the widow of Dr. Knouff ; and Ma- 
tilda, who also resides at Piqua. 

Samuel Zollinger became a clerk in his 
father's store after his education was com- 
pleted in the Piqua schools, and continued 
there until 1860. He then went to Cali- 
fornia, remaining in that State until 1863. 
When he came back to Piqua he entered 
into partnership with his father and ever 
since has been identified with the leading 
interests of this city, and succeeding his 
father as treasurer of Washington Town- 
ship, an office held by John Zollinger at 
the time of his death, in 1881. The son 
has sei-ved in this office ever since. Mr. 
Zollinger continued in the retail line un- 
til 1890, when the present company was 
formed by S. and J. W. Zollinger and the 
business ever since has been exclusively 
wholesale and conducted under the name 
of The S. Zollinger Company. Mr. Zol- 
linger has other important business inter- 
ests, including a large interest in the Cron- 
Kills Company, manufacturers of furni- 
ture. 



488 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



In November, 1871, Mr. Zollinger was 
married to Miss Dora Dye, a member of 
one of the pioneer families of Miami Coun- 
ty, and they have two children : Susan, 
who is the wife of J. P. Spiker, a manufac- 
turer at Piqua; and Mary C, who is the 
wife of Frank McEwan, a resident of Mad- 
ison, New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Zollinger 
are members of the Green Street Meth- 
odist Episcojial t'liurcli, of which he is 
treasurer. He is a thirty-second degree 
Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chap- 
ter and Council at Piqua, to Ti-oy Com- 
mander}' and Dayton Consistory, and he 
lias been treasurer of the Chai)ter since 
1871. He is also a member of the Piqua 
Club and is one of the directors of the 
Memorial Hospital. 

O. T. EOSZELL, grain dealer, with busi- 
ness quarters on South Mulberry Street, 
Troy, was born in 1858, near Tii^pecanoe 
City, ]\Iiami County, Ohio, and is a son 
of liev. Joseph Eoszell. 

The father of Mr. Roszell was born in 
1822, in New Jersey, and was nine years 
of age when he was brought to Montgom- 
ery County, Ohio, and sixteen when he 
came to Miami County. He was a min- 
ister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 

0. T. Roszell obtained his education in 
his native township and also at Tippecanoe 
Cit}^ and followed an agricultural life un- 
til he was about twenty-four years of age. 
After his marriage he came to Troy and 
at first engaged in a grain business, but 
shortly afterward sold out and for a few 
months was interested in furniture man- 
ufacturing. Deciding . that Tip])ecanoe 
City at that time offered a better field for 
that business, he moved there and con- 
tinned in the manufacture of furniture for 



ten years. He then carried on a milling 
and grain business at New Carlisle for 
three years, after which he came to Troy 
and established his present enterprise, 
first under the style of Roszell & Hale. On 
account of poor health, Mr. Hale with- 
drew, and since then Mr. Roszell has been 
sole proprietor under his own name. He 
deals in grain, seed, feed, etc., and is a rep- 
resentative business man of the city. 

In 1887 J\Ir. Roszell was married to Miss 
Blanche Hale, a daughter of John Hale, 
of Aliami County. They have five chil- 
dren, namelj" : Mabel, who is a member of 
the graduating class of 1909 at the Troy 
High School; Clarence, Earl and Ralph; 
all students; and Dorothy, the youngest. 
Mr. Roszell is identified with both the Ma- 
sons and Odd Fellows. 

LEWIS EDWARD SIMES, postmaster 
at Covington, Ohio, and president of the 
Covington Tribune Company and secre- 
tary of the Covington Home Telephone 
Company, is one of the prominent and rep- 
resentative citizens of Miami County, 
Ohio. He was born at Covington, May 7, 
1873, and is a son of E. D. and Margaret 
(Stailey) Simes. 

The late Edward D. Simes, whose death 
occurred at Covington, March 6, 1909, was 
a hero of the Civil War, and for years 
thereafter was engaged in business at Cov- 
ington. He was born in Juniata Coimty, 
Pennsylvania, March 5, 1840, and in early 
boyhood accompanied his parents to Mi- 
ami County, spending almost his entire 
after-life at Covington. In response to 
President Lincoln's call for soldiers in 
1862, he enlisted in Company G, 110th 
Regiment 0. Vol. Inf., and gained jn-omo- 
tion from rank to rank until he was com- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE 'CITIZENS 



489 



missioued i\r»{ lieutenant. For several 
years he escaped tlie more serious hazards 
of war, but in 1864, in the Shenandoali Val- 
ley, while on duty, he was so seriously shot 
that he was taken first to a hospital at Win- 
chester and subsequently sent home on sick 
leave, and before he had sufficiently re- 
covered the war was over. He had two 
brothers in the army, one of whom died in 
the Wildei-ness and the other after the war. 
Mr. JSimes assumed business responsibili- 
ties at Covington, in the course of time, 
and these lie fulfilled carefully and effect- 
ively until failing health caused his with- 
drawal from active life. At times he served 
both on the City Council and the School 
Board. He was married April 14, 1868, 
to Miss Margaret Stailey, who died May 
1, 1893, this domestic affliction being one 
from which he never recovered. Their 
three children are two sons, Lewis Edward 
and George ]\Iiles, and one daughter, Mrs. 
May Simes Rothei'mel. Mr. Simes was a 
consistent member of the Christian Church 
and very active in all its avenues of use- 
fulness. He was a member and frequently 
an official of Covington Lodge, No. 168, F. 
& A. M. 

Lewis Edward Simes was educated in 
the Covington schools and for eleven years 
was associated with his father in a retail 
grocery business, after which lie entered 
the telephone business, and since the Cov- 
ington Home Telephone Comjiany was first 
organized has been its secretary. He is 
identified with other interests and is presi- 
dent and one of the organizers of the Cov- 
ington Tribune Com])any, successors to 
the Tribune Printing Company. Mr. Simes 
was married to Miss Irene Edge, daughter 
of W. W. P]dge, of Troy, Ohio, where Mrs. 
Simes was born and reared. They liave 



two children, Margaret and Mary. He is 
a thirty-second degree Mason, an Elk, a 
Knight of Pythias, and also a member of 
the Ancient and Honorable Order of Gob- 
blers. In politics Mr. Simes is a Kepub- 
lican and is serving his first term as post- 
master, his administration meeting with 
the approval of his fellow citizens. 

ORIN A. and BERT ESTEY, who farm 
the old Jotliam Estey jjlace o'f 243 acres, 
located in Staunton and Lost Creek Town- 
ships, are industrious and prosi)erous 
young business men, with a wiile ac(|uaint- 
ance through this section of ^liaiui Coun- 
ty. They are sons of Jothara S. Estey, 
who is now living in retirement on the old 
homestead in Lost Creek Township. 

The first of the Estey family to locate 
in jMianii County, Ohio, was David Estey, 
grandfather of tlie subjects of this sketch, 
who was born in New Brunswick, July 31, 
1792. He was there married, on Septem- 
ber 30, 1813, to Ann Kuoop, and after the 
birth of their first child they moved to 
Miami County, Ohio, where he was among 
tlie i)ioneers. He settled on a wild and un- 
cleared piece of land in Lost Creek Town- 
ship, for which he sulisequently got a deed 
from the United States Government, 
signed by President Andrew Jackson, lie 
had followed lumbering in New Brunswick, 
and ujjon locating here erected water saw- 
mills along Lost Creek, finding a ready 
market for his lumber in Dayton and Cin- 
cinnati. He ])rospered in a business way 
and added to his possessions until he had 
500 acres of very desirable land. He con- 
tinued to reside here until his death, in 
November, 1874. His wife, who was born 
March 19, 1791, died in 1873. They were 
parents of eleven children, as follows, all 



490 



HISTORY OF illAMI COUNTY 



but the eldest of wlioin were born in Mi- 
ami County : James ; ^lichael ; Eunice, 
who was the wife of A. Deffenbaugh; 
Charles; George; Simon; Mary, who was 
the wife of J. U. Ever ; William ; Lucy, who 
married Henry Deweese; Jotham; and 
Maria, who is the wife of James Dickson 
and lives in Iowa. The two last named are 
the only ones living. 

Jotham Estey was boi-n on the old home- 
stead in Lost Creek Township, October 5, 
1833, and spent his boyhood days work- 
ing in the woods and fields. His educa- 
tion was limited to the "three E's." He 
was eighteen years of age when the Gold 
Fever carried him across the plains to Cal- 
ifornia, where he remained for five years, 
his time being mainly devoted to lumber- 
ing. He went in 1852, and in 1857 returned 
to Ohio, bringing with him $3,000 in gold 
dust. He then purchased eighty acres in 
Lost Creek Township, where he still lives. 
It was then mostly swamp and timber, and 
it took some years of hard woi'k to clear 
and tile it, many miles of tile having been 
used. He now has 243 acres, of which 180 
lie in Lost Creek Township and sixty-three 
in Staunton Township. 

In January, 1858, Mr. Estey was united 
in marriage with Miss Mary Jane Hosier, 
who, after a little more than half a cen- 
tury of wedded luip])iness, passed away on 
February 23, 1908, at the age of sixtj^- 
seven years. They brought into this world 
five children, namely: Clara, deceased 
wife of Sylvester Bobbins ; Orin A. ; Eliza- 
beth, wife of Lavell Williams; Grant, 
whose home is in Kansas; and Bert. 
Jotham Estey is a Republican in politics. 
He is a member of the Union Baptist 
Church, to which his wife also belonged. 



Orin A. Estey, who lives on the sixty- 
three acres of the farm lying in Staunton 
Township, was born on the home place in 
Lost Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
June 15, 1861. He spent his boyhood in 
working on the farm and in attending the 
public schools. Being the eldest son, the 
care of the farm fell upon his shoulders 
while quite young. He follows general 
farming and is meeting with much success. 
October 28, 1885, he was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Mattie Small, a daughter 
of David Small, and they have two chil- 
dren, Mary Ellen and James. He has al- 
ways taken a deep interest in the affairs 
of Staunton Township, and at one time 
served as township trustee, to which of- 
fice he was elected on the Eepublican ticket. 
He and his wife are members of the Bethel 
Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Bert Estey was born on the old home 
farm in Lost Creek Township, September 
28, 1878, and resided there until his mar- 
riage on December 19, 1900. He then 
rented land and engaged in farming for 
seven years. After the death of his mother, 
he in the spring of 1908 returned to the 
old farm in order to provide a home for 
his father. In January, 1907, he embarked 
in the threshing business, which he has 
since followed with good results, having a 
complete threshing outfit; and during the 
winter he operates a feed mill. He is a 
Republican in politics. Mr. Estey 's mar- 
riage was with Miss Elizabeth Viola Stu- 
debaker, a daughter of Joseph M. and 
j\Iary Ann (Clyne) Studebaker, of Eliza- 
beth Township, and four children were 
born to them : Mary, who died at the age 
of one year nine months and eighteen 
days ; Olivene C, Jay S., and Alva G. 



AND PvEPRESEXTATnF CITIZEN.S 



491 



WILLIAM H. CROMEK. who is en- 
gaged in general farming and to1)ai'co rais- 
ing on a tract of 120 acres, located about 
six and a half miles east of Troy, in Lost 
Creek Township, has been a lifelong resi- 
dent of Miami County. He was born June 
10, 184-8. at Casstown, Miami County, Ohio, 
and is a son of Elnathan and Mary (Car- 
ver) Cromer. 

Elnathan Cromer was a native of Vir- 
ginia and when a young man came to Ohio 
with his father, who located at Casstown, 
Miami County, and here engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits for a number of years. 
He was first united in marriage with Sarah 
Cavault, who died leaving four children, 
namely : Catherine, who married Saben 
McDowell, and both are deceased; Albert, 
and two who died young. Elnathan subse- 
quently married Marj' Garver, a native of 
Ohio and the mother of our subject, and of 
this union were born the following chil- 
dren : "William, the subject of this record; 
Eliza, widow of Mathias IHe; Harriet, 
wife of Benjamin ]\Iorgan ; and Caroline, 
who is the wife of B. F. Smith. Mr. Cro- 
mer formed a third marital union with 
Catherine Beer, who is still living at the 
advanced age of eighty-tive years, and re- 
sides at the home of our subject. Mr. 
Cromer died in 389;), aged eighty-five 
years. 

William H. Cromer was but a small child 
when his parents removed from Casstown 
to the fann on which he now resides, and 
where he was reared and attended the dis- 
trict schools of the township. At an early 
age he turned his attention to farming and 
when about twenty years of age took en- 
tire charge of liis father's farm, of which 
he became possessor after the death of his 
father. Here he has alwavs followed farm- 



ing in a general way, making a specialty of 
growing tobacco, of which he raises from 
ten to twelve acres yearly. The large brick 
house which Mr. Cromer and family oc- 
cupy was erected during his father's life- 
time, but the greater part of the improve- 
ments on the farm were made by him. 

Mr. Cromer was united in marriage 
March 27, 1870, with Mary Jane Harvey, 
who is a daughter of William and Ruth 
(Brown) Harvey, well known residents of 
Champaign County, Ohio, and of their 
union were born the following children: 
Clara, Howard B., Heftie C, Clyde R., and 
Eddie. Clara resides at home. Howard 
B., an enterprising young attorney, of 
Dayton, Ohio, has offices in the U. B. Build- 
ing on Main Street. His jirimary educa- 
tion, which was obtained in the district 
schools of Lost Creek Township, was sup- 
plemented by a course of study at the 
Fletcher and Piqua High Schools, of both 
of which he is a graduate. He then took a 
seven-years' course in law at the Ohio 
State University, at Columbus, and is one 
of the only three who ever completed the 
course in a period of five years. He grad- 
uated in 1907, and shortly afterward em- 
barked in the practice of his profession at 
Dayton, where he has been eminently suc- 
cessful. Hettie C. Cromer died in infancy, 
as did also Clyde R. and Eddie, who were 
twins. Mr. Cromer is a man of public 
sjiirit and enterprise and is ever ready to 
support those measures which tend toward 
the advancement of the community in 
which ho lives. He is politically a Dem- 
ocrat. 

FRANKLIN A. DeWEESE. the well 
known florist and horticulturist of Staun- 
ton Township, Miami County. Ohio, has a 



492 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



tract of nineteen acres, on wliich he lias 
three large and modernly equipped greeu- 
honses. He has lived all his life in the 
county, except for a brief period in Indi- 
ana, and has been closely identified witli 
the affairs of Staunton Township, being at 
the jiresent time a member of the Scliool 
Board. He was born on liis father's farm 
in Staunton Township, September 19, 
1854, and is a son of Henry G. and Lucy 
(Estey) DeWeese, and a grandson of 
Joshua DeWeese. 

Joshua DeWeese, the grandfather, was 
born in ^"irginia and was a young man 
when he settled in the woods of Miami 
County, living the remainder of his days 
in Staunton Township. He died in middle 
life as the result of a kick from a horse. 
In June, 1818, he was married to Polly 
Gerard, who was the first white child born 
in Miami County. She survived her hus- 
band many years and died at the home of 
one of her children. 

Henry G. DeA¥eese was the third of his 
parents' fourteen children, and was a na- 
tive of Staunton Township, being born on 
the old home place, January 8, 1826. Al- 
though he did not have the advantage of 
schooling, he acquired a superior educa- 
tion and was a broad and liberal-minded 
man. He was a Eepublican in politics and 
served the township efficiently as trustee 
for many years. He was reared to farm- 
ing, and after leaving the home ])lace pur- 
chased the Edward Harter farm in Staun- 
ton Township, later buying what became 
known as the Defrese farm. On this prop- 
erly he conducted a stone quarry, and on 
October li), 1874, was seriously injured 
while blasting. He never recovered from 
his injuries, almost losing his eyesight, and 
from that time on lived in practical retire- 



ment. His death occurred at the home of 
his daughter, Mrs. Arminta Moore, May 
28, 1904, at the age of seventy-eight years. 
He was married Augiist 26, 1848, to Miss 
Lucy Estey, who was born in Miami Coun- 
ty, February 22, 1830, and died at the age 
of sixty-eigjit years. They became parents 
of the following children: Arminta, wife 
of Theodore Moore; Zelia, wife of William 
Loy; Jotham G. W. ; Franklin A.; Henry 
H. ; Maggie, deceased wife of A. Beedle; 
Florence, deceased wife of George Mc- 
Kaig; Docia E., wife of Charles Wilson, 
residing in California; and Alva Watson, 
of Piqua. 

Franklin A. DeWeese spent his boyhood 
days on the farm and when he could be 
spared from the farm work attended the 
district schools, his school days being very 
limited. After his marriage he went to 
Shelby County, and ran his father's farm 
at iVnna Station one year, after which he 
took charge of the stone quarry for his 
father for two years. He rented a farm 
from his father a few years, and in 1882 
bought his present farm from his brother, 
Harry DeWeese, the house on it having 
been completed the year previously. He 
farmed this in connction with the farm 
of his uncle, Simon Estey, and later he 
erected a small greenhouse, 60x12 feet, 
which he heated by furnace. He later 
erected a hothouse 72x20 feet, another 
72x2.3 feet, and still later a third one, 12x72 
feet. He makes a specialty of lettuce and 
spring flowers, and has built up a large 
and well ]iaying business. He puts out 
about 2,000 or o,000 geraniums each year, 
wliich he sells to the citizens of Troy, and 
he also raises many plants. 

November 20, 1879, he was united in 
marriage with Miss Nettie Small, a daugh- 



AND REl'RESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



493 



ter of David B. and EUeu (Conkliu) Small. 
Her father whs born in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, and was a mere baby when 
they came to Miami County, one of his 
treasured ]K)ssessions at the present time 
being- a little roeking-chair they had for 
liim at the time of his arrival here. Mr. 
Small was born in New York State and 
was three years of age when the family 
moved from thei-e to I\Iiami County. The 
Small family in generations back were all 
great hunters, and Mrs. DeAVeese is an 
expert in the use of iirearms. Mr. and 
Mrs. DeWeese are parents of the follow- 
ing children : Lester, who married Nellie 
Knoop and has a daughter, Virginia ; 
Clyde, who married Mary McClung and 
has a son, Orville; Mattie, wife of George 
Shroyer; Elwood, who assists his father 
at the hothouses; and May, who is a fresh- 
man in Piqua High School. Religiously 
they are members of the Christian Chiirch. 
He is a Republican in ])olitics and formerly 
served as pike superintendent. He is at 
the present a member of the School Board. 
Fraternally he is a member of the Junior 
Order of United American Mechanics. 

J. W. SIMMONS, an extensive grower 
of fruit and vegetable ]»lants, is a substan- 
tial citizen and business man of Casstown, 
Miami County, Ohio. From a small and 
unassuming start, he has built up a large 
business and has a larger demand for his 
liroducts than he can HIJ. He was born 
at Panola, Mississipi)i, March 25, 1844, 
and is a son of John and Agnes (Patter- 
son) Simmons. 

John Simmons, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born near Huntsville, Ala- 
banui, and when a young num went to Co- 
lumbia, Tennessee. There he was mar- 



ried to Agnes Patterson, who was liorn 
within the shadow of tlie Natural Bridge 
in Virginia. After marriage they moved 
to Panola, Mississippi, wliere they re- 
mained for a time, and then located on a 
plantation in that vicinity, Mr. Simmons 
becoming a large cotton raiser. He was a 
strong Democrat in politics, and stumped 
liis county for James K. Polk for presi- 
dent. It was his desire to name the sub- 
ject of this sketch and his twin brother, 
Polk and Dallas, resjjectively, in honor of 
the president and vice-president who had 
been recently elected. He died in 1850, 
while in the prime of life. He and his wife 
were parents of the following diildren: 
William J., deceased; James F., deceased; 
Virginia E., wife of George Rutledge, of 
Dayton, Ohio; Charles, a twin, who died at 
the age of nine months; and John Wood- 
ruff, a twin to Charles. Ten years after 
the death of her first husband, Mrs. Sim- 
mons foimed a second marital union with 
James McCandless, who died in 1879. She 
survived him until 18i)ii, when she, too, 
{)assed away. 

John W. Simmons was a mere child 
when his parents moved from Panola to 
the plantation, and was .six years old at 
his father's death. The year following 
the family moved to Dayton, Oliio, where 
he lived until his seventeenth year. At the 
time of his leaving, that city had a ]K)pu- 
lation of about 122,000, and was without 
water works, steam engines in connection 
with the fire department, a i)olice force, 
or the various other deiiartmonts which 
now characterize a city of that importance. 
1 fe went to live upon tlie farm of his step- 
father, James McCandless, in Lost Creek 
Towjiship, Miami County. Ohio, wiiich the 
lattci- had settled upon as early as 1828. 



494 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



He always liad the greatest resj^ect for 
Mr. Mc(.'aiidle.s.s, who treated him with, pa- 
ternal kindliness. He remained on that 
place mitil he entered the army during 
the Civil War. He entered the state serv- 
ice in 1863, and in ]\Iay, 1864, became a 
] 00-day man in the regular service, being 
on duty in the vicinity of the City of 
Washington. Upon receiving his houoi'- 
able discharge he returned to Miami Coun- 
ty, and was married the following year. 
He then located at his i)resent place in 
Casstown, but continued to farm until 
1874. He then began raising small iilants. 
at which he has been so successful. He 
first bought two acres of laud here at $200 
per acre, for which he went in debt, and he 
now owns three good residence properties 
in addition to his garden plot. He began 
without a dollar he could call his own and 
no experience, and the progress made by 
him is. best shown by a partial statement 
of his products in 1!)08. He raised ;:!.5,000 
cabbage, 25,000 tomato, 8,000 mango ami 
45,000 sweet potato plants. He also 
shipped 240,000 strawberry and 54,000 
raspberry plants. He has fourteen beds, 
all under glass, and equipped in the most 
modern fashion. In thirty-four years he 
has never failed to have a crop. 

In 1865 Mr. Sinmions was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Effie Yaste, who was born 
in ^laryland and was six years old when 
brought by her ])arents to Miami County. 
Ohio, making the trip in a carriage. She 
is a daughter of Colonel Samuel and I\Iary 
(Youtsey) Yaste, her father having been 
colonel of a regiuient organized during the 
War of 1812. They have one son, Frank 
Simmons, who is in partnership with his 
father in the horticultural business. Frank 
was first married to Myrtle Jones, who 



died six years later, and he subsequently 
formed a second union with ^liss Alta 
Everingham, by whom he has a son, Paul. 
J. W. Sinunons has always been as staunch 
a Republican as his father was a Demo- 
crat liefore him. He served two terms 
cai>ably as township treasurer, in 1892 and 
in 1894. He is a member of Coleman Post, 
Lt. a. p.. at Troy. 

CJIAKLES E. GAINES, M. D., a well 
known jtliysician and surgeon of Coving- 
ton, where he has been located since 1898, 
is serving his second tenn as coroner of 
Miami County, Ohio. He was born ou a 
farm in Champaign County, Ohio, October 
21, 1858, and is a son of Moses T. and Ann 
((xrafton) Gaines. 

Dr. Gaines was reared on the farm and 
attended the district schools and Urbana 
High School, from which he was gradu- 
ated in 1875. He then returned to the 
farm for a time, and later entered Oberlin 
College. He in 1878 began teaching school, 
at which he continued for two years, and 
during this time began the study of med- 
icine under the preceptorship of Dr. B. F. 
Baker, of St. Paris. He re])resented a 
druii' house on the road for some years in 
order to secure the means of completing 
his professional training, and later at- 
tended the medical department of the Uni- 
versity of Kentucky, from which he re- 
ceived the degree of M. D. in 1890. He 
moved to Covington in 1898 and soon 
gained a high position in the profession of 
the county. In 1905 he was first elected 
county coroner, and in 1908 was re-elected 
for a term of three years. He has proved 
a man of exceptional ability, and in his 
conscientious discharge of his duties of of- 




RALPH H. GIBSON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



497 



lice has gained tlie eonimendation aud higli 
esteem of tlie publio. 

Charles E. Gaines was iinited in Tuar- 
riage with ]\Iiss La\ira Stevens, and they 
have three children, namely: Dr. Waldo 
Gaines, who is in partnership with his 
father in practice and is a graduate of 
Central College of Physicians and Sur- 
geons at Indianapolis, Indiana ; Mabel, the 
wife of Clifford Townsend, wlio has a 
daughter, Virginia Ann: and Thaddora, 
who is the youngest and unmarried. I)oc- 
tor Gaines is a member of the Miami Coun- 
ty Medical Society, and of the Knights of 
Pythias. In polities he is consistent in his 
advocacy and supi)ort of Republican prin- 
ciples. Religiously he is a member of the 
First Presbyterian Church of Covington. 

RALPH H. (JIBSCN. tiie efficient 
sheriff of Miami County and a citizen held 
in high estimation throughout the county, 
was born in Xoble County. Ohio, Novem- 
ber 23, 1S74. His parents were Charles 
T. and Aminervi (Reed) Gibson, the 
former of whom followed the occupation 
of salesman. 

The subject of this sketch was educated 
in the common schools, and when old 
enough to begin industrial life, took up 
railroading, soon after being a])pointed 
freight agent. He came to ]\Iianu County 
in 1880 and for some time was in the em- 
ploy hei-e of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and 
Dayton Railroad. Then, giving up rail- 
road work, he went on the road as a trav- 
eling salesman, in which occupation he 
continued four years, at the end of that 
time becoming department recorder of 
Miami County. He was elected sheriff of 
the county, on the Republican ticket, in 
November, 1905, entering upon the duties 



of the office in the following January. In 
1908 he was re-elected without opposition. 
He has made a very capable official and 
has won the regard of the voting i)opula- 
tion without distinction of party. 

Sheriff Gibson is well advanced in Free 
Masonry and is also a member of the 
Knights of Pythias and the Elks. He mar- 
ried Miss Nellie Deeter, a daugliter of 
Fred Deeter, of Pleasant Hill. .Mrs. Gib- 
son was a member of the Christian Cliurcli, 
but since her mairiage lias become a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Eiiiscopal Church. 
Mr. Gibson was reared in the faith of the 
Methodist Episcojial Church, but at pres- 
ent does not belong to any. They have 
many warm friends througliout the coun- 
ty. Their home is in Troy, where they 
occujiy a pleasant and commodious resi- 
dence. 

THE PECKHAM COAL AND ICE 
Company, a large business enterprise of 
Miami County, which is carried on both at 
Piqua and at Troy, under the same name 
and management, was established at Troy 
in IMOO. and incorporated with the fol- 
lowing officers: Fi'ank J. i'eckham, ])resi- 
dent; Charles Peckham, secretary; aud 
David Peckham, treasurer. In both cities 
large ice plants have been erected and all 
facilities have been provided for the car- 
rying on of a business of large propor- 
tions according to modern methods. 

Frank J. Peckham, the president and 
leading spirit of this important business 
concern, is yet a yoimg man, born in 1877, 
at Troy, Ohio, a son of George W. Peck- 
ham. of that city. He obtained his educa- 
tion in the schools of District No. 4. Con- 
cord Township, and in the Troy High 
School. His first work was done at Day- 



498 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ton, where lie filled a positiou as book- 
keeper for six months, after whieh he re- 
turned to Troy and went into the coal 
business, later establishing an ice plant 
and conducting a successful business in 
both necessary commodities, and in 1900 
entering into the present corporation. In 
October, 1906, Mr. Peckham was married 
to Miss Florence Hawley, of Troy. Thej^ 
are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. 
Peckham belongs to the National Associa- 
tion of Engineers. 

VAN SHEARS DEATON, M. D., is a 
prominent member of the medical profes- 
sion of Miami County, located at Miami 
City, and is one of the foremost citizens 
of that locality. Progressive and })ublic 
spirited, he has always been closely identi- 
fied with the affairs of the community, and 
has often been called ujjou to serve in 
offices of high public trust. The Doctor 
was born near Addison, in Jackson Town- 
ship, Champaign County, Ohio, Augnist 1, 
18i7, and is a son of Nathan and Sarah 
(Scoby) Deaton. 

George Deaton, grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was a resident of Vir- 
vinia and died in that State. He married 
Susan Ream, who was born in 1787, and 
their offspring were William, Andrew, 
Samuel, George, Nathan, Levi, Mary, 
Martha and Susan — all deceased but 
Susan. 

Nathan Deaton was joined in marriage 
with Susan Scroby, a daughter of William 
Scroby, of Champaigii County, and their 
children were as follows: Van Shears; 
Lydia A., wife of Jason Cutler, of St. 
Paul, Kansas ; Emory G., who married El- 
len Hackett, and was a neighbor to the 
famous John Brown, in Kansas; Emma 



1)., wife of John McMorran, of St. Paris, 
Ohio; William Dyke, who married Mary 
Stafford, of New Carlisle; and Charles, 
who died in infancy. 

Van Shears Deaton became an orphan 
at tlie age of nine years. He was educated 
in the public school at Christiansburg and 
the Honey Ci'eek school, leaving the latter 
in 1864 to enter the army. He served with 
credit until near the close of the Civil 
War, when he returned to the home farm 
of Levi Deaton, in Clark County, Ohio. 
He worked on a farm, and for two years 
attended school in Lebanon, after which 
he engaged in teaching for several years, 
at the same time pursuing the study of 
medicine under Dr. Jonathan Thatcher, of 
Alcony. He taught the Hickory Grove 
School in Bethel Township, Miami County, 
two terms, and in Elizabeth Township two 
terms. He was graduated from the Cin- 
cinnati College of Medicine and Surgery 
in 1873, after a three years' course, and 
immediately thereafter engaged in prac- 
tice at Addison, where he continued for 
a period of four years. He then moved 
to Miami City, or Alcony Postoffice, where 
he has been engaged successfully in prac- 
tice for thirty-one years. He is a thorough 
student and has kept abreast the rapid ad- 
vancement made in the science of medi- 
cine, and has met with good results in the 
treatment of the many complicated cases 
which have come under his care during his 
long practice here. Although his profes- 
sion has always been first and foremost 
with him, he has given much of his time 
to public service. He was coroner of Mi- 
ami County two years ; justice of the peace 
six years ; a member of the Board of Edu- 
cation under the old law for sixteen years ; 
and a member of the State Legislature 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



499 



two terras, from 181)4 until 1898, serving 
during his second term as cliairmau of 
the Committee on Common Schools. He 
has l)een a member of the Board of Edu- 
cation four years under the new law, and 
is serving iiis second term as president of 
that body. He is now president of the 
Board of Pension Examiners, and former- 
ly was a member of that board for four 
years during the administration of Presi- 
dent Harrison. In addition to liis prop- 
erty in Miami City, Dr. Deaton is the 
owner of a tine farm of 115 acres in Pike 
Township, Clark County, farmed by his 
son, Eoss. 

Van Shears Heaton was married March 
6, 1873, to Miss Laura E. Shidaker, daugh- 
ter of Henry and Elizabeth Shidaker, of 
Elizabeth Township, and they luive two 
children: C. Ross, who married Loretta 
Moses, daughter of the late Samuel Moses, 
of Chamjiaign County, by whom he has a 
son, Cecil Aquila, named in honor of Gen. 
Aquila Wiley, of Wayne County ; and Dr. 
Ernest Heber Deaton, who married Mayme 
Deaton, daughter of Thomas Jefferson 
Deaton, of St. Louis, and is engaged in 
])ractice in that city. Fraternally the sub- 
ject of this record is a member of Cass- 
town Lodge, I. O. 0. F., and has passed 
through all the chairs of that lodge. He 
also is a member of Coleman Post, G. A. 
R., at Troy. In politics he is unswerving 
in his sui)port of Republican principles. 
Dr. and Mrs. Deaton attend the McKen- 
dree Methodist Episcopal Church of Eliza- 
beth Township. 

JOHN McCLAIN, proprietor of the 
U. S. Auction Syndicate, doing business as 
a department store at Troy and handling 
almost every commodity, has been a resi- 



dent of this city for the past twenty-two 
years. He was born in 1858, at Alliauce, 
Uhio, where he was reared and educated. 
Mr. McClaiu started into business as a 
traveling salesman and for ten years he 
represented eonnnercial firms on the road, 
but after he came to Troy, in 1887, he em- 
barked in business for himself, establish- 
ing here the U. S. Auction Syndicate and 
investing in other enterprises. He is a 
director in the First National Bank and is 
treasurer of the Troy Telephone Company 
and has stock in other business houses. 
He is a very active and public-spirited cit- 
izen and is serving as president of the 
Board of Public Service, this being his 
fourth year, and has also been a useful 
meml)er of the City Council. Mr. McCIain 
married Miss Lois Liddell, of Cleveland, 
Ohio, and they have five sons and one 
daughter: John W., of Detroit; AVilliam 
H., a high school student; Harold; Car- 
roll; and Howard and Hellen, twins. Mr. 
McClain is a member of the Catholic 
Church and, fraternally, he is an Elk, 

JOHN McCANDLISS, who has always 
lived in Miami County, Ohio, is one of the 
progressive citizens and farmers of Staun- 
ton Township, where he has 140 acres of 
good land, and is at the i)resent time one 
of the trustees of the towniship. He was 
born in Washington Township, Miami 
County, May 4, 1849, and is a son of James 
and i\Iai-y (Abbott) IMcCandliss. and a 
grandson of James McCaudliss, Sr. 

James McCandliss, Sr., was born in 
Pennsylvania, and after his marriage 
came to Miami County, Ohio, where he 
followed his trade as a carpenter. After 
a time he purchased a farm southwest of 
Piqua, in this county, where he resided at 



500 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the time of his deatli. He aud his wife 
were parents of the following children: 
John, James, Ainos, "William, Mary, 
Sarah, Eebecca, Nancy aud Ann. All are 
now deceased but the last named, who is 
the wife of David Mitchell. 

James McCandliss, father of the sub- 
ject of this record, was boi'n in MifiBin 
County, Pennsylvania, aud was a young 
man when he accompanied his parents in 
wagons across the countiy to Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio. He was a miller by trade, and 
for a time was identitied with the mills 
of a Mr. Allen and Dye & Culberson. He 
later conducted the Sheets mill for a 
period of thirty years, and continued un- 
til his death in 1899, at the age of seventy- 
two years. He married Mary Abbott, who 
was born in Lost Creek Towushiii, Miami 
County, Ohio, aud is now liviug at an ad- 
vanced age. The following were the issue 
of their uniou : John ; James ; Nancy, 
widow of Charles Rosser; Mella, wife of 
George Wolfe; Isaac; Charles; May Bell, 
wife of Albert Carnes ; and Crosier. 

John McCaudliss si)ent his youth on the 
farm, and being the eldest, had to go to 
woik when young. His schooling was very 
limited, but he is a man of fair education, 
almost wholly self-acquired. At the age 
of ten years he went to live with Isaac 
Sheets in Elizabeth Township, and after 
growing up, conducted the latter 's farm- 
ing operations, remaining with him in all 
about forty years. In 1903 he purchased 
his present farm in Staunton Township 
of B. F. Smith, and replaced all the old 
buildings with new and modern structures. 
He conducted a dairy in years past, but 
now devotes his time to general farming. 
He has a fine home and a well improved 
and fertile farm. 



In 1SG7 Mr. McCandliss was united in 
marriage with Miss Margaret Heiner, who 
died February 25, 1905, leaving a daugh- 
ter. Bertha, who is the wife of Clinton 
Trucksis and lives near Youngstowu, Ohio. 
Mr. aud Mrs. Trucksis have six children — 
Melvin, Mary, John, EajTiiond, Harry and 
Margaret. Fraternally the subject of this 
sketch is a member of Casstowu Lodge, 
No. 426, I. 0. 0. F. He is a Democrat in 
politics, aud for many years served as su- 
])ervis()r in Elizabeth aud Staunton Town- 
ships. In 1!H)8 he was elected trustee of 
the latter. In 1909 Mr. McCandliss, ac- 
companied by ^Ir. Lincoln Cyrus, made an 
extended and pleasant trip to Texas. 

JESSE SHILLING, superintendent of 
the engineering and electrical works in 
connection with lighting and heating the 
Miami County Court House at Troy and 
the jail and inlirmary, having charge of 
the coimty electrical plant, was born at 
Troy, in 1857, aud is a son of the late 
Jesse Shilling, who was a pioneer in Mi- 
ami County. 

Jesse Shilling, Jr., was reared and edu- 
cated at Troy, where he went to the high 
school, after which he entered the Troy 
Fire Department, where he remained for 
ten years aud operated one of the engines. 
He then left home aud went as far south 
as Texas, and during the eight months of 
his stay there acted as a fireman on the 
Texas & Pacific Pailroad, and later also 
ran an engine. After he returned to Ti'oy 
he was in the employ of the manufacturing 
firm of Child's Catarrh Specific, where he 
continued for about eight years. In 1887 
he became connected with his present 
work, of which he is now the capable su- 
perintendent. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



501 



In 1879 Mr. ISbilliijg was luarried to 
Miss Dora Hickerson, who was born and 
reared in Troy and is a daughter of James 
Hickerson, who was one of the pioneer 
furniture dealers in this place. Mr. and 
Mrs. Shilling have two children : Harvey, 
who is a student in the Ohio State Uni- 
versitj"; and Leah, who resides at home. 
Mr. Shilling and wife are members of 
the Bajitist Church. He is a Knight of 
Pythias and is ex-president of the local 
lodge of the National Association of Sta- 
tionary Engineers. 

AVILLIAM AV. AVHITMER, one of Cov- 
ington's representative business men, con- 
ducting a furniture store and undertaking 
business, was born at Covington, Ohio, 
January 4, ISSJr. and is a son of John and 
Sarah (Leuhart) AVhitmer. 

John AVhitmer was born, reared and 
married in Pennsylvania. In 1840 he set- 
tled at Pleasant Hill, Ohio, where he es- 
tablished a general store, conducting it for 
a time and then selling out in order to lo- 
cate at Covington. Here he entered into 
partnership with John Mikesell and Col. 
J. C. UUery and conducted a general store 
until 1860, when he returned to Pleasant 
Hill, and until he retired in 1873, was in- 
terested in a general store at that point. 
He lived into advanced age, his death tak- 
ing place January 2, 1907, when he had 
almost reached his ninety-fifth birthday. 
He married Sarah Lenhart, who died De- 
cember 1, 1905, aged eighty-six years. 
They had eleven children. 

William AV. AVhitmer was reared at 
Pleasant Hill. In 1880 he first engaged 
in the undertaking business, and in part- 
nership with his brother-in-law, J. A. 
Yount, bought out Fred Deeter, at Pleas- 



ant Hill. The partners contiimcd together 
for four years in that line and then traded 
for a tract of land in Mercer County, Ohio, 
wjiieh they later sold. In June, 1891, he 
embarked in the undertaking business at 
Covington, and in 1902 added furniture 
dealing, having a partner in his nephew, 
R. K. Whitmer, although the business 
style continues Whitmer Bros. The firm 
carries a fine line of furniture, and for 
its undertaking business has every neces- 
sary equipment. 

Mr. Whitmer married Miss Flora A. 
Shephard, a daughter of David C. Shep- 
hard, of Darke County, Ohio, and they 
have four children, namely: Cora B., who 
married W. B. Lyle; Gertrude, who car- 
ries on a millinery business at Covington ; 
J. D., who is a graduate of the Ohio State 
University at Columbus and is in business 
in Oregon; and Maigaret, who resides at 
home. Mr. Whitmer and family are mem- 
bers of the Christian Cliurch, in which he 
is a deacon. He is one of the active mem- 
bers of this body and for ten years served 
as church clerk. His fraternal connections 
include the Masons, both branches of tli<^ 
Odd Fellow.s, and the Red Men. 

(iEORGE AVASHING, who is engaged 
ill the grocery business at Pitiua, was born 
in 1872, at Piqua, Ohio, and is a son of 
George Washing, a native of Germany, 
who died at Piqua in 1874. 

Cieorge "Washing, the younger, grew to 
manhood in his native city and was edu- 
cated in her excellent schools. Early in 
life he began to take care of himself, and 
engaged in clerking in grocery stores, 
which naturally led him into embarking in 
the business for himself. In 1900 he 
opened his own store and now has an ex- 



502 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



oelleiit line of trade, Laving won tlie con- 
fidence and esteem of tlie i)iiblic through 
his honesty and courtesy while working for 
others. lie also handles feed of all kinds 
and has an u])-to-date meat market, car- 
rying a a full line of fresh and salt meats. 
In 1898 Mr. Washing was married to 
jMiss Mai-garet Weishardt, and they have 
four children, Frances, George, Margaret 
and Ray. Mr. Washing and wife are mem- 
bers of the German Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Piqua, he belonging to the offi- 
cial board. He is an active and useful 
member of the Retail Business Men's As- 
sociation. 

JOHN LA^MKA, general farmer and re- 
spected citizen of Elizabeth Township, Mi- 
ami County, resides on his valuable prop- 
erty, which consists of tifty-five acres of 
laud, situated in Section 20 and lying 
along the lower Troy and Springiield 
Turnpike Road. He was born in Ger- 
many, June 20, 1843, and is a son of Will- 
iam and SoY)hia (Huptner) Lamka. The 
imrents of Mr. Lamka never came to 
America, and only two of their family of 
fourteen children have made their homes 
in the United States. The father of Mr. 
Lamka died in Germany in 1881. 

When John Lamka came to this country, 
in l882, he was accompanied by his wife 
and children. He settled first near Pleas- 
ant Hill. Miami County, Ohio, and worked 
by the day at farm labor, and then rented 
a farm in Newton Township from Dr. 
Keister. He rented his second farm from 
Levi Barnett, in Elizabeth Townshi}), and 
after living there for eight years pur- 
chased the farm he now owns, on which 
he has lived since 1899. He bought forty 
acres of it from Mrs. Brier and fifteen 



acres from the Harter estate. The purchase 
of this farm was the result of years of in- 
dustry and good management. He devotes 
all of his land to grain, except six acres, on 
which he grows tobacco. The only farm 
building he had to put up was his tobacco 
shed. He is a hard worker and takes a 
great deal of pride in keeping up the ap- 
pearance of his farm and in making every 
part of it a paying i)roposition. 

In Germany Mr. Lamka was married 
to ^Nlarie Prolo, a daughter of Joseph H. 
and Louisa (Holtz) Prolo, and they have 
four children, all of whom have domestic 
ties of their own. William married Anna 
Lamka, a daughter of Henry Lamka, and 
they have four children, Edward, Carl, 
Herman and Charles. John married Marie 
Knoll, a daughter of Lawrence Knoll, and 
they have one child, Marie. Fred married 
Mary Smith, a daughter of Joseph Smith, 
and when she died she left two children, 
Leo and Grace. Cliarles married Maude 
Drury, a daughter of James Drury. Mr. 
Lamka and family are meml)ers of the 
German Lutheran Church at Troy. With 
his sons, Mr. Lamka votes with the Demo- 
cratic party. 

ALBERT KINDER, general farmer 
and tobacco grower, owns eighty acres of 
farm land in Lost Creek Township, Miami 
County, which lies on the Addison and 
Casstown Turnpike and on the Springfield 
and and Troy Electric Railroad, about six 
miles west of the latter city. Mr. Kinder 
was born on a farm in Warren County, 
Ohio, April 3, 1848, and is a son of John 
and Sarah (Maxwell) Kinder, the former 
of whom was born in Pennsylvania and 
the latter in Ohio. He is a grandson of 
Abraham Kinder, who settled in Warren 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



503 



County, Ohio, in 1800, and the farm is still 
in the Kinder name, belonging to a brother 
of Ali)ert, named John. 

Alliort Kinder was left an orjthan in 
boyhood, losing his mother when he was 
only live years old, and his father two 
years later. He was reared in Warren 
Connty and trained to be a farmer. He 
moved from there in February, 1872, and 
settled on a rented farm in Staunton 
Township, Miami County, and in 1886 he 
came to his present place, finding it in 
great need of improvement. He erected 
his residence, his substantial barns and his 
commodious t()l)acco sheds and now has a 
very valuable and desirable property. He 
gives considerable attention to producing 
tobacco. 

In January, 187S, Mr. Kinder was mar- 
ried, in Miami Coimty, to Miss Lettie 
Eusk, who died October 12, 1907. She was 
a daughter of William Rusk. Five chil- 
dren were born to this union, namely: 
William, who graduated in civil engineer- 
ing in the Ohio Normal University, at 
Ada, in 1904, and is engaged in profes- 
sional work in Montana ; EfiSe ; Albert, who 
is filling a position as bookkeeper in a 
business house in Texas; and John and 
Mary. Mr. Kinder takes no very active 
part in politics, although he is ever ready 
to perform every duty of good citizenship. 

0. W. RICHARDSON, one of the lead- 
ing contractors and builders of Piqua, 
Ohio, has been a resident of this city since 
July, 1889, and has erected some of the 
prominent buildings here. Mr. Richard- 
son was born in Darke County, Ohio, Au- 
gust 26, 1874, and there he attended the 
public schools. After coming to Piqua, in 
1889, he attended Piqua High School one 



teim. Upon leaving that institution he 
learned the trade of a cari)enter, serving 
a thorough apprenticeshij). an<l followed 
that occupation continuously until 1897. 
He then engaged in general contracting in 
partnership with his father, but during tlie 
])ast seven years he has conducted opera- 
tions alone. He lias erected many fine 
buildings, among which may be mentioned 
that of Piqua Central Fire Department, 
the Boal I'lats and the United Brethren 
Church. He added the third story to the 
(ileucoe Hotel and remodeled the remain- 
der of the building. ' He has taken an 
active jiart in political affairs, being a Re- 
l)ublican, and has served as central com- 
mitteeman and as delegate to congres- 
sional and county conventions. 

June 20, 1900, Mr. Richardson was 
united in marriage with Miss Electa B. 
Davis, of Piqua. Both are members of 
the Church of Christ and are enthusiastic 
church workers. He has been superin- 
tendent of the Sunday School for seven 
years, and has seen its growth from ninety 
scholars, with an average attendance of 
sixty, to an enrollment of 240, with an av- 
erage attendance of 150. Mrs. Richard- 
sou also has been an active Sunday School 
worker and teaclier, and has seen many of 
her class of infants grow to be useful 
members of the church congregation. Mr. 
Richardson is a member of Warren Lodge, 
No. 24, F. & A. M., of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, and also of the 
Piqua Club. 

S. M. ALLISON, secretary, treasurer 
and general manager of the Cron-Kills 
Comjiany, manufacturers of wardrobes 
and ladies' desks, a very large business 
enterinise of Piqua, with the largest and 



504 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



best equipped plaot of its kind in this sec- 
tion of the State, was born in 1863, in 
Preble County, Ohio. 

Mr. Allison has been a resident of Piqua 
since he was thirteen years of age, and 
received a public school education here. 
He was nineteen years old when he en- 
tered the business with which he has been 
identified ever since. The Cron-Kills 
Company was established in 1881, by A. 
J. Cron, R. B. Kills, Samuel Zollinger and 
Henry Flesh, as Cron, Kills & Co., which 
style was continued until 1904, when the 
business was incorj)orated with a capital 
stock of $250,000, and the present style 
adopted. The officers are: Henry Flesh, 
president; Samuel Zollinger, vice-presi- 
dent; S. M. Allison, secretary, treasurer 
and general manager ; and AV. R. Bamber, 
sui)eriuteudent. The plant includes five 
large buildings, covering twenty-five acres 
of floor space, and emploATuent is given to 
200 men. Goods are shipped all over the 
United States and to some foreign coun- 
tries. Prosperous conditions exist and 
the business is on such a firm basis that 
no changes in the tariff system of the coun- 
try would cause any reduction in its out- 
put. Not only is a large amount of capital 
behind it, but its officers are men of per- 
sonal as well as financial stability. 

In 1892 Mr. Allison was married to Miss 
Frances Culbertson, of Piqua, and they 
occupy one of the fine homes of this beau- 
tiful city. Mr. Allison is an active and 
useful citizen and for a number of years 
served with iniblic efficiency in the city 
council. He is a Mason of advanced de- 
gree and for a (juarter of a century has 
been identified with the Odd Fellows. 
Other organizations in which he has mem- 



bership are the United Commercial Trav- 
elers and the Piqua Club. 

JAMES DRURY, who devotes his farm 
of twelve and one-foi;rth acres to growing 
grain and tobacco and raising hogs for 
market, is a well known citizen of Eliza- 
beth Township, Miami County, having re- 
sided on his present place for a number of 
years. He was born October 8, 1849, in 
Perry County, Ohio, and is a son of Eli 
Harrison and Mary Ann (Stourtts) Drury. 

The first member of the Druiy family to 
establish himself in Miami County was 
John Drury, the grandfather, who came 
from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 
locating first at Columbus, but later opened 
up a boarding house in Miami City, where 
he subsequently died. He married Anna 
Piukerton, who also died at Miami City, 
and both of them were buried in the Mc- 
Kendree Cemetery. They had the follow- 
ing children: James, Eli H., Harman, 
Elizabeth, Eliza Ann and Susanna. 

Eli Harrison Drury is a retired farmer 
and makes his home with his son, George 
G. Drury. In his earlier years he was a 
dry goods merchant and later engaged in 
agricultural pursuits. He married Mary 
Ann Stourtts, a daughter of John Stourtts, 
and they had the following children : 
James; John, deceased; Alice Ann, who 
was married (first) to Joseph McGraft, 
and (second) to James Snyder; Thomas 
Jefferson; George Grant; and Mary Effie, 
who married "William Beck. The mother 
of this family is d'eceased. 

James Drury obtained his education in 
a country school not far from Miami City 
and tlien went to work on the farm and has 
followed farming ever since. After his 
marriage he rented a number of farms in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



505 



Miami County, living- on eacli one as long 
as he found it profitable. For iifteen years 
before eoming to his present farm he oper- 
ated the Shellenbarger farm in Bethel 
Township. All the buildings now standing 
on his place he either remodeled or en- 
tirely constructed. He lias made many im- 
]irovements, one being the setting out of 
a fine orchard of some forty trees. ^Ir. 
Druiy has had so long an experience as a 
farmer that all methods are known to him 
and his judgment enables him to get more 
substantial returns from his small farm 
'than do many on much larger acreage. 
His farm lies on the McXeal Turnpike, 
southeast of Tro}'. 

On October 3, 1871, Mr. Drury was mar- 
ried to ^liss Margaret Nothstine, a daugh- 
ter of "William H. and Mira (Swager) 
Nothstine, and they have had eleven chil- 
dren born to them, namely: Charles E. ; 
Mary A., who is now deceased ; Nora ^'iola, 
who married John AVilliamson, and has 
liad four children — Ruth, Andrew. Minnie 
and Edna, deceased; Lydia Jane, who mar- 
ried Oscar J. Bowers, and has two chil- 
dren, Ralph M. and Carl F. (they live 
near Christianburg) ; "William It.; Lulu, 
now deceased ; John J., who is a student in 
the class of 1})0P in a commercial college at 
Dayton; Bessie Lavina, who married Fir- 
man C. Jenkins, of Bethel Township, and 
lias one child, (Toldie Leona ; Amanda May. 
who married Frank Zenz, and has two chil- 
dren, Carl E. and Mabel M.; .Maude Effie, 
who married Carl M. Lanika, and Harry, 
who died in infancy. 

]\Ir. Drury, like his father, is a stanch 
Eeimblican. He has always taken a good 
citizen's interest in i)ublic matters and at 
different times has served as school 
•director. 



S. J. Rl'J)Y, proprietor of the Farmers' 
Complete Elevator, has been established in 
business at Covington, Ohio, for some ten 
years and rs one of the i-ejn-esentative citi- 
zens. ;Mr. Rudy was born in Newton 
Township, ^Miami County, Ohio, April 18, 
1868, and is a son of William and Mary 
(Shatfer) Rudy. 

Mr. Rudy was reared on a farm and fol- 
lowed agricultural pursuits until he em- 
barked in the elevator business, the family 
haivng lieen farmers away back to his 
grandfather, Samuel Rudy, who came in 
early manhood to Miami Count}' and set- 
tled first in Newl)erry and later in Newton 
Townshi}). William Rudy was a life-long 
resident of Miami County and during the 
whole of his active life engaged in farm- 
ing, retiring to Covington but shortly be- 
fore his death, which occurred on October 
8, 1908. His widow still survives. About 
1899, Mr. Rudy came to Covington and be- 
gan his elevator business, in the mean- 
while purchasing his farm of l."52 acres, in 
Newton Township, which he still retains. 
He met with misfortune after two years in 
Covington, his elevator near the hotel 
bnrning down, but he showed his business 
enterprise by building his ))resent one, 
known as the Farmers' Comjilete Elevator, 
in 1901. He does a very satisfactory busi- 
ness and is one of the city's substantial 
business men. 

Mr. Rudy married Miss Dora Kcndell, a 
daughter of Ezekiel Kendell, and they 
have had twelve children, the survivors 
being Nellie, Ethel, William, James, Al- 
bert, Alvie and Alice (twins), and Dora. 
Those who died were Glenna, Bessie, Eze- 
kiel, a twin of William, and an infant. Mr. 
Rudy and wife are iiu»mbers of the Breth- 
ren Church. 



503 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



AUGUST S. CLOUSE, a representative 
business man of Pi(ina, who is teller of the 
Pi(|iia National Bank and secretary of the 
Stuart & Brown Underwear C'ompany, was 
born in this city in 1876, and is a son of 
Joseph Clouse, a native of Somerset, Ohio, 
who for years was identified with the man- 
and also the substantial barns near the old 
ufaoturing interests of Piqua. 

August S. Clouse was reared and edu- 
cated in his native city, graduating from 
the Piqua High School in 1894. He imme- 
diately went to work in the Citizen's Na- 
tional Bank, where he continued for seven 
years. In December, 1901, he came to the 
Piqua National Bank in the capacity of 
bookkeeper, afterward being made teller, 
and remains associated with this financial 
institution. He has other business inter- 
ests and an important one is his official 
connection with the Stuart & Brown Un- 
derwear Company. 

Mr. Clouse is one of Piqua 's most active 
and earnest citizens. He is serving as 
clerk of the Board of Public Safety and 
has been tireless in his efforts to promote 
tlie general welfare. In politics he is a 
leading Republican of this section, being 
treasurer of the Republican Central Com- 
mittee, of Miami County, and a member 
of the County Central Committee from the 
Third Ward of Piqua. He is a consistent 
member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic 
Church. Fraternally he belongs to the 
Knights of Columbus and is a past grand 
knight of that order. Socially he is iden- 
tified with the Piqua Club. 

E. B. PENROD, general farmer and 
daii-yman, residing on his excellent farm 
of lOTi/o acres, which is situated one and 



one-half miles north of Picpia, in Spring 
Creek Townshi]), was born in Shelby Coun- 
ty, Ohio, not far from Newi)ort, August 
'22, 1856, and is a son of Levi and Martha 
(Irwin) Penrod, and a grandson of Sam- 
uel Penrod. 

Samuel Penrod was a ])ioneer settler 
and preacher in Shelby County. He was 
born in Pennsylvania, of German ances- 
try, and during the whole of his mature 
life he engaged in farming and in serv- 
ing as a minister in the Christian Church, 
and in the latter capacity he visited dif- 
ferent points in the county and was a re- 
vered and beloved man. The old church 
near Newport that he was instrumental in 
building still stands. His wife was a na- 
tive of New Jersey. They had six chil- 
dren, namely: Jacob and Mary Jane, both 
deceased; Phebe Ann; Levi; and William, 
who died from starvation and inhuman 
treatment while held a prisoner of war 
at Andersonville, during the Civil War. 
Sanniel Penrod died in Shelby County, 
March 17, 1879, his wife having passed 
away June 22, 1864. 

Levi Penrod, father of E. B., was born 
in Shelby County, Ohio, in the old log 
house that was built by his father, and 
in which his own sons were also born. 
He owned an adjoining farm to the home- 
stead and there his death occurred. He 
married Martha Irwin and they had seven 
children born to them, as follows: E. B.; 
Rachel Anna, who died when aged nine 
months; James S. ; Emma Jane, who mai-- 
ried James Caldwell and lives in Shelby 
County; Lucy Ellen, who married Will- 
iam Peters and lives at Piqua, Ohio; Etta, 
Miio married Levi Border, lives in Shelliy 
County; Eliza, married, who lives at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



509 



Cleveland; and Justice, who works tlie 
lioine farm in Shelby County. 

E. B. Penrod obtained his education in 
tlie schools of Shelby County and re- 
mained at iiome with his father until his 
marriage, after whicji he moved to ^liami 
County and rented land until April 11, 
1904, when he settled on his i)reseut farm. 
He here carries on a general agricultural 
line and gives considerable attention to 
the milk industry, operating a route to 
Piqua. 

Mr. Penrod was married (first) April 
29, 1877, to Miss Rosella Kuhn, who died 
October 20, 1888, a daughter of Gabriel 
Kuhn. She was survived by three chil- 
dren: Maud, Myrtle and William Arthur. 
Maud married Chai'les Rnmmel and they 
live in Shelby County and have two chil- 
dren — Walter and r)})al. Myrtle adopted 
the noble profession of trained nurse and 
resides at Brooklyn, New York. William 
Arthur assists his father at home. Mr. 
Penrod was married (second) A\igust 22, 
1890, to Miss Sarah Ellen Furman, who 
was born July 10, 1856, a daughter of 
William and Tacy (Stoker) Furman, who 
came from the State of New York to 
Shelby County and went from there to 
Iowa, where he was accidentally killed 
while operating a saw-mill, when Mrs. 
Penrod was only nine months old. His 
widow returned to Ohio, settling at Hous- 
ton, later removing to Piijua, .Miami Coun- 
ty, where she died January 20, 1908. ^fr. 
and Mrs. Furman had six children, all of 
whom survive. Mr. and Mrs. Penrod have 
two children : Elva and Opal, both attend- 
ing school. In i)olitios Mr. Penrod is a 
Republican, all members of the family be- 
ing of that ])oliti(al faith. With his fam- 
ily he belongs to the Christian Church. 



JESSE FrNDERBURO, M. D., i.hysi- 
ciau and surgeon, maintaining his sununer 
office at No. 212 West High Street, Pi(iua, 
Ohio, and a winter office in Florida, is one 
of the best known specialists in the dis- 
eases of women, in this section of the state. 
He was born in Oreene County, Ohio, in 
1862. 

Dr. Funderburg attended the Greene 
County ])ublic schools and Antioch College 
and then entered Columbus Medical Col- 
lege, where he was graduated Marcii 4, 
1886. He jiracticed for a short time at 
Houston and at Fletcher and then came to 
Pi<|ua. On December i>, IS!).'!, he was com- 
missioned county coroner by Governor Mc- 
Kinley and served in this office for four 
years. When the board of pension exam- 
iners was reorganized. Dr. Funderlturg 
was appointed a member and during the 
eight years that he served on this l)oard he 
gained the ai)preciation and esteem of the 
old soldiers, to who.se interests he gave 
close aud careful attention. For the pa.st 
four years Dr. Funderburg has s]ient liis 
winters as a i)ractitioner in Florida, where 
his medical and surgical skill are valued as 
they are at Piqua. He keej^s fully abreast 
of the times, taking post-graduate work at 
intervals in the great colleges of Columbus 
and Chicago, and closely investigating for 
himself many of the new scientific theories 
of his jtrofession. He is a valued member 
of the Miami and Shelby County Medical 
Society, the Ohio State Medical Society 
and the International Congress of Medi- 
cine. 

Dr. Funderburg was married (first) 
:\Iay 20, 1886, to Miss Ella Doup. of Fletch- 
er, who died May 22, 1900, leaving two 
children, William Roscoe and Cloyd. He 
was married (second) to Miss Lillian Myr- 



510 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



tie Tysou, of Fletcher. Ohio. Ur. Funder- 
biirg is a member of the Odd Fellows, the 
Knis-hts of the (loldeii Eagle and the 
Kiiiirlits of Pythias of Piqua. 

ALBERT KNOOP. a representative of 
one of the oldest and most substantial fam- 
ilies of Miami County, owns 216 acres of 
land in one body, fifty-five of which lies 
in F]lizabeth Township and the remainder 
in Lost Creek Townshiji. ]\Ir. Knoop was 
bom on this farm, in December, 1849, and 
is a son of Daniel H. and Cassie (Jackson) 
Knoop. 

Daniel Knoop was born in Pennsylvania 
and was a son of Jacob Knoop, the latter 
of whom died in that state. Daniel came 
to Ohio prior to his marriage, in company 
with his mother, and they settled on the 
farm which is now owned by Albert Knoop. 
The mother of the latter was born on the 
old Jackson farm in Elizabeth Township, 
one which has been in the family for over 
100 years and on. which the Jacksons cele- 
brated recently a centennial anniversary. 
Daniel and Cassie Knoop had five chil- 
dren, aiamely : Henry, I'esiding at Cass- 
town ; J^siali, who died in 1904; George, 
who died in 1862; AVilliam, who died in 
1901; and Albert. 

All)ert Knoop has spent his whole life 
on the old home farm, which is endeared 
to him as no other jilace ever could be. He 
has taken pleasure in developing the dif- 
ferent resources of the projierty and in 
adding to its comforts and conveniences. 
In 1902 he erected his large frame resi- 
dence, standing in the limits of Casstowu, 
house about onereighth of a mile south of 
Casstown. He engages in general farming 
and stockraising. 

On February 18, 1880. :\rr. Knoop was 



married to Miss Mary Jane Stewart, a 
daughter of William Stewart, and they 
have had four children, namely: Wilbur, 
who died aged four years ; and Walter, 
Lauren and Albert K. 

1>. C. MEEKS, president of the School 
Board of Lost Creek Township, is a prom- 
inent farmer and the owner of eighty-two 
acres of land which has been in the family 
name since title was acquired from the 
Government in pioneer days. He was born 
in this township January 13. 1851, and is 
a son of David and Eliza (Knight) Meek, 
his father not using an ''s" in the spell- 
ing of his name. Bazel Meeks, the grand- 
father, was born and reared in Pennsj'l- 
vania and came to Ohio in the inoneer 
days. He acquired of the Government a 
hirge tract of land in Miami Coimty, some 
800 or 900 acres in all, for which he paid 
$1.25 per acre. He was l)lind during the 
last forty years of his life, and died at the 
home of his son, David, at the age of ninety 
years. 

David ^leek was born near Xew Lan- 
caster, Ohio, and came with his father to 
Miami County, when cpiite young. He 
lived at home until his marriage, then pur- 
chased 21.3 acres in Lost Creek Township, 
where they began housekeeping. He finally 
had 4-27 acres in one block, a tract of 186 
acres north of Addison, and a quarter sec- 
tion of coal land in Perry County, Ohio. 
The last nine years of his life were sad- 
dened by the same affliction which had af- 
fected his father, that of blindness, and his 
death occurred in a little house which the 
subject of this sketch built for him on the 
home farm. He died January 5, 1896, aged 
eighty-nine years, and his widow survived 
him abdut fifteen months, dying at the age 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



511 



of eighty-five years. She w;is Eliza 
Knight iu maiden life and was horn on 
what is known as the Theodore Eogers 
farm iu Lost Creek Township. Her fatlier, 
David Kniglit, was one of the jMoneers of 
this oommmiity. ^Ir. and Mrs. ^feek he- 
came parents of the following children: 
Martha, Isaac, Louisa, and Diana, all de- 
ceased; Watson; Johnson K., who was 
drowned near Troy, at the age of forty- 
seven years; Emma, wife of R. D. Evans 
of Columbus, Oliio; David Corbly, whose 
name heads this record ; Washington Riley 
of Cohmibus, Ohio; and Louisa. Isaac, 
Martha and Watson died of diphtheria 
about four days apart. 

David C. Meeks attended the school in 
the iiome district, wliich was badly crowd- 
ed with its eighty pupils. Later the fam- 
ily moved to Troy in order to afford the 
cliildren better educational advantages, 
and Diana Meeks was one of the four who 
formed the first graduating class of the 
Troy High School. David C. also attended 
the high school, and later the Nelson Busi- 
ness College at Cincinnati, Ohio. He con- 
tinued to live with his parents until his 
marriage, then for a period of ten years 
rented and farmed land. Then he i)ur- 
chased of his father 213 acres, on time 
pajTueuts, and as the tract was heavily 
timbered it was necessary to make a clear- 
ing before he could erect a home. He sold 
off 1.30 acres, of which he had cleared all 
but sixteen acres. He has always followed 
general farming and has been very suc- 
cessful; he is progressive and public spir- 
ited, and by employing modern and ap- 
proved methods in his work has met with 
exceptional results. In politics, he is a 
Republican and for fifteen years served 
as township trustee. He has been presi- 



dent of the school board for the past five 
years. 

October 10, 187."), Mr. .Meeks was united 
in marriage with Miss Lydia McGalliard, 
a daughter of Isaac and Mercy (Fuller) 
McGalliard, and their children are as fol- 
lows: Cora F., who died at three years; 
Earl A., who married Orma Ilaulmau and 
has a son, Lloyd ; \'euna Pearl, wife of H. 
A. Smith, by whom she has a daughter, 
Madge xVileen; Riley 0., a landscape 
gardener at Columbus; Forrest D.; and 
Ruby C. Religiously, the family belongs 
to the Baptist Church. 

CONRAD WILLIAM BREIDEN- 
BACH, a prosperous business man and 
well known citizen of Piqua, Ohio, is a 
practical piano-forte, pipe and reed organ 
builder, which business he has followed in 
that city continuously since his removal 
there, September 3, 1877. 

]Mr. Breidenbach was born in Dayton, 
Ohio, in 1853, and was reared and edu- 
cated in that city. In early life he worked 
at carriage making for a time, then for 
three years was employed in an organ fac- 
tory. In 1877 he came to Piqua and began 
work as a jiractical piano-forte, pipe and 
reed organ l)uilder, also tuning and re- 
pairing instruments. He also makes and 
remodels violins to order, and has been 
highly successful in all branches of his 
business. He has real estate interests in 
Dayton, where he is also stockholder in a 
bank. 

July 6, 1880, Mr. Breidenbach was united 
in marriage with Miss Louise Bertling, 
who died in 1883 and left a daughter, 
Helen Louise. In 1891 he formed a second 
union at Philadelphia with Miss Eliza C. 
Steller and they have a son, Warren C, 



512 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



•n-ko is a studeut iu Piqua High School. 
Fi-aternally Mr. Breidenbach is a Mason, 
belongiug to the Blue Lodge and Chapter ; 
also a member of the Order of Elks; the 
Knights of Pythias, and the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows. 

C. W. NETTLESHIP, a substantial 
business man and representative citizen of 
Piqua, Ohio, conducts a grocery at No. 827 
West North Street, and has been engaged 
in business in this city since May 1, 1902. 
Mr. Nettleship was born in Shelby County, 
Ohio, iu 1865, and was there reared to ma- 
turity and received his training iu the gro- 
cery business, with which he has always 
been identified. He remained in his native 
county until 1894, then moved to Dayton, 
where he successfully conducted a store 
until 1902. On May 1st of that year, he 
moved to Piqua and established the store 
which he has since conducted. He is a man 
of tireless energy and good business judg- 
ment and his progress in the business 
world has been steady. He erected the 
store building occupied by his grocery on 
West North Street, and is also the owner 
of two other good buildings which he 
erected. 

Mr. Nettleship was married May 1, 1902, 
to Miss Bertha Schemmell, who was born 
in Newark, New Jersey, and came west to 
Piqua with her parents when quite young. 
Eeligiously, she is a member of St. Paul's 
church. Mr. Nettleship is a man of wide 
acquaintance and is most highly esteemed 
by his fellow citizens. 

JOHN W. LYLE, one of the representa- 
tive business men of Covington, who has 
been engaged in the grocery line here for 
over twenty-two years, was born in Mus- 



kingum County, Ohio, October 21, 1857, 
and is a sou of Eobert and Hester (Ford) 
Lyle. 

Mr. Lyle was reared on his father 's farm 
and was educated in the country schools. 
When he was eighteen years of age, his 
parents moved to Logan County and he 
accompanied them and shortly afterward 
accepted a position as clerk in a general 
store at Belle Center, where he remained 
for five years. In 1885, deciding to invest 
his capital of $400, in business for himself, 
he came to Covington and purchased a 
small store, and from that time until the 
present, with the exception of eight 
months, he has been engaged in business 
here. He bought a farm of 120 acres near 
Troy, in Concord Township, and occupied 
it for eight months and then returned to 
Covington and bought back his old store. 
February 6, 1902, Mr. Lyle bought Mr. 
Ratcliff's interest in the fii'm of Kreigh- 
baum & Eatcliff, the firm becoming J. W. 
Lyle & Co. The following June this firm 
sold out to Everleigh & Utter. On Sep- 
tember 2d of the same year Mr. Z. L. Ram- 
sey and Mr. Lyle purchased the business 
of Everleigh & Utter, the firm being known 
as Lyle & Eamsey. This firm continued 
until January 1, 1905, when Mr. Lyle be- 
came sole owner and he now conducts the 
business under the name of J. W. Lyle. 
He is doing a highly satisfactory business, 
liis long experience in this line enabling 
him to note the details which are necessary 
for success. He carries a large and com- 
plete stock of staple and fancy groceries 
and among his customers may be found 
those who have been such for years. 

Mr. Lyle was married at Belle Center, 
Logan County, to Miss Emma Pearson, a 
daughter of William Pearson, and they 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



513 



have one sou, AV. Boyd, who assists his 
father in the store. He married Miss Cora 
Whitmer. Mr. Lyle is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias. He is not active as 
a politician, but he is a good citizen and 
takes an interest in the public matters 
which concern the welfare of Covington. 
Although he does not occupy his farm, he 
still retains possession of it. 

W. H. FRANCIS, one of Troy's repre- 
sentative business men and president of 
the Francis & Clemm Company, dealers in 
lumber, has here been identified with this 
line of trade for the past uiueteeu years. 
He was born in 1848, in Butler County, 
Ohio. 

The early life of Mr. Francis was passed 
on a farm and his education was obtained 
in Butler County, with two years at the 
National Normal, where he taught school 
at Lebanon, Ohio, for some five years. In 
1876 he embarked in a limiber business at 
Arcanum, in Darke County, where he con- 
tinued until 1889, when he came to Troy. 
He started into business in this city under 
the style of W. H. Francis & Co., which 
later became Francis & Clemm, and the 
latter firm was succeeded by The Francis 
& Clemm Company, with location on South 
Walnut Street, on the corner of Race. The 
range of his activities is not confined to 
the business over which he presides here, 
be being interested also in lumber enter- 
prises in other i^laces and he is also one of 
the board of directors of the Troy Na- 
tional Bank. 

In 1876 Mr. Francis was married to Miss 
Ella Gifford, of Preble County, Ohio, and 
they have two children; Jesse B., who is 
engaged in tlie practice of medicine in 
Chicago ; and Opal C, who is a member of 



the graduating class of 1909, at Oberlin 
College. Mr. and :\lrs. Francis are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
he belonging to its official board. 

ADAM M. STROCK, V. S., wlio is rec- 
ognized as one of the leading veterinary 
surgeons in AVestern Ohio, has been a resi- 
dent of Troy for the past sixteen years, 
but was born in Clark Countv, Ohio, in 
1850. 

Dr. Strock was reared on the home farm 
near Christiansburg and obtained his edu- 
cation in the common schools, at Lincoln 
Hill Academy, and at New Carlisle, and 
later received his diploma from the Ohio 
State University at Columbus, when thirty 
years of age. He then purchased the farm 
of James Kineade, situated one mile east 
of Casstowu, in Miami County, and re- 
sided there imtil the spring of 1893, when 
he gave up farming and came to Troy to 
engage in the practice of his profession. 
He still owns his farming land and keeps 
things moving there, l)ut for the past 
twenty years his greatest iutei'est has been 
in the line of professional work. In this 
connection he is known all through tlie 
western part of the state. 

Di". Storck was married (first) to Miss 
Rosetta Wrigley, of Elizabeth Township, 
and six children were born to this union, 
namely: Clara; Lillie, who is the wife of 
John Bates, of Daytou, Ohio ; Minnie, who 
is the wife of James Kingham, of Cass- 
town, now a resident of Indianapolis, In- 
diana: Nellie, who is the wife of Edward 
Lauber, of Troy; Glenn, who is engaged 
in business at Troy; and Anna, who re- 
sides at home. Dr. Strock was married 
(second) to ]\rrs. Nellie Beedle. of Green- 
ville. Dnvke County. Ohio. For forty years 



514 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Dr. Strock has l)eon a member of the Chris- 
tiau Church, lie is an Odd Fellow and has 
membership in the lodge at Christians- 
burg, Champaign County, Ohio. 

LOUIS 0. SHILLING, secretary of The 
People's Building and Savings Association 
Company at Troy, Ohio, is a native of this 
city and son of the late David Shilling, one 
of Troy's leading citizens for many years. 

David Shilling was born September 16, 
1814, in Frederick County, Maryland, and 
when fourteen years of age went from 
there to Columbus, Ohio, where he lived 
until his marriage to Miss Mary Waite in 
1836. Shortly after his marriage he moved 
to Troy, and formed a partnership in the 
foundry and plow business near the canal 
on West Main Street with the Rev. Eich- 
ard Brandritf, a Wesleyan Methodist min- 
ister. Afterwards the foundry was moved 
to the extreme end of the then West Main 
Street, and a partnership formed under 
the name of Shilling Brothers, and later 
in life David Shilling succeeded to the en- 
tire interest of the business. He was 
senior deacon of the First Baptist Church 
of Troy, Ohio, for over forty years, and 
up to tlie time of his death, which occurred 
August 14, 1888. He was an active citizen 
and served a number of terms as a mem- 
ber of the City Council, his public spirit 
at all times being shown in the efforts to 
increase the city's utilities. It was during 
this period the mill-race was walled and 
placed in a sanitary condition to afford a 
healthy drainage through the town. 

Louis O. Shilling was born October 25, 
1857. In early youth he attended the coun- 
try school, then known as District No. 4, in 
the McClung neighborhood. At the age of 
fourteen he entered the grammar grades 



in the Troy schools, and about the same 
time united with the First Baptist Church 
under the ministry of Rev. M. H. Worrell. 
While attending school he was employed 
at odd times in his father's foundry and 
machine shop. On leaving the high school 
he entered the law office of J. A. Davy, 
where he read law and engaged in the busi- 
ness of abstracting of land titles. He after- 
wards became associated in business with 
the law firm of Williams & Gantz, and with 
Hon. M. K. Gantz when the latter was 
elected Mayor of Troy, and afterward to 
the United States Congress. 

During this time Mr. Shilling was en- 
gaged in litei'ary pursuits, and acted as 
rejiorter and writer for several papers in 
other cities. In the year 1891 Mr. Shilling 
started a free circulating library at his 
home in the interest of his Sabbath-school 
class, which enterprise rapidly developed 
until many other boys of the town (some 
now grown to mature manhood) became 
welcomed beneficiaries to his library, 
which, at the present writing consists of 
over 3,000 volumes, and where the boys of 
the city are still welcome to go each Sun- 
day afternoons and enjoy the treasures 
there freely given in reading and study. 
In the year 1892 Mr. Shilling entered the 
law office in business with Hon. George S. 
Long, who, at that time was the attorney 
for The People's Building and Savings As- 
sociation Company of Troy, and in 1893 
Mr. Shilling was elected the secretary of 
that institution, which at that time, had 
assets amounting to $66,000, with two hun- 
dred or three hundred members. This has 
expanded into the present capital of over 
$396,800 and the membership increased to 
over fifteen hundred people, while there 
is surplus of over $20,000. Mr. Shilling 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



515 



will I the efficient members of the Board of 
Directors, lias been untiring in his efforts 
to make this organization a model one as 
well as the largest liduciary institution of 
its kind in the county. 

WILLI A:\I J. MEKEDITir, who has 
had a wide and varied experience in busi- 
ness affairs, is a well known resident of 
Staunton Township and has been a resi- 
dent of Miami County, Ohio, since 1872. 
He was born in Lafayette, Indiana, in Oc- 
tober, 1843, and is a son of John L. Mere- 
dith, a well remembered business man and 
banker of Troy. 

John L. Meredith was born in Warren 
County, Ohio, and passed his early boy- 
hood there. When sixteen years old he 
went to the northern jiart of Indiana to 
take charge of an Indian station, and in 
1840 located in Lafayette, Indiana. He 
later engaged in the banking business 
there and became the head of the banking 
establishment of Barbee, Brown & Com- 
pany. About the year 1863, he moved to 
Troy, Ohio, and was instrumental in the re- 
organization of the old State Bank into 
the First National Bank of Troy. He was 
made cashier and served capably in that 
cajiacity until his death in 1880, at the age 
of sixty-one years. He was married in 
Indiana to a Miss Margaret Carr, who died 
one year afterward. 

William J. Meredith was reared in his 
native city and attended Hanover College 
until his junior year, when he left tliat in- 
stitution to enter the army. In 1863 he 
was appointed on the general staff of the 
commissary department, and served with 
credit until May, 1865. At the close of the 
war lie engaged in lumbering on the (^hip- 
pewa River in northern Wisconsin, and 



later lost everything by tire. Tlien he en- 
gaged in the retail boot and shoe business 
at Milwaukee, and after a time acted as 
treasurer for a coiiiiiany for the construc- 
tion of a railroad in Kentucky. He moved 
west to Lincoln, Nebraska, and became as- 
sistant cashier of the First National Bank, 
a i)Osition he resigned to become secretary 
of the old Troy Wagon and Spring Works 
at Troy, Ohio. He was identified with that 
company a peiiod of twenty-live years, and 
was one of its largest stockholders. After 
the death of liis father he bought the in- 
terests of the other three heirs in the farm 
in Staunton Township, and for a time had 
it farmed, but has disjioscd of most of it to 
good advantage. 

In January, 1873, Mr. Meredith was 
xmited in marriage with Miss Louisa Coles, 
who died in \W'). One son was born to 
them, namely, John C, who conducts one 
of the largest music stores in Dayton. Po- 
litically, Mr. ^leredith is a Rei)ublican, and 
takes a deep interest in the success of the 
princijjles of tiiat party. 

MEL\1LLE W. ALEXANDER, resid- 
ing at No. 216 Chestnut Street, has been 
a resident of Piqua, Ohio, continuously 
since March, 1869, and is now living in re- 
tirement after many years of business ac- 
tivity. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, in 
1845. and is a son of Henry and Catherine 
(Wise) Alexander. 

Henry Alexander was a carpenter by 
trade and in early life worked at lock 
building on "the canal. After coming to 
Miami County, he worked at his trade and 
followed farming until his death, which 
occurred in the middle eighties. He was 
a stanch Rejmblican in ])olitics, whilst re- 
lisriousiv he was a devout Methodist. His 



516 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



wife was Itoni near Newport, Ohio, and is 
now living with the suhject of this sketch 
at the ripe old age of eightj'-six years. 

Mellville W. Alexander was a baby in 
arms at the time of his parents' removal 
from Dayton to Miami Coimty in 1845, and 
here he was reared to maturity. He at- 
tended the district schools and worked 
on a farm until August, 1862, when he en- 
listed as a member of Company A, 110th 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He 
participated in much hard fighting and 
was captured at AVinchester, Virginia, 
June 15, 1863. He was then imprisoned 
at Belle Isle, Eichmond, Virginia, until 
paroled on July 10, 1864. He was honor- 
ably discharged in August, 1864, for dis- 
ability as a result of gunshot wounds re- 
ceived in the battle of Mine Eun. He was 
a very .efficient soldier and took part in all 
of the engagements of his company while 
in the service, except during the period of 
his incarceration and disability. His com- 
pany was accorded the post of honor in 
the Grand Eeview at Washington. Upon 
lea^'ing the army he resumed farming op- 
erations and continued for two years after 
his marriage. Then in the spring of 1869, 
he moved to Piqua, where for a period of 
twenty-live years he engaged in the trans- 
fer business. At the end of that time he 
embarked in the grocery business in part- 
nership with his youngest son and con- 
tinued several years, since which time he 
has lived a retired life. His three sons 
have continued the grocery with good re- 
sults. 

December 6, 1866, Mr. Alexander was 
married to Miss Frances E. Aspinall, who 
was born at New Lisbon, Ohio, and is a 
daughter of William and Elizabeth 



(Brown) Aspinall, natives of England. 
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander have three sons 
and one daughter, namely: Elmer E. ; 
Mattie B., wife of C. D. McCoy of Piqua; 
Walter W. ; and John W. Religiously, 
they are members of the Grace Methodist 
Episcopal Church, of which he is a mem- 
ber of the official board. He is an active 
member of the Mitchell Post, G. A. E., of 
Piqua. 

ISAAC KNICK, a veteran of the Civil 
War, and a well known retired farmer, 
owns and resides upon a farm of seventy- 
seven acres in Staunton Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, on the eastern line of the 
township. He was born in Lost Creek 
Township, Miami County, October 18, 
1829, and is a son of William and Eachel 
(Armstrong) Knick. 

William Knick was born at Eock Bridge, 
Virginia, and after his marriage moved to 
Miami County, Ohio. His first purchase 
of land was forty-seven acres in Lost 
Creek Township, and to this he later 
added. The proi3erty was well improved 
at the time of its purchase and he con- 
tinued to reside upon it imtil his death, 
although he was practically retired for 
some j-ears. He was survived by his wife 
for a number of years. They were parents 
of the following children: John, William, 
James, George, Harrison, Thomas, Ee- 
becca, deceased wife of Samuel Cavender; 
and Isaac. All are now deceased except 
Thomas and the subject of this record. 

Isaac Knick spent his boyhood days on 
the farm in Lost Creek Township and re- 
ceived his education in the district schools. 
He was in the state service for a time be- 
fore going to the front, and in May, 1864, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



517 



enlisted as a member of Company I, One 
Hundred and Forty-seventh Regiment, 
Oliio Volunteer Infantry, under Captain 
Glass. He served until the close of the 
Tvar without injurj^ or sickness. Upon his 
return from the front he resumed farming 
oi^erations, at which he has since con- 
tinued, although he is practically retired 
at the present time, the farm being con- 
ducted by his son-in-law, Walter Gray. 
He purchased his farm from the other 
heirs of his father's estate, and has a well 
improved property. He receives a jiension 
of $20 per month from the United States 
Government. 

September 23, 1871, :\Ir. Knick was 
united in marriage with Miss Sarah Eo- 
selle Kreglow, who was a daughter of 
George Kreglow. She died in October, 
1908, at the age of fiifty-nine years. They 
became parents of the following: George, 
of Casstown, who married Julia Biser and 
has a son, Leonard; Glen, of Casstown, 
who married Lillian Mott; Daisy Dean, 
wife of John Herbert Colebaugh, of Cass- 
town, by whom she has two children, Har- 
old and Helen; Alice May, wife of Irwin 
Knick, who lives east of Casstown ; Emma, 
wife of Walter Gray; and Flossie Fern, 
who died in infancy. Politically, Mr. 
Knick is a Democrat. He is a member of 
Coleman Post, G. A. R. of Troy. 

GEORGE FAVORITE, the late pro- 
prietor of the George Favorite stock farm, 
which consists of 5051/2 acres of land in 
Miami County, 180 acres on which Mr. 
Favorite lived being situated three and 
one-half miles northwest of Troy, in Con- 
cord Township, 133 acres in Brown Town- 
ship and the remainder in Concord Town- 



ship, was one of the most substantial men 
and progressive farmers and stockraisers 
of this section of Ohio. Mr. Favorite had 
the distinction of being the oldest man in 
Concord Township in point of continued 
residence, never having lived farther than 
one mile from his home. He was born in 
Concord Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
June 20, 1857, a son of Daniel and Sarah 
(Eppert) Favorite, and died May 24, 1909, 
when nearly fifty-two years of age. 

Daniel Favorite was born on the site of 
Tippecanoe City, where his father was an 
early settler and reared a large family, 
Daniel being one of the older members. 
Daniel Favorite married Sarah Eppert, a 
native of Pennsylvania, who died in 1889, 
aged sixty-seven years, surviving her hus- 
band for twelve years. They had eight 
children : William, Jonathan and John, all 
deceased ; Henry, Elizabeth, now deceased, 
who was the wife of Casper Longendel- 
pher; Daniel; George; and Albert, de- 
ceased. Daniel Favorite was a self-made 
man, a hard worker all through his active 
life. Before moving from Tippecanoe 
City he owned 100 acres of land and wiien 
he died he left 344 acres, which he had 
already divided with his children. His 
death was somewhat sudden, occurring at 
the office of his physician. Dr. Harrison, 
of Covington, July 9, 1877, at the age of 
sixty-one years. He was a kind, good man 
and was respected and esteemed by his 
family and neighbors. 

George Favorite took so much interest 
in helping his father on the farm that the 
latter gave him a share in its products 
from the time he was twelve years old. 
The father desired the son to go to school 
but the latter knew he was needed on tlie 



518 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



farm and took little advantage of liis edu- 
cational oi)port unities. His tirst purchase 
of land was made when he was seventeen 
years old, Avhen he paid liis brother John 
the sum of $5,500 for eighty acres of the 
farm on which he afterwards resided, add- 
ing more land as he had capital for invest- 
ment. The Geoi'ge Favorite stock farm is 
one of the best located and best kept in all 
this section. Mr. Favorite never had a 
school education liut he was a remarkably 
well informed man and possessed great 
business (pialities. He traveled over the 
country when he wanted stock, purchasing 
at Chicago and other cattle marts. He 
made his own improvements on his lands, 
including tiling, fencing and buildings. 
When he took charge of his liome farm he 
found the land i^oor and requiring much 
attention, producing as its best crop forty 
bushels of corn to the acre, wliich yield lie 
increased to about ninety bushels. He 
carried on all his business dealings in a 
practical way, making use of the best ma- 
chinery, and adopting many modern meth- 
ods, the result being that he was more tlian 
usually successful. 

In December, 1870, Mr. Favorite was 
married to Miss Sarah Graham, a daugh- 
ter of James Graham, and they became the 
parents of three children: Bert, who mar- 
ried Nora Wilhelm, and has one son, Leon- 
ard ; Emory, who resides at home and op- 
erates the farm; and Laura. ]\Ir. Favor- 
ite has given his children many advan- 
tages and they are all representative 
young people of the neighborhood. Mr. 
Favorite voted with the Republican party 
but never took any great interest in poli- 
tics. His deatli, above recorded, deprived 
the township of one of its most industri- 
ous and worthv citizens. 



O. L. HARTLE, manager of the Cov- 
ington Lumber Company of Covington, 
Ohio, an important business combination 
dealing in lumber, coal, oils, paints and 
cement, is one of the progressive and en- 
terprising citizens of this place. He was 
burn on a farm in Newberry Township, 
^liami County, Ohio, in 1872, and is a son 
of James and Catherine (Lelmiau) Hartle. 

Owing to the death of his father, when 
the subject of this sketch was but twelve 
years of age, the latter was very early left 
to provide for his own necessities and to 
make his own choice of a business career 
and his preparation for it. To secure a 
comprehensive education was his first am- 
bition and in 1893 he graduated from the 
Covington High School and then entered 
Juniate College at Himtington, Pennsyl- 
vania, where he was graduated in 1895. 
In the meanwhile he had taught school and 
also engaged for a time in a dry goods and 
grocery business at Bradford. Mr. Hartle 
came to Covington to engage in the Imnber 
business in connection with Joseph Mur- 
phy, P^ebruary 17, 1901, the yards being at 
the location on Piqua Avenue now utilized 
by the Covington Linnber Company, or- 
ganized on April 1, 1906. Mr. Hartle is a 
stockholder in this concern and is both 
manager and treasurer. A large business 
is done and a considerable force of men 
kept at work. 

Mr. Hartle married Miss Margaret 
Mikesell, a daughter of Jacob Mikesell, of 
Covington, and they have had two chil- 
dren : Mellie, who died when aged eighteen 
months ; and James Lowell. Mr. and Mrs. 
Hartle are members of the Brethren 
Church. Mr. Hartle is known as an honor- 
able, upright business man and good 
citizen. 




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2 



AND REPKBSENTATIVE CITIZENS 



521 



FRANCIS M. BERRYHILL, deceased, 
was one of Bi-own Township's prominent 
and substantial citizens, for over thirty 
years being identified witli its best inter- 
ests. He was I)orn June 17, 1838, in 
Greene County, Ohio, a son of Arcliibakl 
BerryhiU. Through some of his progeni- 
tors he was connected with Hon. Charles 
Thompson, who was one of the early men 
of imblic affairs at Washington, D. C. 

Mr. BerryhiU remained in Greene Coun- 
ty until 1864, coming then to Miami County 
and locating on a farm north of Conover, 
on which he resided until 1883 and which 
belongs to his widow, and then came to 
the present place, on which he erected a 
commodious residence, which is one of the 
largest and most comfortable in this sec- 
tion, all the lumber used in its construc- 
tion having been taken ofif his farm. Here 
his death occurred November 13, 1898. He 
was engaged throughout the whole of his 
active life in farming and livestock deal- 
ing, and being a man of excellent business 
al)ilities, acquired an ample fortune. 

February 27, 1879, Mr. BerryhiU mar- 
ried Miss Mary J. Hill, a daughter of 
Samuel T. and Eliza J. Hill, of Spi'iug 
Creek Township, and they had two chil- 
dren, Cecil Laverne and Ethel Erma. Tiie 
former was born February 29, 1880, and 
has made himself felt in township politics, 
at present serving in the office of township 
clerk. He resides at home and teaches 
school in Brown Townshij). Ethel Erma 
married Harley Bowne, November 26, 
1903, and they have one child, Francis 
Thomas, a bright little lad of three and 
one-half years. The late Mr. Benyhill 
was a member of the Presbyterian Cliurch 
at Fletcher. In politics he was a Demo- 
crat and for a number of vears he served 



in the office of township trustee. He will 
long be remembered for iiis many ))er- 
sonal traits, his kindness to his family, hi.s 
friendly assistance given to his neighbors, 
and also for his honesty and integrity as 
a citizen. He was one of the men whose 
word was always as good as his bond. 

H. E. SCOTT, a representative citizen 
of Troy, who, since 1902 has l)een con- 
nected with the Troy National Bank, was 
born in Elizal)eth Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, and is a son of the late Thomas S. 
Scott. The father of ^Ir. Scott was born 
in 184-1-, on the same farm in Elizabeth 
Township on which his son was born, and 
spent some years as a farmer there. Later 
he settled at Troy and engaged in a hard- 
ware business for a few years, but subse- 
quently purchased another farm and on 
that lived UTitil the time of his death, in 
1905. 

H. E. Scott attended the common schools 
and the High School at Troy, later took a 
university course at Lebanon, after which 
he was connected with the Troy Buggy 
^Vorks for some years. During the admin- 
istration of the late Governor Na.sh, he 
served as recording clerk of the Ohio 
House of Reiirescntatives. In 1902 he be- 
came connected with the Troy National 
Bank. On [March 3. 18!l7, Mr. Scott was 
married to Miss Alberta Stubbs, of Leban- 
on, Ohio. They are members of the Pres- 
byterian Chun-h. He is a Knight Tem- 
plar ]\Iason. an ()<ld Fellow and a member 
of the Troy Club. 

JOHN WILLIAM ZOLLINGER, in 

whose death the city of Pi(|ua lost one of 
its stalwart citizens and business men, was 
a member of the wholesale grocery firm of 



522 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Zollinger and Company. He was a man 
of" very wide acquaintance in this vicinity, 
and had the confidence and good will of 
the people to a remarkable degree. 

Mr. Zollinger was bom in the house in 
which he died, at the corner of Broadway 
and Ash streets, February 13, 1859, and 
was a son of the late John Zollinger, an 
early merchant of Piqua. After the com- 
pletion of his schooling, he began work in 
his father's store and later acquired a one- 
foui'th interest in the business. At the 
death of his father, he and his brother, 
Samuel Zollinger, became equal owners of 
the store, which was conducted by them 
imder the firm name of Zollinger & Com- 
pany. He was taken away in the ijrime of 
life, and although suffering with an affec- 
tion of the heart for a little more than a 
month, his death was sudden and unex- 
pected. He died April 4, 1905, aged forty- 
six years, one month and twenty-one days. 

J. W. Zollinger, familiarlj^ known as 
AVill, was married November 13, 1883, to 
Miss Bessie Cottingham, who was born 
and reared in Troy, Ohio, where her fam- 
ily has long been prominent. She is a 
daughter of William A. and Henrietta 
(Jones) Cottingham. 

AV. A. Cottingham was born in Troy, 
July 20, 1829, on the present site of the 
Hotel Troy. There he grew to manhood, 
but at an early age located at Piqua to 
enter the drug business with his uncle. 
Judge M. G. ]\Iitchell, now deceased. He 
was married in Piqua, December 8, 1858, 
to Miss Henrietta Jones, who departed this 
life, April 17, 1894. They were parents of 
three children, two of whom are living: 
Anna (Mrs. Dr. Faulkner of Montra, 
Ohio); and Bessie, widow of J. W. Zol- 
linger. A son, James, died March 5, 1879. 



Mr. Cottingham became affiliated with 
Center Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., at Troy in 1861, 
and was active in fraternal work up to the 
time of his death, serving as treasurer for 
more than twenty years. He joined with 
the Mulberry Street Methodist Church, 
July 30, 1871, and was thereafter a con- 
sistent attendant and liberal in its support. 
He passed into the Great Beyond, Septem- 
ber 15, 1896. 

Mr. and Mrs. Zollinger reared one son, 
John Cottingham Zollinger, who is con- 
nected with the wholesale grocery busi- 
ness, in which his father was a partner. 
Eeligiously, Mrs. Zollinger is a devout 
member of Green Street Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. 

WILLIAM P. MAETIN, who was born 
in Lost Creek Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, October 15, 1830, and with his 
brother, Abijah Martin, resides on and 
owns an undivided farm of 204 acres in 
Sections 26 and 27, Elizabeth Township, 
is one of the prominent and substantial cit- 
izens of Miami County. He is a son of 
Joseph and Mary (Clyne) Martin. 

Levi Martin, the grandfather, was a 
soldier in the War of 1812, from Pennsyl- 
vania, and in passing through Ohio, was 
so pleased with the appearance of Miami 
County, that lie subsequently brought his 
family and established himself in what is 
now Staunton Township, where the pres- 
ent Mark Knoop farm is located. He 
owned 320 acres but sold 160, cleared the 
greater part of the rest and lived there 
until his death at the age of eighty years, 
when it went to his oldest son. He mar- 
ried Delilah Corbly and they had nine chil- 
dren : Corbly, William, Levi, Joseph, An- 
drew, Asa, John, Nancv and Elizabeth. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



523 



Joseph Martin resided on his farm of 
sixty acres, which was situated two and 
one-half miles north of Casstown. He mar- 
ried Mary Clyue, a daughter of Isaac and 
Olive (Ingram) Clyne, and they had three 
children, Abijah, "William P and Hannah. 
Joseph Martin and wife died on the same 
day from the scourge of cholera, October, 
]S33. 

When the Martin children were made or- 
phans, their uncle Corbly was appointed 
guardian and "William P. later went to 
live with an aunt, Minerva Hart. He re- 
sided while he went to school two and one- 
half miles north of Troy. The uncle, Levi 
Hart, had a cooper shop and there the boy 
learned the trade. When he reached his 
majority he bought a farm which he con- 
ducted in the summers and then worked at 
his trade in the winters. Wishing to see 
something of the country, he made trips to 
New Orleans at different times and also to 
Texas, where he bought stock and drove it 
north and shipped it to the great Chicago 
market. He then with his brother invested 
in another farm, one of 160 acres, in the 
vicinity of Alcouy, which he operated for 
aliout tive years and then sold it, to George 
Orawmer and made another trip to Texas 
as a stock buyer. Later he worked for a 
time at the cooper trade at Casstown, 
Ohio, and then, with his brother, went into 
the real estate business, dealing in farm 
lands. Their present fme proi)erty com- 
ing into the market in this way, it former- 
ly being the property of Levi Hart, the 
brothers secured it and have occupied it 
ever since, being partners in everything. 
Mr. ]\Iartin was one of the charter stock- 
holders of the Troy National Bank and is 
a director of the same. 

In politics Mr. Martin has always been 



identified with the Democratic party and 
on that ticket has frequently been elected 
to township office. For fifteen years he 
served continuously as township trustee, 
and has served with the utmost satisfac- 
tion to all concerned as a member of the 
School Board and as township treasurer 
several terms. Mr. Martin has never 
married. 

EOBERT LEE KUNKLE, M. D., phy- 
sician and surgeon at Piqua, with a very 
satisfactory practice and a wide circle of 
personal friends, is a native of Crawford 
County, Ohio, and was born at Gallon, 
March 10, 1876. 

After graduating most creditably from 
the Gallon High School, Dr. Kunkle en- 
tei'ed Otterbein University, whei'e he was 
a student for three years, after which he 
turned his attention to the study of medi- 
cine, and in 1902 he graduated from the 
Ohio ^ifedical University at Columbus, 
Ohio. He at once located in Piqua and 
during his practice of seven years has 
gained the confidence of his fellow citizens 
and has proved his medical and surgical 
skill. He is a member of the Miami County 
and Ohio State Medical Societies and is 
secretary of the former. He was reared 
in the English Lutheran Church. Frater- 
nally he is a Mason and belongs to the 
Blue Lodge and Chapter at Piqua. Social- 
ly he is a member of the Cosmopolitan 
Club of this city. 

C. ED. SNYDER, bookkeeper .of the 
First National Bank of Troy, Ohio, with 
which institution he has been identified 
since the fall of 1874, was born in Somer- 
set County, Pennsylvania, in October, 1S57. 

The parents of ^Ir. Snyder came to Ohio 



524 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



in 1865 ami settled first iu Auglaize Coun- 
ty and came to Troy from there in 1872. 
Mr. Snyder was then a youth of fifteen 
years and he soon sought and found em- 
])loyment in the shops of the Troy Spring 
AVagon and "Wheel Works, where he con- 
tinued until October, 1874, when he entered 
the employ of the First National Bank and 
has been associated with it ever since. 
Apart from his duties here, Mr. Snyder 
has other interests of more or less finan- 
cial imi)ortafice. lie is an active citizen 
and for st)nie years served as clerk of the 
Troy Board of Education. 

In May, 1884, Mr. Snyder was married 
to Miss Mary B. Temi>leton, whose father, 
Kev. Milo Templeton, died after having 
long been pastor of the Old School Pres- 
byterian Church of this city. Mr. and 
Mrs. Snyder have three children, namely: 
Emma E. ; Euth T., who is in her fourth 
year in Western College, at Oxford; and 
Charles E., who is in the office of the 
Eclipse Folding Machine Company, of 
Sidney, Ohio. Mr. Snyder is one of the 
leading members of the First Presby- 
terian Church at Troy and was treasurer 
of the same for twenty years, but resigned 
when he became a member of the Session. 
He has also been superintendent of the 
Sunday-school. 

FRANK H. PHILLIPPI, head of the 
firm of Frank H. Phillijipi & Son, manu- 
facturers of harness and dealers in har- 
ness, trunks and traveling bags of all 
kinds, has always been a resident of Picpia, 
where he is well and favorably known. He 
was born in that city in 1858 and is a son 
of Philip Phillip])!, who came to the United 
States in the early fifties and took uj) his 
residence in Picjua, Ohio. 



Frank H. Phillippi was reared and edu- 
cated in his natal city, and early in life 
worked for a time at stripping tobacco iu 
a cigar factory. He then served three 
years' apprenticeship at the harness-mak- 
ing trade, at which he has worked ever 
since. In 1883, he engaged in business for 
himself as a member of the firm of Fisher 
& Phillii)pi, a business association which 
continued without interruption until the 
death of Mr. Fisher in 1908. Since that 
date the enterprise has been carried on 
under the firm name of Frank H. Phillippi 
& Son, and the same success has attended 
its operations. 

Mr. Phillippi was married in 1881 to 
Miss Mary Sclmell and they have the fol- 
lowing children: Jerome, who is a travel- 
ing salesman and associated with his 
father in business; Marie, wife of J. A. 
Hefele of Kansas City; Gertrude; and 
George. Religiously Mr. Phillippi is a 
member of St. Paul's church, while his 
family are members of St. Boniface Cath- 
olic Church. Mr. Philliiipi is a member of 
the Piqua Retail Businessmen's Associa- 
tion. 

JACOB G. WAGNER, i)roprietor of the 
J. G. Wagner Tile Works at Covington, 
has been identified with the tile and brick 
industry for many years, having operated 
the first brick machines ever in use in 
^liami County. Mr. Wagner was born on 
a farm in Berks County, Pennsylvania, 
Se])tember 28, 1843, and is a son of George 
and Elizabeth (Gerliart) Wagner. The 
parents of Mr. AVaguer spent their lives 
in Berks County. His mother was a mem- 
ber of one of the first families to settle 
there and both the Gerharts and Wagners 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



5-25 



vreie and are still old and honored laniilies 
there. 

Jacob G. Wagner was reared in Berks 
County and attended the country scliools. 
From that county he entered into military 
service, being lirst attached to the quar- 
termaster's department of the regular 
army, and later serving nine months as a 
member of the 167th Pennsylvania ^'oluu- 
teer Infantry. He has been very active in 
Grand Army affairs and for a numl)er of 
years was commander of Langston Post 
No. 299, of Covington. In 1877 he came to 
Covington and purchased the old tile fac- 
tory which was tirst started in 1863, on the 
Henry ]\lohler farm, this being the oldest 
industry of its kind in Miami County. It 
was operated on the Mohler farm for one 
year and then was moved to its present 
location on Piqua Avenue, lieing situated 
on the eastern line of the corporation. i\lr. 
AVagner has done a large business, in one 
year having manufactured over 3,000,000 
brick, and his product has entered into 
the construction of a number of the sub- 
stantial buildings of the county, including 
the Brown Block and tlie Kyle school- 
house at Troy. Mr. Wagner owns thirty- 
one acres of land in Newberry Township, 
one-third of which lies within the limits of 
Covington and is very valuable real estate. 

Mr. Wagner married Miss Harriet 
Pearson, who was born and reared on a 
farm in Newton Township on which her 
grandfather settled when he came to Ohio 
from South Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Wag- 
ner have two daughters — Sarah, who is 
the wife of Conrad Drees, and Mary, who 
is the wife of J. L. Reck and has one son, 
Lloyd. During his residence of almost 
forty years at Covington, ^Ir. AVagner 
has been indeed an active citizen, for 



twenty-one years serving as a member of 
tiie City Council and i)erforming readily 
every duty demanded of those who have 
had the best interests of this section at 
heart. 

JONATHAN TOBIAS, a prominent 
farmer of Staunton Township, .Miami 
County, is the owner of antl resides upon 
a farm of 109 acres in that township, and 
is the owner of a farm of seventy-eight 
acres in Lost Creek Townshi]!. He was 
born on a farm in Montgomery County, 
Ohio, March 17, 1848, and is a son of Dan- 
iel and Elizabeth (AVhii)) Tobias. Daniel 
Tobias, father of the subject of this rec- 
ord, was born in Greene County, Ohio, 
whither his parents had moved from Penn- 
sylvania. He was united in marriage with 
Elizabeth Whip, who was born and reared 
i)i the State of Maryland. 

■lonatlian Toliias spent his youthful 
days on the farm in Montgomery County, 
and there attended the district schools. 
After marriage he rented a farm in that 
county for about seven years, and in 1881 
moved to his present farm in Miami Coun- 
ty. He has always followed general farm- 
ing, and being an industrious and far- 
sighted business man, has prospered be- 
yond the average. He has made many 
improvements on the home place, among 
otiier things erecting a large and substan- 
tial barn. 

Jonathan Tobias was united in mar- 
riage with Maiy Jane Smith, a daughter 
of Alexander and Isabella (AVa>nneyer) 
Smith, and they became ])arents of the fol- 
lowing cliildren : Minnie Bell, wife of Al- 
vin AVelbaum, a farmer of Lost Creek 
Townslii]i, by whom she has two children, 
Harry and Ralph; Nora, who was the wife 



526 



HISTORY OF MIAAH COUNTY 



of Joseph Zile, and died at the age of 
twenty years; Harry, a farmer of Lost 
Creek Township, who married Lena Shaf- 
fer and has two children, Ohmer and 
Helen ; and Maude, who died at the age of 
eight years. Mr. Tobias is a man well 
known to the citizens of his community, 
and enjoys their highest esteem and confi- 
dence. 

DANIEL MOEEOW, a most highly es- 
teemed citizen of Piqua, who now enjoys 
a period of comfortable retirement after 
many years of agricultural life, resides in 
his pleasant home at No. 645 West Ash 
Street. He was born December 16, 1843, 
at Ceuterville, Montgomery County, Ohio, 
where he attended school through his boy- 
hood and remained until he was seventeen 
years of age. In 1861 Mr. Morrow came 
to Miami County and located on a farm on 
the Clayton Turnpike, two miles west of 
Piqua, remaining there until 1864, when he 
enlisted for service in the Civil War. He 
was a member of Company E, 147th Regi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was 
stationed at Fort Ethan Allen, near Wash- 
ington, remaining in the army for 110 days. 
He is a valued member of Alexander Post, 
G, A. E., at Piqua. 

In 1866 Mr. Morrow went to Illinois and 
remained in that state for about ten years, 
during the greater part of this time operat- 
ing hotels at Canton, Pekin and Decatur. 
When he retired from hotel-keeping, he 
resumed farming in Miami County, which 
he continued until 1907, when he retired to 
Piqua. He retains two valuable farms, 
one of seventy and the other of sixty-five 
acres, both of them being situated in Wash- 
ington Township. 

In 1873 Mr. Morrow was married to 



Miss Emily Hawkins, who was then a resi- 
dent of Logan County, Illinois, but was 
born at Providence, Ehode Island. They 
have three children: J. Henry, who is a 
farmer in Miami County; and Lester and 
Wilbur, both of whom reside at Piqua. 
Mr. Morrow and family are members of 
St. James Episcopal Church. Very re- 
cently Mr. Morrow has retired from the 
vestry of this church, having served on 
the board for many years. Within the 
bounds of quiet, good citizenship, Mr. Mor- 
row has always taken an interest in pub- 
lic matters, has served as township trus- 
tee and is yet serving as deputy super- 
visor of elections. 

JOHN NEWTON SHOOK, one of Lost 

Creek Township's reliable citizens, resides 
on his well cultivated farm of sixty-five 
acres, which he devotes to grain and to- 
bacco growing. Mr. Shook was born on 
this farm in Miami County, Ohio, Febru- 
ary 18, 1860, and is a sou of Isaac and 
Susan (Hufford) Shook. 

Isaac Shook was born in 1822, in AVest 
Virginia, not far from AYheeling, and when 
he was about seven years of age accom- 
l^anied his father to Montgomery County, 
Ohio, where the latter died soon after- 
ward. Isaac Shook remained in Mont- 
gomery County for twenty years, during 
this time marrying Susan Hutford, who 
was born in Maryland in 1819. In April, 
1859, they moved to Miami County, and 
Isaac Shook bought the present farm of 
John Newton, from James L. Long, and 
here both he and wife died, his death oc- 
curring in April, 1900, and her death six 
years later. They had the following chil- 
dren : Elizabeth, who is the wife of Alex- 
ander Mumford, of Clark County, Ohio; 



-VXD REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



527 



Samuel, who lives in Troy; Sarah and 
Jauo, twins; Mary Ann, who died in in- 
fancy; Thomas, who lives at Springfield; 
and (jeorge and John Newton, both of 
whom reside in Lost Creek Township. 

John Newton Shook had but few school 
advantages in his youth, and when he was 
growing up hard work on the farm mainly 
occupied his time. After his marriage he 
continued to farm the old place, but lived 
at Casstown for one j'ear and then went 
back to the country and remained with 
his mother after the death of his father, 
but at her death he bought the property. 
She was twice married, her first husband 
being Peter Syphord, and they had two 
children, Margaret and Peter, both de- 
ceased. The buildings standing on Mr. 
Shook 's farm were put up during the life 
of his father, but he has made other im- 
provements, and each year the place be- 
comes more valuable. He carries on a 
general line of farming, and finds tobacco 
growing profitable. 

On March 1, 1883, Mr. Shook was mar- 
ried to Miss Matilda Kanzow, a daughter 
of Frederick and Catherine (Vanderhide) 
Eanzow, both of whom were born in Gei-- 
many, from which country Mr. Shook 's 
ancestors also came to America. The 
Eanzow family also contained six chil- 
dren, namely: Augusta, Matilda, Fred- 
erick, Henry, Charles, and Emma. The 
following children have been born to Mr. 
and Mrs. Shook: Clarence, who died 
young; Delia and Henry, both of whom 
also died young; Charles, who is a mem- 
ber of the graduating class of 1910 of the 
Troy High School; and William, Bertha 
and Frederick. It is Mr. Shock's inten- 
tion to give his children everj' educational 
advantage in his power and thus prepare 



them for lives of usefulness, either on the 
farm or in some other line that they may 
seem best fitted for. In politics :Mr. Shook 
is a Democrat. He is a member of the 
Masonic lodge at Christianburg. 

J. A. GERSTMEYEK, senior member 
of the plumbing firm of Gerstme}-er & 
McKale, is one of the leading business 
men of the City of Piqua, and has various 
business interests. He was born in Pi- 
qua in 1875, and is a son of John Gerst- 
meyer, who was born in Bavaria, Ger- 
many. The latter, who is now living in re- 
tirement in Piqua, came to this country 
in 1873, and for many years had brewery 
interests in Miami County, Ohio. 

J. A. Gerstmeyer was reared and edu- 
cated in his native city, and after leaving 
school was employed in a printing house 
for one year. In 1891 he entered the 
plumbing business with Mr. J. A. Kloeb, 
with whom he continued two years. He 
was then for six years identified with the 
plumbing firm of Dailey & Bullock, and 
for three years with Dailey & Stephens. 
He was next with the Burr Hardware Com- 
pany three years, and in 1903 engaged in 
the plumbing business as a member of the 
firm of Frederick & Gerstmeyer. They 
continued successfully until March, 1907, 
when the present firm of Gerstmeyer & 
McKale was formed. They do a general 
phmibing, heating and ventilating busi- 
ness, and have had contracts for the 
equipment of many of the late buildings 
of Piqua and vicinity. Mr. Gerstmeyer 
also has various other interests in the 
city. 

In 1902 Mr. Gerstmeyer was united in 
marriage with Miss Ida Hemmert, and 
they have two children, Mary and ^lartha. 



528 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Eeligiously they are faithful members of 
St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church. He 
is a member of the Fraternal Order of 



Eagles. 



JOSEPH E. MEXDEXHALL, of the 
firm of Meudenhall & "Wilkinson, the lead- 
ing one in tlie general insurance line at 
Piqua, has maintained his home in this 
city since 1859. He was born in Bethel 
Township, ^Miami County, Ohio, Xovember 
5, 1838, and is a son of Isaac and Eliza- 
beth (Stafford) Mendenhall. 

Isaac Mendenhall was born May 6, 1804, 
at Todd's Fork, north of Cincinnati, and 
died in 1892, aged eighty-eight years. He 
was brought in infancy to Miami County 
by his father, William Mendenhall, who 
settled in the woods at a point about two 
miles east of Tippecanoe City. In his 
early manhood Isaac Mendenhall pur- 
chased a farm located about one and one- 
half miles east of the old homestead and 
resided there until 1859, when he came to 
Piqua, and during the balance of liis active 
life was engaged in a contracting busi- 
ness. He married Elizabeth Stafford, who 
was born about 1806, in Bethel Township, 
Miami County, and died at Piqua, in 1873. 
She was a daughter of Joseph Stafford, 
who was born in Ireland and came to Mi- 
ami County at a very early day. The 
name of his wife was Saylor, and she had 
been brought from Ireland in childhood. 

Joseph E. Mendenhall was about twen- 
ty-two years of age when his parents 
moved to Piqua, and prior to that he had 
attended the country schools more or less 
continuously. He soon became a travel- 
ing salesman, and for twenty years was 
on the road with a wagon, for four years 
selling notions through Ohio and Indiana 



and dui-ing the rest of the time carrying- 
only dry goods. For two years his head- 
quarters were at Dayton, for one year at 
Cincinnati, and for thirteen years at Xew 
York. In 1880 Mr. Mendenhall started 
into the general insurance business in part- 
nership with a Ml'. Grafflin, which con- 
tinued until 1895, when he bought out his 
partner's interest, and with J. B. Wilkin- 
son, organized his present firm. This firm 
as representing all the leading insurance 
companies of the country, does a very 
large amount of business, and on account 
of its careful and conservative methods, 
enjoys general confidence. They place 
risks with twenty-two of the most respon- 
sible fire insurance companies of the world. 
On February 18, 1873, Mr. Meudenhall 
was married to Miss Hattie E. Clark, who 
was born and reared in J\Iiami County, and 
they have two daughters, Mary E. and 
Anna. The former is the wife of C. C. 
Jelliff, who is purchasing agent for the 
Favorite Stove and Range Company, of 
Piqua. The latter is the wife of Capt. 
Leon Roach, who is an officer in the regu- 
lar army of the United States, belonging 
to the Fifteenth Regiment, which at jDres- 
ent is stationed at Columbus barracks. 
Formerly Mr. Meudenhall took much in- 
terest in politics and he has never failed 
in any duty of good citizenship. He is a 
member of the Presbyterian Church and 
for a nimiber of years was a trustee and 
its treasurer, but when re-elected to the 
financial office, declined to again assume 
the res]n)nsibility. Mr. Mendenhall is one 
of Piqua 's representative men. 

SOLOMON B. FRESHOUR, vice-presi- 
dent of the Citizens' National Bank of 
Covington, Ohio, has spent all but five 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



529 



years of a long and useful life in ^lianii 
County, but bis birtb took place in Sbelby 
County, Oliio, September 27, 1834:. His 
]iarents were George and Mary (Byrkett) 
Fresliour. 

From tlie pioneer farm in the then un- 
cleared wilderness of Shelby County, the 
parents of Mr. Fi-eshour moved to Miami 
County, in 1839, settling four miles west 
of Pleasant Hill, on a farm which the 
father purchased at that time and which 
remained the family home. On that farm 
Solomon B. Fresliour grew to manhood, 
heli)ing his father and prei)aring for an 
agricultural life for himself. His edu- 
cation was obtained in the country schools. 
"When the Civil War broke out, Mr. Fresli- 
our was one of the first to respond to the 
call for troops, in his neighborhood, enlist- 
ing in April, 1861, in Company E, Eleventh 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he 
served for three months, later serving for 
100 days as a member of the 147tli Ohio 
"\'olunteer Infantry. During this time he 
was taken sick and lay ill in the hospital 
at Fort Marcy, on the Potomac Eiver, for 
a long time. After the close of his army 
service he returned to his father's farm, 
and as soon as strength came liack he re- 
sumed farming and continued to live there 
until 186(5. In the meanwhile he had mar- 
ried, and moved then to the vicinity of 
Gieenville Creek Falls, where he pur- 
chased a farm of eighty acres, which he 
still owns and continues to manage. He 
made the farm his place of residence un- 
til 1906, when he retired to Covington, of 
which city he is a respected and valued 
citizen. Mr. Fresliour was one of the in- 
corporators of the Citizens' National Bank 
of Covington, of which he has been a di- 



rector since its organization, and vice- 
] (resident since January 1, 1909. 

In 1862 Mr. Fresliour was married to 
Miss Hannah E. Langston, who was born 
and reared in Miami County, her parents, 
Leonard and I'rances (Krise) Langston 
being farming people residing not far from 
Kessler. To .Mr. and Mrs. Fresliour were 
born seven children, three of whom died 
in infancy. The eldest son, John Will- 
iam, whose death occurred in 1898, at tlie 
age of thirty-five years, a victim of ty- 
phoid fever, was a young man of brilliant 
promise, a graduate of the Miami Med- 
ical College at Cincinnati. After years of 
training he was just ready to enter upon 
the practice of medicine, when he was 
stricken in his prime. He was survived 
l)y his widow, formerly ^liss Lillian Mar- 
tindale. The three surviving children of 
Mr. Freshour are: Mary, who married 
J. A\'. Dowler and has two sons — Leonard 
and James; ^faud, who married Vernor 
B. Grabill, of Delaware, Indiana; and 
Thomas, who resides with his parents. 
^Ir. Freshour and family are members of 
the Christian Church, in which he is a 
trustee. He belongs to the Grand Army 
of the Eepublic, to the Masons, and for 
many years has been identified with the 
Grange movement. 

JOHN H. DRURY, assistant cashier of 
the First National Bank of Troy, Ohio, 
and formerly postmaster, is interested 
financially in a number of the prospering 
enterprises of Miami County. He was 
l)oin at Rowe, Massachusetts, January 12, 
1850, and is a son of John C. Drury. The 
jiarents of ^Ir. Drury settled at Troy in 
1855 and this city has been the latter's 
home ever since. 



630 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



John C. Drury was engaged in a dry 
goods and grocery business until the open- 
ing of the Civil War, when he proved his 
patriotism by raising Company H, Elev- 
enth Eegiment 0. Vol. Inf., of which he 
was elected captain. It went into service 
in 1861, and Captain Drury was out for 
one year, when he resigned his commission 
and returned home, but only to raise a 
second company, this being Company B, 
Ninety-fourth Eegiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, of which he was also made cap- 
tain. This regiment went to Kentucky, 
and in 1862, in the terrible battle of Per- 
ryville. Captain Drury fell at the head of 
his command, shot through the heart. 

J. H. Drury attended the common school 
at Troy and then went through the High 
School, after which he took a business 
course at Dayton. Upon his return he 
became a clerk in the Tr-oy postoffice, his 
mother being postmistress for eight years, 
and in 1875 he succeeded her and served 
until 1879. In July of that year he en- 
tered the First National Bank, and has 
been associated with this institution ever 
since, and has been assistant cashier since 
early in 1881. He is a man of consider- 
able business enterprise, and has identified 
himself with manufacturing and other in- 
terests in this section. 

In 1881 Mr. Drury was married to Miss 
Anna Clokey, who is a daughter of Eev. 
Josejih Clokey, formerly a prominent 
Presbyterian minister, but now deceased. 
Mr. and Mrs. Drury are members of the 
Presbyterian Church at Troy, in which he 
is an elder. He belongs to the Troy Club. 
His interest in politics is only that of a 
good citizen. 



SAMUEL B. KEPNEE, deceased, who 
was identified for over half a century with 
carpenter and building contract work in 
Miami County, with residence during the 
most of that time in Covington, was born 
January 11, 1843, on a farm in Darke 
County, Ohio, son of Absalom and Mar- 
garet (Eadebaugh) Kepner. 

Absalom Kepner was born in Juniata 
County, Pennsylvania, where his father 
died, after which he accompanied his 
mother, in early manhood, to Darke Coun- 
ty, Ohio. By trade he was a weaver, but 
his main business through life was farm- 
ing. Prior to his marriage he ran a loom 
at Covington, but when he married Mar- 
garet, daughter of John Eadebaugh, the 
latter gave him a farm in Darke County, 
on which he resided until 1859. He then 
came to Covington and shortly afterward 
started a little grocery store one and a 
half miles out in the country. Still later he 
operated a store at Clayton, where his 
death occurred in February, 1881. 

Samuel B. Kepner was only fifteen years 
old when he started to learn the carpen- 
ter's trade under his brother, Benjamin 
Kepner, and for a number of years they 
worked in partnership. At the age of 
nineteen he enlisted in Company B, Nine- 
ty-fourth 0. V. I.. August 7, 1862, and 
spent three years in the service of his 
country. In 1872 Benjamin Kepner went 
to the West, and subsequently died at 
Denver, Colorado. From that time on un- 
til he was sixty-five years old and felt he 
was ready to retire from business activity, 
Samuel B. Kepner was engaged in con- 
tracting and building and met with more 
than usual success. He did a large amount 
of farm building, constructing many com- 
fortable farm residences and innumerable 




SAMUEL B. KEPNER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



533 



barns. One of his large contracts was the 
building of the tobacco shed for Joseph 
Mohler, which was 116 feet long, with an 
extension of the old barn of eighteen feet, 
one end being thirty-five feet and the other 
forty feet in width. It was Mr. Kepner's 
policy to keep plenty of help and to use 
only the best material, and thus he was 
able to be punctual and satisfactory in 
completing his contracts. During his last 
years of active business life he utilized a 
larger force of men and did more busi- 
ness than in any one previous season. 

On August 12, 1869, Mr. Kepner was 
married to Miss Martha Boggs, a daugh- 
ter of Aaron and Melvina (Hitt) Boggs. 
She was born and reared in Newberry 
Township, Miami County. Her father was 
born near Piqua, Ohio, and was a son of 
Ezekiel Boggs, who operated one of the 
early grist-mills on the Little Miami Eiver. 
In January, 1873, Aaron Boggs moved 
from his farm to Covington, and there he 
died suddenly of heart disease, having 
been attacked while attending church. He 
married Melvina Hitt in Kentucky, of 
which State she was a native, and after 
his death she moved back to the farm in 
Newberry Township, where she died in 
January, 1883. Mr. and Mrs. Kepner had 
five children, as follows: Cora, who is 
the wife of William Helman, resides on a 
farm two and a half miles west of Sidney 
and has three children — Maurice, Ruth 
and Etoile; Amanda, who is the wife of 
Ora "Wenrick, resides at Indianapolis, and 
has three children — Mildred, Pearl and 
Floyd; Melvina, who is the widow of A. 
L. Stahl, and has one child — Flossie; 
Charles, who married Nora Loxley, resides 
on his fai-m of sixty acres, in Darke Coun- 
ty, and has two children — Naomi and 



Charles Ivor; and Pearl, who is the wife 
of J. W. Goudy, of Camden, Ohio, and has 
one daughter — Martha Catherine. 

In 1883 Mr. Kepner moved to his farm 
in Darke County, residing there until 1907, 
when he returned to Covington, and subse- 
quently occupied a handsome brick resi- 
dence which he built in the fall of 1906, 
and which is situated on North High 
Street, adjoining the Highland Cemetery. 
Mr. Kei^ner belonged to the Church of the 
Brethren — the religious society otherwise 
known as the Dunkards, of which his wife 
is also a member. The last dread sum- 
mons, which came to him suddenly on 
April 14, 1909, found him prepared, like 
the Wise Virgins, with his lamp trimmed 
and burning. An earnest and consistent 
Christian, we cannot doubt that he heard 
the glad words of his Master, "Well done, 
good and faithful servant, enter thou into 
the joy of thy Lord." He was ever a de- 
voted husband and a kind father, and to 
his children he left the priceless legacy of 
a good name. He was a man of high stand- 
ing in his community, one who through a 
long business career made honesty and in- 
tegrity its foundation stones. 

ISAAC H. KREITZER, nurserjTnan 
and farmer, residing on his farm of fifty 
acres, which is situated on the National 
Turnpike, in Bethel Township. Miami 
County, not far from Tippecanoe City, 
owns what is probably one of the finest 
homes in this section of the country, one 
of exceptional attractiveness during the 
summer seasons. Mr. Kreitzer was born 
in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Octo- 
ber 10, 1850, and is a son of John and 
Catherine (Haak) Kreitzer. 

The parents of Mr. Kreitzer spent their 



534 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



lives in Lebanon County, Pennsjivania, 
where tliey were farming people of ample 
means. They had the following children: 
Henry, Jonathan, Michael, Andrew, John, 
Eliza, Aaron, William, Kate, and Isaac H. 
]\rany years have passed since Isaac H. 
Kreitzer left the old home and the be- 
loved parents, but their memory is very 
dear to him and witli pardonable pride he 
sliows to the interested visitor a picture 
of liis father and mother, done in pen and 
ink, bearing the date of 1824. It is a very 
artistic piece of work and tlie color has 
never faded in the least. 

Before he was seventeen years of age, 
Isaac H. Kreitzer had completed his col- 
lege course in Lebanon Count}", and for 
one year thereafter lie taught school. He 
then became interested in the milling busi- 
ness and continued to work in flour mills 
in his native section until he was tweutj^- 
one years of age, when he came to Ohio 
and worked for one year in a mill at 
Westerville, Franklin County. From there 
he went to Tippecanoe City, where he 
followed milling for four years, in the 
meanwhile marrying, and two years after 
this event moved to Montgomery County, 
where he operated his own custom mill 
for twenty years. When he retired from 
the milling industry he came to Miami 
County and located first on a farm adjoin- 
ing the one he subsequently bought, in 
Bethel Township, which he cultivated for 
six years and then came to his present 
place. Here he re])aired all the buildings 
and equipped them with modern ai)pli- 
ances for comfortable living, including a 
modern system of heating, and s])ending 
a large amount on beautifying his grounds. 
A cyclone that passed through Bethel 
Township in 1907 destroyed much timber. 



but he still has four acres standing. He 
devotes seven acres to cherry, pear, ap- 
])le and plum orchards and makes a spe- 
cialty of raising strawberries, rasjjberries 
and l)lackberries and general nursery 
stock. He bought this farm from the late 
Robert Defenderfer, who formerly con- 
ducted a fruit farm. Mr. Kreitzer has his 
sons, Charles E., John and Ray, as his 
partners and the business is conducted un- 
der the firm name of I. H. Kreitzer & 
Sons. In association with his wife, Mr. 
Kreitzer owns considerable valuable city 
property in Dayton, Ohio. 

On October 10, 1875, Mr. Kreitzer was 
married to Miss .Vnna M. Ross, a highly 
accomplished lady, who was educated at 
Center Seminary, Indiana, and subse- 
quently for nine years was a successful 
teacher in the schools of W^est Charleston 
and Brandt. Her parents were John and 
Eliza Ross. Mr. and Mrs. Kreitzer have 
had the following children : Harry C, 
John Ross, Charles E., George E. and 
Raymond Isaac. All survive except 
George E., who was a twin brother of 
Charles E., and did not survive infancy. 
Harry C. married Lucy, a daughter of 
William and Martha Johnson. Charles 
E., John and Ray reside at home. Charles 
E. is a partner with his father and is one 
of the pnnnineut Rei)ublican ])oliticians of 
this section, at present being a central 
committeeman. He is also a justice of the 
peace. Charles E. and Raymond I. grad- 
uated in the class of 1900 from Bethel 
High School and reside at home. The 
Kreitzer sons are musical, and in March, 
1908, Charles E. Kreitzer organized the 
Phoneton Band, of fifteen pieces, he play- 
ing the E fiat cornet. The band is fully 
equii)ped with fine instruments and an at- 



AND REPRESENTA-TIVE CITIZENS 



535 



tractive uniforni, and their playing met 
with such popular ajjproval that in tlje 
first season they cleared $550. Charles 
E. Kreitzer is prominent in Odd P"'e] low- 
ship, belonging to Lodge No. 711 of Brandt 
and to ]\Ionroe Encampment, No. 140, of 
Tippecanoe City. 

REV. HENRY HUEBSCHMANN, Jr., 
pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Protest- 
ant Church of Piqua, is one of the young, 
earnest and scholarly clergymen of his 
religious body, and his strong and hel})ful 
influence has been marked since he has 
had charge of his present church. He was 
born at Princeton, Illinois, in 1876, and is 
a son of Rev. Henry and Martha (Hoff- 
meister) Huebschmann. 

Rev. Henry Huebschmann, Sr., was 
l)orn in Germany, and engaged in mission- 
ary work in the cities of Hamburg and 
Berlin before coming to America. He 
served as a minister in the Evangelical 
Protestant Church in this country for 
thirty-seven years. He married Martha 
Hoffmeister, a daughter of Rev. C. Hoff- 
meister, who was one of the pioneers of 
this religious sect in America. To the 
above marriage were l)orn the following 
children : Pauline, who is the wife of Carl 
Lichty, of Cleveland; John, who is a min- 
ister; Louise, who resides at Cleveland; 
Paul, who lives at Bloomington, Illinois; 
and Henry. Rev. (J. Hoffmeister had two 
sons in the ministry — John and Simon — 
the former of whom is stationed at Pala- 
tine. Illinois, and the latter died while 
pastor of a chui-ch at Peru, Illinois. On 
both sides Rev. Henry Huebschmann 
comes of ministerial ancestry. Rev. John 
Kroenhke, ]iastor of St. John's Evangel- 
ical Church ill San Francisco, California, 



married a sister of his mother. His 
brother, John Huebschmann, is pastor of 
the Scheiflein Christi Church in Cleveland. 
Both young men were given excellent ad- 
vantages. 

Rev. Henry attended school at Elmhurst, 
Illinois, and spent four years in a sem- 
inary of the Evangelical Protestant 
Church, graduating with lienors in 1896. 
AVith seventeen others he was recommend- 
ed to the directors of the Synod of Eden 
Theological Seminary, and in 1H99 he was 
graduated from that institution and in the 
same year was ordained, immediately aft- 
erward being thoroughly tested, being 
placed in charge of two churches in the 
Kansas District. He reiuained two years 
in the Kansas District, and then was given 
a church at Floraville, Illinois, where he 
served most acceptably until he answered 
the call to St. Paul's Evangelical Church 
at Pekin, Illinois, and remained there from 
190;^ until Ii)06, when he came to St. Paul's 
at Pifjua. He is recognized as one of the 
most active and valuable members of the 
association, and outside his own religious 
body is respected and esteemed for his 
jiersonal and manly qualities. 

Mr. Huebschmann was married Janu- 
ary 18, 1900, to Miss Johanna Kern, a 
daughter of Rev. Jacob and Phillipine 
(Ko)ip) Kern. At that time Rev. Kern 
was jiastor of a church at Carmi, Illinois. 
His children are: Carrie, who is the wife 
of Dr. A. D. Lloyd, of Bloomington, Illi- 
nois; Johanna; Ida, who is the wife of 
A'dol))h Bair, of Harrisburg, Illinois; 
Julius, who is county .iudge of AVhite 
County, Illinois; and Louis, who is engaged 
in business at Carmi, Illinois. Rev. and Mrs. 
Huebschmann have one daughter, Esther. 
St. Paul's (Miurch is in a very jirosporous 



536 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



state, there being about 200 families in its 
communicant body. They are not back- 
ward in showing their appreciation of their 
young pastor, and under their encourage- 
ment his zeal and enthusiasm are increased 
and his Christian efforts strengthened, 
adding to both the material and spiritual 
advancement of the church. 

THE FAVORITE STOVE AND 
EANGE COMPANY, Piqua's largest 
manfacturing plant and the most extensive 
in Miami County, was established in 1848, 
by W. C. Davis, under the title of W. C. 
Davis & Co. This was succeeded in 1881 
by The Favorite Stove Works Company, 
which, in turn, was succeeded by The Fa- 
vorite Stove and Range Company, on July 
1, 1888, when the business was removed 
from Cincinnati to Piqua. The plant in 
the latter city began to be operated in 
1889. 

It is always interesting to record the 
growth of a great enterprise. When the 
present company began operating at Pi- 
qua, the quarters were all included in a 
row of buildings that extended over their 
ground east and west, and another north 
and south, while now they have six rows 
of buildings, which cover ten acres of 
groimd, and the whole plant is said to be 
the most complete for its purpose in ex- 
istence. EmplojTnent is afforded from 550 
to 600 people. The present officers are: 
W. K. Boal, president; Stanhope Boal, 
vice-president; E. W. Lape, secretary and 
treasurer. The board of directors is made 
up of the following capitalists: W. K. 
BoaJ, Stanliope Boal, E. W. Lape, and 
Jacob Bettmann and Adam Gray, of Cin- 
cinnati. 

This plant manufactures only the very 



best class of stoves and ranges, and ship- 
ments are made to all parts of the United 
States. The universal trade-mark is ' ' The 
Favorite," and it includes an extensive 
assortment of both steel and cast iron 
ranges, cooking stoves, base burners and 
all styles of heating stoves, together with 
gas ranges, gas heaters in a great variety 
of styles, and also furnace boilers and high 
grade, extra finished, cast-iron hollow 
ware. The company has branches in a 
number of large cities, and some fifteen 
traveling men go out from the Piqua of- 
fice, covering a wide territory. The com- 
pany has pronounced advantages in the 
manufacture of their products, such as the 
arrangement of their buildings, which do 
not extend high in the air, thus saving 
heavy and complicated machinery, while 
the equipments, in many cases, have been 
constructed from their own original de- 
signs, with a view to their utility. They 
have excellent transportation facilities, the 
location of the plant being on the corner 
of Young and Hydraulic Streets. 

The enlargement of this business has 
been one of annual growth from the time 
the plant was located at Piqua. The com- 
pany has increased its capitalization from 
$100,000 to $600,000 preferred and $900,- 
000 common stock. This wonderful pros- 
perity not only indicates the superior qual- 
ity of the products, but also proves that 
the men who have built up this great in- 
dustry along the lines of modern business 
possess unlimited ability and financial 
stability. 

THEODORE L. ROGERS, proprietor 
of Fairview Farm, which consists of 265 
acres of valuable land which is situated 
in Lost Creek Township, on the south side 



AND EE PRESENT ATI VE CITIZENS 



537 



of the Addison and Casstown Turnpike 
Road, and is further brought close to hun- 
dreds of interesting points by reason of 
the electric railroad running through the 
property, was born at Casstown, Miami 
County, Ohio, March 6, 1860. 

Charles P. Rogers, father of Theodore 
L., was born in Clermont County, Ohio, 
October 18, 1818, a son of Asa Rogers, 
who came to Ohio from New Jersey. Asa 
Rogers cleared up a farm near Addison, 
not far from the county line, lived on it 
for some years and died after he had re- 
tired to Casstown, when aged eighty years. 
He had the following children: Charles 
Parker; John, deceased; Furman, de- 
ceased; Mary Ann, deceased, wife of Al- 
mon Hammond, also deceased; Jarvis S., 
who was captain of a company during the 
Civil War; Joseph P., deceased; Nancy 
Ann, deceased, wife of Charles Sayers, 
also deceased; Harriet, deceased, wife of 
Dr. Deaver, also deceased; Sarah Jane, 
wife of George Causely, of Chicago, Illi- 
nois; and others who died in infancy. 

Charles Parker Rogers was five years 
old when his parents moved to the neigh- 
borhood of Addison, and there he grew up 
and, being the eldest of the family, gave 
his father much assistance in clearing up 
the farm. The father was a very prac- 
tical, sensible man, and insisted that each 
son should learn a self-supporting trade 
in addition to farming, and as this was an 
iron rule, Charles P. went to Addison and 
learned the blacksmith's trade and be- 
came so expert after serving an appren- 
ticeship of three years that he could 
fashion anything in iron. After he re- 
turned to the farm he opened a shop at 
Casstown, which he operated until 1864, 
when he bought a farm of 100 acres, sit- 



uated north of Casstown, which was known 
as the "Old Webb Place." After living 
there for two years he sold it and bought 
193 acres on the Addison and Casstown 
Turnpike, this transaction taking place in 
1866. He resided there until 1892. His 
death occurred on October 20th of that 
year, when at the home of his son, Dr. S. 
T. Rogers, at New Albany, Indiana. He 
was married (first) to Sarah Cox, who 
died after the birth of one son. Firman 
C, who is also deceased. On September 
20, 1847, he was married (second) to the 
widow of A. M. Walker, Mrs. Eliza Ann 
(Markley) Walker, a daughter of George 
Markley, who died when she was a child. 
Four children were born to this union, 
namely: Irene, who is the wife of A. B. 
Thackhara; Theodore Lincoln; Gilbert 
M., who died when aged nineteen years; 
and Shei-man T., a graduate of the Eclec- 
tic Medical Institute of Cincinnati and a 
physician in active practice at New Al- 
bany, Indiana. Gilbert M., who was cut 
off in his brilliant j^outh, was a mechanical 
genius and the family preserve models 
that he had made for a phonograph before 
the Edison discovery was put on the mar- 
ket. The mother of this family survived 
imtil January 16, 1891, dying at the age 
of sixty years. 

Theodore L. Rogers was six years old 
when his parents moved to the farm and 
he continued to reside at home until his 
marriage, in the meanwhile securing an 
excellent common school education. He 
then bought 128 acres of land in Elizabeth 
Township. This he sold four years later 
to E. F. Sayers, from whom he purchased 
it in the beginning, and then bought 130 
acres of his present farm, subsequently 
adding thereto until his total acreage has 



538 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



amounted to 265— a large property, which 
he devotes to general agriculture and 
stockraisiug. He remodeled the house and 
has erected all the other substantial farm 
buildings and the place is known by the 
l^leasant name of Pairview Farm. 

On December 6, 1883, Mr. Rogers was 
married to Miss Altazera Sayers, a daugh- 
ter of E. F. and Caroline M. (French) 
Sayers, and they have two sons : Charles 
P., who is a member of the graduating 
class of 1910 in the Troy High School ; and 
Albert Markley. The family belong to the 
Methodist Church, in which Mr. Rogers is 
serving on the board of trustees. He is a 
stanch supporter of the Republican party, 
and is one of the township's thoroughly 
representative citizens. 

C. W. MITCHELL, superintendent of 
the Prudential Insurance Company of 
America, is a thoroughly experienced in- 
surance man and occupies a position of 
great resijonsibility. He was born iia 1864, 
at Columbus, Ohio, but was reared from 
the age of four years in Union City, Ohio. 

Mr. Mitchell was educated at Union City 
and was twenty-one years old when he left 
there for Hamilton, Ohio. In 1889 he first 
became identified with the Prudential peo- 
ple, and worked for them for two years 
at Hamilton, and then up to 1895 he was 
connected with other insurance companies, 
in that year returning to the Prudential. 
He was made assistant superintendent at 
Fremont, Ohio, where he remained two and 
one-half years, when he was transferred to 
Springfield and worked as assistant super- 
intendent in that field for two years. His 
next transfer was to Mansfield, Ohio, 
where he was superintendent for fourteen 
months, going then to Dayton, as assistant 



superintendent. Mr. Mitchell came to Pi- 
qua as superintendent in 1905, where he 
has his main office, from which the affairs 
of the district are looked after. He has 
an office at Troy, with E. L. Jacobs in 
charge as assistant superintendent, and 
from that office the southern end of the 
county is watched. The company main- 
tains a third office at Greenville, one at 
Sidney and one at St. Mary's, the terri- 
tory covered being from Tipi)ecanoe City 
on the south to Cridersville on the north. 
Mr. Mitchell's energy has had much to 
do with developing the business of this 
section for his company, and he is justly 
proud of his record. 

In 1892 Mr. Mitchell was married to 
Miss Clara B. AVhitehead, of Hamilton, 
Ohio, and they have two children : Collin 
Ford and Myrtle Laurene. Mr. and Mrs. 
Mitchell are members of the Green Street 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He is iden- 
tified with the Masonic fratei'nity. 

ELI HARRISON DRURY, a retired 
and highly respected citizen of Elizabeth 
Township, who during the greater part 
of his life was engaged in agricultural 
pursuits in Miami County, was born Jan- 
uary 1, 1828, in Somerset County, Penn- 
sylvania. 

Mr. Drury left his native State when 
about fifteen years of age and located in 
Perry County, Ohio, where he was engaged 
in farming until his marriage, in 1848, at 
which time he removed to Ross County, 
and there became a clerk, and later pro- 
prietor of a store. Subsequently he went 
to "Woodstock and became the proprietor 
of a hotel at that place, but later removed 
to Charleston, Bethel Township, where he 
served as clerk in his brother's store. Some 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



539 



time later he went to jMiami City as a dry 
goods and grocery merchant, but sold out 
this establishment and purchased a farm 
of ninety acres from Benjamin Flynn, 
south of the city, on which he continued 
for fifteen years, operating as a general 
farmer. At the time of Mr. Drury's com- 
ing to this property nearly all the build- 
ings on this property had been erected, but 
thej'^ were in need of repair, and this Mr. 
Drury accomplished, later selling the farm 
to Abraham Stortts. The next three years 
he sjjent on a farm of 105 acres, and he 
then spent one year on rented land at 
Brown's Station, but subsequently re- 
moved to anotlier small farm, which he 
rented and which he devoted to the rais- 
ing of grain for four years. After this 
Mr. Drury located on the L. Haines farm, 
and here his wife died July 27, 1907, in- 
terment being made at McKendree Chapel. 
After the death of Mrs. Drury her hus- 
band went to live with his son George G., 
who rents a general farm of Andrew 
Staley, of Elizabeth Township. 

On March 12, 1848, Mr. Drury was mar- 
ried to Mary Ann Stortts, who was a 
daughter of John J. and Mary Ann 
Stortts, and there were eight children born 
to this imion, namely: James; John H., 
who is deceased; Thomas J.; Alice A.; 
George G., who was married June 3, 1894, 
to Eebecca Ann Elliott, daughter of Flem- 
ing and Barbara Elliott; Mary E., a.nd 
two children who died in infancy. Mr. 
Drury is very well known in the commu- 
nity in which he resides, and bears the 
reputation of a man of honor, integrity 
and public spirit. A Bepublican in liis 
political views, he has served as school 
director for two vears. 



H. E. CLEMM, of The Francis & 
Clemra Company, retail lumber dealers at 
Troy, has been a resident of this city for 
the i)ast fifteen years and is a native of 
Miami County, having been born Novem- 
ber 21, 1863, in Union Township. 

The late Daniel P. Clemm, father of H. 
E., was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, 
after his parents had settled there on com- 
ing from Maryland, the original home of 
the Clemms. Daniel P. Clemm was a rep- 
resentative citizen and substantial farmer 
of Miami County. He was a man of in- 
telligence and public spirit and was iden- 
tified with the Republican party. 

H. E. Clemm secui-ed his early educa- 
tion in the schools near his home, later at- 
tended the Georgetown Academy and 
spent one summer in the Normal school at 
Danville, Indiana. Following this he 
taught school in Miami County, Ohio, for 
nine years, and then came to Troy, where 
he went to work for Mr. Francis in his 
lumber yards. He was apt, capable and 
industrious, and in 1902 he was invited 
into ])artnership, the firm style then be- 
coming W. H. Francis & Co., which con- 
tinued until Ai)ril. 1908, when the firm be- 
came the Francis & Clemm Company. The 
officers of the comiiany are: "\V. H. Fran- 
cis, president; H. K. Clemm, secretary; 
and N. Rathbun, vice-president. The Inisi- 
ness engaged in is the manufacture of sash 
and doors, in their jilaning-mill, and deal- 
ing in lumber. Their well equii)])ed plant 
is situated on Walnut and Race Streets, at 
Troy, Ohio. 

On April 7, 1889, Mr. Clennn was mar- 
ried to Miss Olive M. Mote, who was born 
in I'liion Townshiji, Miami County, Ohio, 
and is a daughter of W. C. Mote. They 
have two sons, Merrill "\V. and Herbert H., 



540 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



both of whom are students in the Troy 
High School. Mr. Clemm is a leading 
member, of the First Christian Church, 
a deacon in the same, a member of the 
official board and superintendent of the 
Sunday School. This position he has held 
for the past fifteen years in Troy, Ohio, 
and three years at Ludlow Falls, Ohio, 
and l)y his enthusiasm and energy he has 
contributed largely to the membership and 
efficiency of both schools. He is a mem- 
ber of Troy Lodge, F. & A. M. No. 14, also 
a Knight Templar Mason. In business as 
well as in personal standing, he is one of 
the representative citizens of Troy. 

T. H. NORR, who is engaged in the tin, 
iron and slate roofing business at Piqua, 
with headquarters at No. 114 East AVater 
Street, is one of the representative busi- 
ness men of this city, where his interests 
have been centered for the past eighteen 
years. He was born in 1871, in Fort 
"Wayne, Indiana, where he attended school. 

When a young man, Mr. Norr learned 
the tinner's trade with Becker & Son, at 
Fort Wayne, and after he came to Piqua 
he worked for Lenox & Co., for one year, 
for J. M. Heim, for three years, and later 
for the Barnett Hardware Company and 
Dewees & Woodcox. In 1900 he formed 
a partnership with W. F. Lentz, under the 
firm name of Lentz & Norr, which con- 
tinued until 1903, when be sold out to his 
partner and embarked in business for him- 
self at his present location. He does all 
kinds of roofing and cornice work, making 
a specialty of heavy iron work, such as 
boiler building and smoke-stack construc- 
tion, having the largest business in his 
line in the coimty, and affording employ- 
ment to fourteen to twenty-three skilled 



men. His reputation for satisfactory work 
and materials extends far beyond the city 
and he is kept busy with contracts and 
orders from distant as well as local points. 
This business Mr. Norr has built up 
through his own industry and efficiency. 

In 1895 Mr. Norr was married to Miss 
Georgianna Schutte, of Troy. He is a 
member of a number of fraternal organ- 
izations : the Masons, including the higher 
branches and the Scottish Rite, the Red 
Men, the Elks, the Knights of Pythias, and 
the Eagles, and belongs to the Elks Club. 

WILLIAM ANTHONY, one of Staun- 
ton Township's representative and re- 
spected citizens, resides on his excellent 
farm of forty acres, which is situated in 
Staunton Township, about four miles north 
of Troy. He was born February 9, 1859, 
on the old Anthony place south of Dayton, 
in Montgomery County, Ohio, and is a son 
of John and Christianna (Baltz) Anthony. 

John Anthony, father of William, was 
born in Germany and lived there until he 
was about forty years of age, mainly en- 
gaged in teaming and working around a 
mill. When he came to the United States 
he lived for a short time in New Orleans, 
from there made his way to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, and was employed on the construc- 
tion of the Dayton & Michigan Railroad 
in Montgomery County. There he bought 
a small farm, which he sold in 1872 and 
then came to Miami County and bought a 
farm situated southwest of Piqua, on 
which he lived until old age. He then re- 
tired to Piqua, where his wife died first 
and his death followed, at the home of his 
daughter Lena, having passed his eighty- 
seventh birthday. He was married in 
Montgomery County, Ohio, to Christianna 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



541 



Baltz, who was also of German birth, and 
they had five children, namely : John, who 
died young; Jacob, who also died young; 
"William ; Lena, who married John F. Cath- 
cart ; and John, who resides at Piqua. 

WUliam Anthony obtained his education 
in the schools of Miamisburg and was fif- 
teen years old when he came to Miami 
County. He remained at home and worked 
for his father imtil he was of age, when 
he started out for himself, working as a 
farm hand and also in the shaft and pole 
works at Piqua. In 1886 he bought his 
present farm with the large farm house 
on the place. It was a part of the old 
Sutton estate and has always been consid- 
ered excellent land. Mr. Anthony carries 
on general farming. In addition to this 
property, Mr. and Mrs. Anthony own a 
valuable residence property on Wayne 
Street, Piqua. 

On February 22, 1887, Mr. Anthony was 
married to Miss Ida Scharff, who was born 
at Springfield, Ohio, and is a daughter 
of Charles Frederick and Wilhelmina 
(Uhlery) Scharff, both of whom were born 
in Germany, where they were married. 
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony have two children : 
Minnie Christine, who was married Janu- 
ary 28, 1909, to Harry Free; and Ethel 
Louisa. Mr. Anthony and family are 
members of the Lutheran Church. In pol- 
itics he is a Republican. 

J. B. WILKINSON, of the prominent 
general insurance firm of Mendenhall & 
Wilkinson, at Piqua, has been a resident 
of this city for over a quarter of a cen- 
tury and is numbered with its representa- 
tive men. He was born in 1873, at Dayton, 
Ohio. 

Mr. Wilkinson was brought to Piqua 



when a lad of eight years and received his 
education in the common and high schools. 
His first business position was with the in- 
surance firm of Graflhn & Co., and one 
year later, Mr. GrafiQin became postmas- 
ter, but this did not interfere with the in- 
surance business, and by the time Mr. Wil- 
kinson was twenty-one years of age he 
had a pretty thorough knowledge of this 
line of work. About this time the firm 
became Mendenhall & Co., which was later 
succeeded by Mendenhall & Wilkinson, the 
senior member being Joseph E. Menden- 
hall. This firm does the largest general 
insurance business in Piqua and repre- 
sents twenty-two of the leading fire insur- 
ance companies of the country. Independ- 
ently, Mr. Wilkinson represents the North- 
western Mutual Life Insurance Company. 
In 1897 Mr. Wilkinson was married to 
Miss Katherine Hughes, the eldest daugh- 
ter of the late Rev. Dr. T. L. Hughes, of 
the Presbyterian Church, and they have 
two children, Jane Hortense and Ruth 
Clare. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson are mem- 
bers of the First Presbyterian Church. 
Fraternally he is a Royal Arch Mason 
and an Elk and belongs to the Piqua Club, 
of which he is secretary and treasurer. 

C. C. HOBART, president and general 
manager of the American Fixture and 
Manufacturing Company of Troy, Ohio, 
has been a resident of this city for a 
period of fifteen years. He was born in 
1857, in Vermont. When about eighteen 
years of age Mr. Hobart left his native 
State for school at Colgate University at 
Hamilton, New York ; later spent one year 
in the Chicago Law School, and in 1881 
was graduated from the law department 
of the Iowa State University. For two 



542 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



years after tliat Mr. Hobart was engaged 
in teaching scliool and then became inter- 
ested in operating a paper-mill at JNliddle- 
town, Ohio. About 1888 he establislied the 
Hobart Electric Manufacturing plant at 
Middletown, which he subsequently moved 
to Troy, and which he then developed into 
one of the largest manufacturing enter- 
prises of the city. In 1905 he sold his 
interest in that plant and established the 
American Fixture and Manufacturing 
Company, of which he is president and 
general manager. The business is the 
general manufacture of electrical material 
and cabinets. He is interested addition- 
ally in some enterprises outside this city. 
He has proved himself an active and use- 
ful citizen of Troy and served for two 
years as a member of the Board of Public 
Service. 

Mr. Hobart was married in 1886, to Miss 
Lou E. Jones, of Middletown, Ohio, and- 
they have three sons : Edward, who is a 
student at the Ohio State University; and 
Charles and William, students in tlie Troy 
schools. Mr. Hobart and wife are mem- 
bers of the Baptist Church. He belongs 
to the Troy Club and is a member of the 
fraternal order of Knights of Pythias. 

W. B-. ELY, who is engaged in a com- 
mission brokerage business at Piqua, has 
been a resident of this city for the past 
six years, and in this time has shown him- 
self an enter] iri sing and progressive man 
of business. He was born in 1881 at Wash- 
ington Court House, Ohio, and was edu- 
cated in the schools of his native place. 

After qualifying as an expert teleg- 
rapher, ]\lr. Ely worked two years as an 
operator in the railroad service, and then 
took up the brokerage business. His meth- 



ods are careful and conservative and he 
has a very satisfactory nimiber of clients. 
Mr. Ely was married in 1903, to Miss 
Grace Surgeon, of Jamestown, Ohio, and 
they have two children, Hope and Ruth. 
Mr. Ely is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias, the Elks and the Elks' Club and 
of other organizations. 

THOMAS B. STEWART, whose valu- 
able farm, containing 120 acres, is situ- 
ated in Staunton Township, is a repre- 
sentative citizen of this section and is a 
veteran of the Civil W^ar. He was born 
September 22, 1840, in Dauphin County, 
Pennsylvania, and is a sou of Robert and 
Sarah (Barnett) Stewart. 

The Stewart family is of Scotch descent 
and both father and grandfather were life- 
long residents of Pennsylvania, and both 
lived into old age. The mother of Mr. 
Stewart was also a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, and she only survived her husband 
for thirteen days. They had the follow- 
ing children: Robert, who is a minister; 
Sarah, ^largaret E. and Nancy R., all three 
of whom are now deceased; Thomas B. ; 
John J.; Harriet C, who resides in In- 
diana ; and William C. 

Thomas B. Stewart passed his boyhood 
and youth on the home farm, always find- 
ing plenty of hard work ready for him to 
perform. After his marriage, in 1872, he 
came to Ohio, and in the si)ring of 1873 he 
bought his ]n-esent farm from Daniel Sut- 
ton, and has done a large amount of im- 
proving here. His land is fertile and 
compares favorablj* with the old home 
farm in Dauiihin County. In September, 
1861, on his twenty-first birthday, he en- 
listed for service in the Civil War, becom- 
ing a private in the Seventh Regiment 




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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



547 



Pciiiui. \\>\. C'av., aiul later i'or gallant 
action was promoted to the rank of ser- 
geant. He served faitliruliy for three 
years, and took i)art in many imi)ortant 
battles, including Stone River, Siege of 
Atlanta, and Ciiickamauga. He is a mem- 
ber of the (irand Army of the Keinihlie. 
In recognition of his services to his conn- 
try when she needed them, he receives a 
])ension of $12 i)er month. In jiolitics lie 
is a strong Republican. 

On December '.U, 187l2, ]\lr. Stewart was 
married in Pennsylvania to Miss Matilda 
McElheny, a daughter of Samuel and Han- 
nah (Radel) McElheny, and eight children 
have been born to them, namely: Robert 
E., who resides at Troy, married Bertha 
Heikes, and they have one child, Robert 
Clair; .John J., who resides in Staunton 
Townshiji, married Harriet Free and they 
liave two children. Earl and Elsie ]\Iay: 
Sallie E., who married Samuel AicCHirdy. 
of Troy, has three children — Ralph, j\Iyrtle 
and Fred; Thomas R. ; Arthur, who died 
aged about seven months; Nora; Charles 
O., who o))erates the home farm; and 
Pearl Edna, who married Mnrry G. Mill- 
house, of S])ring Creek Townshi]), and has 
one child, Helen Frances. 

HERMAN GRUNERT, a member of 
tlie Boai-d of Trustees of Washington 
Township, Miami CV)unty, and engaged in 
business at Piqua as a cigar and tobacco 
manufacturer, is a progressive and enter- 
])rising citizen and one who is held in the 
highest esteem l)y those with whom he has 
business relations. He was l)orn in ]S()1. 
in Germany, and when si.x year.s of age 
he was brought to America by his parents. 

Mr. Grunert's first year was spent on 
liis uncle's farm, after which his rearing 



and educating were accomplished at Piqua. 
He learned the cigar and tobacco manu- 
facturing business, which he has very suc- 
cessfully carried on in his own interest 
for tiie past ten years. He has taken quite 
an active part in town politics, and in the 
fall of 190() was called upon to fill out an 
unexpired term of one of the township 
trustees, serving in the same very accept- 
ably, and through election, 1907, still tills 
the office. 

In 1880 ]\lr. Grunert was married to 
Miss Maxy Erb, who died in 1886, leaving 
no issue. In 1901 he married Miss Lillie 
Lye. and they have two children, Marie 
aiul Jjcwis. They are members of St. 
Paul 's Lutheran Church, of which he is an 
official member and active worker. He is 
identified with both the ]\Iasons and Odd 
I''elIows at Piqua. 

THEODORE A. DRAKE, one of Wash- 
ington Township's representative citizens, 
residing on his valuable farm of 138 acres, 
which is situated al)out two miles south- 
west of the postofiice at Piqua, has spent 
his life here, having been born December 
28, 1840, on the old Drake homestead, on 
the Washington Turn]iike, Miami County, 
Ohio. His i)arents were Daniel and Mar- 
garet (Curry) Drake. 

Daniel Drake was born in New Jersey 
and in IS.'lo lie accompanied his brother 
Jonathan and the hitter's wife to Wash- 
ington Township, settling on the farm 
which is now owned by Mrs. Jennie Drake. 
He married Margaret Curry, who died 
while her children were yet small, but he 
survived until 1892. The family consisted 
of five sons and two daughters, namely: 
Levi, who died in boyhood; Eliza, who 
is now deceased, was the wife of A. M. 



548 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Morrow; John C. and Theodore A., both 
of whom are farmers in Washington 
Township; Caroline, who married D. F. 
Licklider, of Piqua; and Thomas L. and 
George H., both of whom are deceased. 

Theodore A. Drake attended the neigh- 
borhood schools in his boyhood and grew 
to manhood as his father's main helper 
on the farm. When he married he im- 
mediately built a fine brick residence in 
which he lives and moved from the old 
house into the new one as soon as the lat- 
ter was completed. With the assistance 
of his son Bernice L. he carries on general 
farming and fruit growing, making a spe- 
cialty of strawberries, but having an abun- 
dance of all kinds of small fruit, which he 
markets, together with garden produce. 
The farm is one of the most productive in 
the neighborhood and shows intelligent 
and careful cultivation. 

In 1862 Mr. Drake was married to Miss 
Annie M. DuBois, who died on December 
21, 1908. She was born in Warren Coun- 
ty, Ohio, a daughter of William B. DuBois, 
but from the age of eighteen years lived 
in Miami County. Mr. and Mrs. Drake 
had eight children born to them, as fol- 
lows: Edgar, who died aged six months; 
Meroa ; Edith Y., who is the widow of Hart 
J. Reynolds, has three children — Martha, 
Mary and Wayne: Alva D., who married 
Etta B. Rike, a resident of Miami Coimty, 
resides in Yan Wert County, and has 
three children — Helen, Margaret and Alma 
Dorothy; Otis, who died aged twelve 
years; Gertrude, who mari'ied Eugene 
Peck, has two children — Ruth and Carl; 
Bernice L., who resides on one section of 
the homestead, married Cora Farrow and 
they have two children — Theodore and 
Mary; and Ruth, who is a graduate of 



Dennison University and for three years 
was a teacher at Duquoin, Perry County, 
Illinois. Mr. Drake and family belong to 
the Baptist Church at Piqua. He takes 
only a good citizen's interest in politics, 
but in matters of local improvement and d 
progress he has accepted responsibilities, 
at present is serving as school director, 
has served two terms as judge of election 
and refused appointment to the assessor's 
ofBce. 

CHARLES W. KISER, treasurer of 
Miami County, Ohio. The office of county 
treasurer has had no more popular, effi- 
cient and satisfactory incumbent than the 
subject of this sketch. Elected in Novem- 
ber, 1905, he took office in September, 1906. 
By virtue of a change in the statute regu- 
lating the terms of county officers in this 
county, his term was extended one year, 
and he retired from office in September, 
1909, having served three years instead of 
the statutory term of two years, as provid- 
ed by the old law. His many friends, re- 
gardless of partisan ties, urged him to be a 
candidate for a second elective term, confi- 
dent that he would have an excellent pros- 
pect for re-election, although making a con- 
test in a county nominally against his 
party by 1,200 to 1,800 majority. This 
view did not meet with his approval suffi- 
ciently to overcome what he regarded as a 
sense of propriety in the matter. He uni- 
formly acknowledged that his first election 
to the office was brought about by the help 
of his many personal friends, heretofore 
aligned with the Republican party. This 
he fully appreciated and was grateful for, 
moreover, the provisions of the new stat- 
ute extending his term one year had weight 
with him in deciding to not ask his friends 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



549 



agiiin for their suffrage, and lie preferred 
to retire with the good will of all his 
friends, regardless of party ties, and with 
the sense of duty well performed. 

Charles "Walker Kiser is the son of W. 
I. and j\lartha A. Kiser, and was born in 
Fletcher, Miami County, Ohio, December 
10, 1867, where he received his early edu- 
cation and training. He comes of worthy 
pioneer stock. His grandfather, the late 
Squire Isaac Kiser, was the first white 
male child born in Brown Township. 
Charles Kiser 's father, W. I. Kiser, bet- 
ter known as "Billy Kiser," and who died 
suddenly a few years ago, was perhaps 
one of the best known men in Miami 
County and came within six votes of be- 
ing elected county treasurer in this county 
in opposition to a strong man when the 
normal vote of the county was about 1,800 
Eepublican. He was a member of Com- 
pany E. 110th 0. V. I. and a brave and 
gallant soldier, as the many wounds re- 
ceived on the field of battle evidenced. 

In 1884 Charles Kiser moved to Piqua 
with his parents, where he assisted his 
father in the agricultural implement busi- 
ness with the firm of Kiser & Hall. So 
successful was the business, due as much 
to the enterprise, industry and shrewdness 
of the younger Kiser, that the father and 
father-in-law — Mr. Kiser in the meantime 
having married Miss Sadie Hall, daughter 
of the junior member of the firm — decided 
to reorganize the firm, Mr. Hall retiring 
and going to Sidney, where he established 
a thriving business, and Charles Kiser 
taking his place in the new firm under the 
name of W. I. Kiser & Son. The new firm 
was a most successful enterprise and the 
father, having implicit confidence in his 
son's ability, finally concluded to retire 



and turn the business over to Mr. Kiser, 
who afterward conducted it under the 
name of Charles AV. Kiser at the old stand 
in Piqua. His successful and honest con- 
duct of his own business affairs was an as- 
surance to his friends that he would do 
likewise in a public office, and the people 
of this county in his election secured a 
model official, fully justifying their confi- 
dence. 

No man in the state has the confidence 
of his fellow business men to a greater de- 
gree than that enjoyed by Charles Kiser, 
due wholly to honest dealing. He is weU 
and favorably known in church and~Tra- 
ternal circles and is every way competent 
and is an indefatigable worker and of a 
most obliging disposition, attributes which 
are sure to make a most popular official. 

JACOB D. DEITZER, general farmer 
and tobacco grower, residing on his excel- 
lent farm of eighty acres, which is situa- 
ted in Concord Township, was born at 
SFelbyville, Indiana, May 24, 1860, and is 
a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Posz) 
Deitzer. 

The father of Mr. Deitzer was born in 
Germany and was eighteen years of age 
when he came to America. He lived at 
Shelbyville, Indiana, when he married 
Elizabeth Posz, who was also a native of 
Germany. She was brought to America 
by her parents. Two children were born 
to this marriage: Margaret, who is the 
wife of Joseph Midkiff, of Johnson Coun- 
ty, Indiana ; and Jacob Daniel. The father 
died at the age of twenty-eight years, and 
prior to the birth of his sou, who was given 
his. name. Later the widow married 
Michael Shuler, and they had one daugh- 



550 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



cer, Elizal)etli, -niio manied Augnstus 
Steokleman, of Marion, Indiana. 

Vriiou the fatherless little Jacob Deitzer 
was Init five years old he also lost his 
mother, and was then taken ])y his ma- 
ternal grandfather, with whom lie lived 
until he was twelve years old. He then 
went to work for his uncle. Valentine Posz, 
who was a farmer in Shelby County, In- 
diana, and remained there until he was 
eighteen years of age. From his uncle's 
farm he started out then to work liy the 
month, securing his first employment with 
Daniel Gayliimer, with whom he remained 
during one summer, receiving $15 a month. 
He then worked for two years for Daniel 
Callahan, also in Shelby County. He was 
about twenty-one years old when he came 
to Ohio, and during the first season he 
worked for John Halterman, near Dayton, 
Ohio, after which he came to Troy and 
hired out for one season to "William Camp- 
bell, and later to l)oth Benjamin and 
Joseph Enyart. During this time he was 
seeing considerable of the country, was 
getting well acquainted with some of tlie 
best class of people, and was learning all 
kinds of fanning and saving some money. 

When Mr. Deitzer was al)out twenty- 
five years old he was married to Miss 
Alice Alexander, a daughter of Henry and 
Eliza (Boone) Alexander. Henry Alex- 
ander was formerly a county commissioner 
of ]\Iiami County. After marriage, Mr. 
and Mrs. Dietzer moved to what was 
known as the Tobey farm, south of Troy, 
where he remained two years. Then, for 
the following twenty years, he rented other 
farms, Init at length decided to settle 
permaneiiiiy, and with this end in view, in 
February, 1907. he l)ought the old Stahl 
farm, from Frank Tenney, its improve- 



ments being the buildings now standing. 
Mr. Deitzer devotes eight acres to tobacco 
and raises some stock and excellent crops 
of grain and liay. ]\Ir. and Mrs. Deitzer 
have two children: Horace and Eaymond. 
The family belong to the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. In politics Mr. Deitzer is a 
Kei)ublican. For some years he has been 
a member of the order of Modern Wood- 
men at Troy. 

D. L. LEE, United States storekeeper 
located at Troy, Ohio, was born in this 
city in 1843, a son of the late A. J. Lee, 
who was born in Virginia, of the celebrated 
family of that name, and came as an early 
settler to Miami County. 

1). L. Lee was educated in the district 
schools of Miami County, and had scarcely 
left school when he enlisted for service in 
the Civil War, in which he remained from 
November, 1861, imtil its close. He en- 
tered Company E, Seventy-first Regiment, 
Ohio \'olunteer Infantry, as a private, and 
was mustered out with the rank of ser- 
geant. After taking part in the battle of 
Shiloli, he participated in the arduous 
campaign through Tennessee and Georgia 
and was on every noted liattlefield where 
his regiment was engaged until the battle 
of Nashville, when he was so severely 
wounded that it was found necessary to 
amputate his left leg, the operation being 
performed in a field hospital. On one oc- 
casion he was captured by a band of gueril- 
las, six companies being forced to surren- 
der to Colonel Mason, at Clarksville. but 
he was paroled forty hours later. There 
were few hardships of war that Mr. Lee 
escaped, the entire record of his service 
being one to reflect honor on his name as 
a soldier. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



551 



After ills liouorable discharge in April, 
1865, Mr. Lee returned to Troy, where he 
learned the jewelry trade and worked at 
it for two years. He then received his ap- 
pointment to the United States Revenue 
department and served six years. In the 
fall of 1873 he was elected sheriff of Mi- 
ami County and served two terms, being 
re-elected in 1875. After that he was en- 
gaged in business for several years in 
Kansas City, and after he came back to 
Troy conducted a grocery enterprise for 
six years. Then, under the administration 
of President Harrison, he was connected 
with the revenue service again for four 
years. Following this came four years as 
township clerk, when he was again ap- 
pointed to the revenue service and has been 
an efficient officer in the same ever since. 

In 1868 Mr. Lee was married to Miss 
Elizabeth Clyde, a daughter of George C. 
Clyde, who was a pioneer of Troy. Mrs. 
Lee died in 1905, leaving two sons: Harry, 
who is connected with the C. U. Telephone 
Company, at Indianapolis; and Fred, who 
is witli the firm of Long & Knight, of 
Troy. Mr. Lee is a member of the Presby- 
terian Church. He has been secretary and 
treasurer of the Seventy-first Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Association, for a number 
of years, belongs to the Grand Army of 
the Republic and also is a member of the 
Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, and 
has been treasurer of both these organiza- 
tions for a long time. 

A. S. ROSENBERGER, M. D., a prom- 
inent practitioner of the medical profes- 
sion of Miami County, Ohio, has been lo- 
cated at Covington since March, 1878, and 
is now serving his second term as a coun- 
cilman of that town. He was born on a 



farm in Hancock County, Ohio, May 8, 
1818, and is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth 
(Hartsough) Rosenberger. 

Dr. Rosenberger was reared on a farm 
and attended the common schools of his 
native community. He taught district 
school during four successive winter terms, 
and pursued a scientific course in Oberlin 
College. About the year 1862 he went to 
West Independence, Ohio, where he taught 
one year, after which he took up the study 
of medicine under Dr. Detwiler, of Find- 
lay, Ohio. In the spring of 1871 he was 
graduated from the Cleveland Homeo- 
pathic Hospital Medical College, and im- 
mediately thereafter engaged in practice 
at Carey, Wyandot County, Ohio. He next 
practiced at Leipsic, in Putnam County, 
for six years, from which place he came to 
Covington. He has built up a large and 
remunerative practice, and has been iden- 
tified with the development of the commu- 
nity and its institutions. 

In 1872 Dr. Rosenberger was united in 
marriage with Miss Sabrina E. Workman, 
of Holmes County, Ohio, and she died in 
the spring of 1891, leaving two children, 
as follows: Charles L., manager of a 
large chair manufacturing plant at Syra- 
cuse, New York; and Bertha, wife of Dr. 
J. M. Wine, of Dayton, Ohio. In 1893 the 
subject of this record formed a second 
marital union, with Miss Elizabeth Delp, 
and they have a comfortable home in Cov- 
ington. Religiously he is a consistent 
member of the Church of the Brethren, of 
which he is one of the ministers. 

WASHINGTON IRVING TENNEY, 
secretary of the board of the Miami Coun- 
ty Fair Association and formerly auditor 
of Miami County, is a resident of the city 



552 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of Troy and has a wide acquaintance 
tliroiigbont this section of the State. He 
was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, 
near the Miami County line, in 1833, and 
is a son of Dr. Eli Tenney. 

Dr. Eli Tenney, who was auditor of Mi- 
ami County at the time of his death in 
1873, was a well known exponent of the 
medical profession, and from 1848 vmtil 
1871 was in practice at West Milton. He 
then entered upon his duties as county 
auditor and moved to Troy. He was a 
graduate of Starling Medical College, of 
Columbus. Doctor Tenney was a member 
of the Legislature of Ohio one term, being 
elected in 1855. 

W. Irving Tenney was practically 
reared in Greene County, Ohio, until his 
fifteenth year, when, in 1848, his parents 
moved to "West Milton. He attended the 
district schools and also Columbus High 
School one year. During the war he was 
in the 100-day service as a member of the 
One Himdred and Forty-seventh Regi- 
ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was 
first elected county auditor in 1873, as suc- 
cessor to his fathei", and in 1875 was re- 
elected for two years. Upon retiring from 
that office he purchased a farm just west 
of Troy, on which he lived and farmed un- 
til 1894; he then purchased a small tract 
of sixteen acres and lived upon it until 
1905, when he moved to Troy, although 
he has since continued to sujiei'intend 
farming operations. He has been a mem- 
ber of the Miami County Fair Board since 
1877, and has served as secretary of that 
body since 1883. He is vice-president of 
the Mad River and Miami Valley Fair 
Circuit. He was a member of the Board 
of Education of Troy for ten years, and 
still is one of the Board of School Ex- 



aminers. In 1901 he was elected to repre- 
sent the county in the State Legislature 
and served two terms with marked effi- 
ciency. Mr. Tenney was engaged as 
teacher for about twenty years, being su- 
perintendent at Milford. 

In 1858 Mr. Tenney was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Jane C. Kelley, who died 
in 1901. The following were the offspring 
of their marriage : Miss Ida B., a teacher 
in the high school at Denver, Colorado; 
Frank W., a Miami County farmer; 
Charles Elmer Tenney, D. D. S., who is 
practicing at Sydney., Ohio ; Alice Bertha, 
who lives with her father ; Mary Estella, 
who at the time of her death was an in- 
structor in the public schools at Troy; 
William Harold Tenney, D. D. S., who is 
practicing at Toledo, Ohio ; Prof. George 
L. Tenney, who is connected with Lewis 
Institute, of Chicago, and is a graduate 
of the LTniversitj^ of Colorado, at Denver, 
where he taught in the public schools sev- 
eral years; and Horace K. Tenney, who 
resides in New York State. Religiously 
the subject of this record is a member of 
the First Christian Church of Troy, of 
which he was a trustee a number of years. 
He is also a member of Coleman Post, 
G. A. R. 

BENJAMIN I. DU BOIS, who now 
lives retired from active participation in 
business, enjoys the comforts of a beauti- 
ful home at No. 508 Spring Street, Piqua, 
of which city he is a well known and es- 
teemed citizen. He was born at Franklin, 
Warren County, Ohio, April 7, 1842. 

"Wlien eleven years of age, Mr. Du Bois 
accompanied the family to Miami Coimty 
and he remained on the home farm until 
the age of twentv vears and then learned 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



66a 



the blacksmith's trade at Piqua. When 
Company 0, 147th Regiment, Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry, was formed for the 100-day 
service, he enlisted, in 1864, and during 
that period was on guard duty at Arling- 
ton Heights, near Washington, i). C. After 
he returned to Piqua, he worked for a time 
as a carpenter and then went to Union 
City, Indiana, where he worked at black- 
smithing until 1887, when he came back 
again to Piqua. For four years he en- 
gaged in a farm implement business, after 
which he resumed carpenter work, which 
he continued for nine years, and then 
bought out the Model Laundry, which he 
subsequently turned over to his step-son, 
George A. Custer, who continues to op- 
erate it. 

Mr. Du Bois was married March 3, 
1875, to Mrs. Maggie A. Custer, a widow, 
having one son, George A. Her maiden 
name was Maggie A. Barnes — daughter of 
Adolphus A. Barnes of Randolph County, 
Indiana. One son, Lewis A. Custer, died 
in Denver, Colorado, 1901, aged 31 years. 
In former years, Mr. Du Bois took con- 
siderable interest in public matters and 
held office, for seven years serving on the 
Piqua Board of Equalization. He is one 
of the leading members of the Green Street 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs 
to the order of Maccabees. 

ROBERT M. EVANS, justice of the 
peace, and one of Monroe Township's lead- 
ing and substantial citizens, resides on his 
farm of eighty acres, which lies on the 
west side of the Dayton Turnpike Road, 
six miles south of Troy. He also owns a 
second farm containing forty acres, which 
is situated in Section 28, Monroe Town- 
ship, one-quarter of a mile west of his 



present home. He was born on his father's 
farm, about one-half mile from his own 
laud, in Monroe Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, March 18, 1845. His parents were 
Robert and Mary (Jenkins) Evans. 

Among the big farm wagons that car- 
ried a family of pioneers into Ohio and 
passed the lonely log cabins that then rep- 
resented the present busy city of Dayton, 
was that owned and probably driven by 
Josejih Evans, the grandfather of Robert 
M., who brought his family all the way 
from Georgia, in 1801, hoping to find a 
satisfactory place to locate, in a free state. 
The first stoppage was made in Montgom- 
ery Couuty. near the Miami County line,, 
but conditions not proving altogether to- 
his mind, Joseph Evans resumed the jour- 
ney and landed his family at Laporte, In- 
diana. There the pioneers lived until 1804, 
when they returned to Ohio and settled on 
what is now the Martin Idemiller farm, 
on the county line between Montgomery 
and Miami Counties. There Joseph Evans 
died some years later and his burial was 
one of the early ones in the Quaker ceme- 
tery at Mill Creek. 

Robert Evans, father of Robert M., was 
born February 7, 1789, in Georgia, and 
hence was fifteen years of age when his 
parents finally settled in Ohio. When he 
reached maturity he entered Government 
land, securing a farm in Montgomery Coun- 
ty, on the line, and there he built a typical 
southern house, two stories in height, 
probably with double "galleries," as they 
are still denominated in Georgia, and it is 
not difficult to believe that he took great 
comfort in this home. Evidently others 
thought well of the place as some years 
later he sold it to advantage and bought 
land in Miami County, on which the south- 



554 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ern half of Tippecanoe City stands. At 
that time all this land was a thicket, ex- 
cept where Indians had made small clear- 
ings. By 1837 he had about cleared up this 
second farm and he then traded it for the 
partly cleared northwest one-quarter of 
Section 28, Monroe Township, the transac- 
tion being entered into with John Clark, 
who then laid out Tippecanoe City. On 
this farm Robert Evans died in June, 
1863. He was a vigorous man into ad- 
vanced age. He married (first) Eleanor 
Jenkins, and they had the following chil- 
dren: Thomas J., Joseph, Julia Matilda, 
Esther, William, Moses, Eli, and Maria, 
the last named being now the only sur- 
vivor. She is the widow of Samuel Jay 
and lives in Indiana. The second mar- 
riage of Robert Evans was to Mary Jen- 
kins, who was born August 20, 1839, and 
seven children were born to this union, 
namely: Mary, Esther and Aaron, all de- 
ceased; Jesse, who was a member of the 
Ohio National Guards, during the Civil 
War, now deceased ; Kerren H., who is the 
wife of Darius Jester, of Montgomery 
County, Ohio; Robert Milton; and Eliza- 
beth, who married William Macy and re- 
sides in North Dakota. 

Robert M. Evans has a vivid recollection 
of a happy boyhood spent mostly in the 
fields and woods, with occasional attend- 
ance at the district school and of the time 
thus well spent he has a memento, a little 
gift which was presented to liim in 1851, 
by an ai^preciative teacher, as a reward 
for good conduct. When he was about 
eighteen years of age his father died and 
he inherited the east one-half of the home 
farm and remained on the place until 1879. 
He then went to Ginghamsburg, in Mon- 
roe Township, where he entered into busi- 



ness with A. C. Beson, embarking in the 
general mercantile line, they carrying a 
large stock of farm implements, groceries 
and dry goods, and operating under the 
style of Beson & Evans. The partnership 
continued until August 2, 1894, when Mr. 
Evans sold out to Mr. Beson. In 1890 Mr. 
Evans bought his home farm from his 
father-in-law, Louis Keller; on this place 
his wife was born and reared. For many 
years it was known as the old Keller farm 
and the old brick house is still standing, 
although, in 1896, Mr. Evans erected his 
more modern residence. He does not per- 
sonally cultivate his land, his time being 
fully occupied with his public duties. 

On March 2, 1867, Mr. Evans was mar- 
ried to Miss Minerva J. Keller, who died 
February 6, 1909, aged sixty-three years. 
She was a lady of Christian life and ex- 
emplary character, one who filled every 
position that life presented to her, with the 
com])leteness of a good woman. To this 
marriage were born eight children, name- 
ly: Maris and Howard Virgil, who both 
died young; Zenetia B., who died at the 
age of nineteen years ; Lilly H., wife of 
Adam Underwood; Sarah, wife of Harry 
Barnhart ; Laura, the wife of Ira Oaks ; 
Anna P., the wife of William Kendall; 
and Rhoda M., who resides with her father. 
Mr. Evans and family are united with the 
United Brethren Church. 

Mr. Evans is one of the leading Repub- 
licans of Monroe Township. His war rec- 
ord is as follows: In June, 1863, he be- 
came a member of the Twenty-fifth Regi- 
ment, Ohio National Guards, which was 
then organized, entering Company G, un- 
der Capt. Newell Kerr and Col. B. F. Ros- 
sin. In 1864 the regiment responded to th'fe 
call of the President and for four months 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



555 



did duty in the forts in the vicinity of 
"Wasliington City. This regiment was 
known at that time as the 147th Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry. On November 6, 187G, 
Mr. Evans was elected justice of the peace, 
an office he has continued to hold ever 
since. In point of years of service, he is 
the oldest justice in Miami Coimty. 

FRED DOLL, Sr., a well-to-do farmer 
of Monroe Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
resides on the old home place of sixty acres 
located about six miles southwest of Troy. 
He was born near the River Rhine, in Ger- 
many, May 2, 1838, and is a son of Conrad 
and Mary (Genslinger) Doll. 

Conrad Doll was born and reared in 
Germany and there for some years con- 
ducted a vineyard and engaged in the mak- 
ing of wine. Accompanied by his wife and 
their two sons, he came to the United 
States in June, 1843, the voyage consum- 
ing forty-two days. They moved to Troy, 
Ohio, immediately after their arrival in 
this country, making a part of the journey 
in a wagon. They remained in that city 
twelve years, Mr. Doll having an interest 
in a brick yard there. He then sold out his 
interest and purchased the farm on which 
our subject now lives of Israel Kessler for 
the sum of $1,800, the latter having paid 
but $900 for it the preceding year. But 
fifteen acres had been cleared and Conrad 
set about clearing the remainder. It was 
while thus engaged he lost his life by the 
falling of a tree, in March, 1861, at the age 
of fifty-two years. His wife survived him 
and lived to reach the age of sixty-four, 
although an invalid for thirty-seven years. 
They had seven children: Elizabeth, who 
died in Germany; Fred; Jacob; and four 
who died young. 



Fred Doll, Sr., was a small boy when he 
came to America with his parents, and 
spent his boyhood in Troy, which then was 
a small place. He attended school but a 
short time, then worked in the brick yard 
for twenty-five cents per day. He also 
carried water for the men engaged in the 
construction of the Cincinnati, Hamilton 
& Dayton Railroad, receiving therefor the 
smn of eightj'-seven and a half cents per 
day. He moved upon the farm with his 
parents, upon which small wild game was 
at that time plentiful. They lived in the 
old log house which still stands and which 
Mr. Doll keeps as a relic of the pioneer 
days. It was originally provided with a 
clapboard roof, through which the snow " 
would drift, and well does he remember 
sleeping with his head under the blanket 
to keep off the snow. He helped to clear 
the farm, which came into his possession 
at the death of his parents, and he con- 
tinued to live in the log house for twenty- 
two years. He then built the seven-room 
frame house, in which his son now lives, 
and is at the present time building a com- 
modious frame house for the use of him- 
self and wife. He has always followed 
general farming, gi-owing some tobacco, 
and what they possess has come mainly 
througli their unceasing toil and good man- 
agement. 

February 2, 1860, Mr. Doll was united 
in marriage with Barbara Frank, who was 
born in the same community in Germany 
as was he. She is a daughter of Simon 
and Elizabeth (Farver) Frank, and was 
seventeen years old when they came to the 
LTnited States, being thirty days on the 
water. They arrived in July, 1858, and lo- 
cated at Troy, where Mr. Frank worked 
and lived until his death at the age of sev- 



556 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



enty-eiglit. His wife died first, aged sev- 
euty-six years. They had nine children, 
of whom five died in Germany. Those 
who came to this country were: Catherine, 
widow of Jacob Smith ; Barbara, wife of 
Fred Doll; Jacob; and Elizabeth wife 
of Fred Smith. Mr. and Mrs. Doll became 
parents of the following : Jacob, who mar- 
ried Dora Kerr; Samuel, who married 
Flora Kouser, and whose death occurred 
in 1904; Catherine, wife of Newell Kerr; 
Mary, wife of George Running: Elizabeth, 
wife of George Butts; George, who mar- 
ried Callie Kimmery; Fred, who married 
Irma Wheelock; Charles, a teacher in the 
schools; Dora, wife of Harry Fox; and 
two who died in infancy. Religiously, they 
are members of the Geraian Lutheran 
Church. Mr. Doll is a Democrat in politics. 

WILLIAM H. FOSTER, president of 
the Board of Infirmary Directors of Miami 
County, is one of the representative and 
substantial farmers of Staunton Town- 
ship, residing on his estate, which is situ- 
ated near Troy. He was born at Brent, 
Miami County, Ohio, in March, 1855, and 
is a son of the late John H. Foster, who 
came from Pennsylvania to Miami Countr 
in 1853. 

William H. Foster was reared on his 
father's farm and farming has been his 
main occupation through life. In 1862 he 
settled in Staunton Township and has been 
identified with the interests of that sec- 
tion ever since. He has been a member 
of the township School Board for many 
years, and in November, 1907, was elected 
township assessor. For six years he has 
been an active and useful member of the 
Miami County Agricultural Society, and 
in November, 1906, he was first elected a 



member of the Board of Infirmary Direct- 
ors and two years later was re-elected. On 
October 17, 1878, Mr. Foster was married 
to Miss Medora A. Secrest, who was born 
and reared in Staunton Township and is a 
daughter of John Secrest, an old resident 
of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Foster are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Troy. He is a prominent mem- 
ber of the order of Odd Fellows, at Troy, 
being past noble grand, i^ast chief patri- 
arch in the lodge and a past officer in the 
Uniform Rank degree. 

J. GUY O'DONNELL, city solicitor of 
Covington, and senior member of the well 
known law firm of O'Donnell and Billings- 
ley, with offices at Covington and Ver- 
sailles, Ohio, has been a resident of the 
former city since 1887. He was born in 
Mt. Gilead, Morrow County, Ohio, April 
28, 1875, and is a son of James and Mary 
(Williams) O'Donnell. He was but two 
and a half years of age when his father 
died, he being a marble cutter by trade. 

J. Guy 'Donuell was reared in Morrow 
County, Ohio, and there attended the pub- 
lic schools. In 1887 he moved with his 
mother to Covington, Miami County, Ohio, 
and was there graduated from the high 
school in 189.3. He read law under the pre- 
ceptorship of Hon. W. C. Johnston of 
Piqua, and was admitted to the bar of Mi- 
ami Coimty in October, 1896; he was ad- 
mitted to practice in the Federal courts on 
May 4, 1899. Mr. O'Donnell opened his 
office for practice in Covington, January 
15, 1897, and has since continvied here with 
a high degree of success. July 1, 1902, 
he formed a partnership with Thomas 
Billingsley, who has had charge of the 
Versailles office of the firm and is city 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



557 



solicitor of that city. They have au ex- 
tensive practice, and in addition do a very 
large fire insurance business. Mr. O'Don- 
nell first served a two-year term as city 
solicitor, from 1897 until 1899, and since 
1902 has served continuously in that office. 
He was united in marriage with Miss 
Enmia Colbert, a daughter of Peter S. Col- 
bert of Covington, and they have two chil- 
dren, J. Guy, Jr., and Roger C. Frater- 
nally, the subject of this record is a mem- 
ber of the Elks at Piqua, oJ which he is a 
past exalted ruler; Improved Order of 
Eedmen; and the Ancient and Honorable 
Order of Gobblers. He has filled all the 
chairs of these lodges. 

JOSEPH A. KLOEB, proprietor of a 
l)lumbing and heating establishment and 
manufacturer of gas stoves, has followed 
this business in many cities and towns, but 
has been located at Piqua, Ohio, since 
1896. He was born in Piqua in 1857, and 
is a son of Joseph A. Kloeb, Sr., who was 
prominent among the people of this com- 
munity al)out the middle of the last cen- 
tury. The senior Kloeb was born in Ger- 
many but came to the United States and 
followed his trade as a saddler. He came 
to Piqua from Cincinnati about 1850, and 
here was one of the })ioneer saddlers. He 
was organizer of the first fire department 
of the city, and at the time of his death in 
1866 was serving in the capacity of street 
commissioner. 

Joseph A. Kloeb, subject of this record, 
was reared and educated in Piqua, where 
he early in life learned the plumbing busi- 
ness. He has never followed any other 
business and has worked in thirty-two 
states of the Union, in the District of Co- 
lumbia, and in Canada. In 1896 he re- 



turned to his native city, where lie has 
built up a large and well paying business. 
He is a man of good business standing and 
enjoys a high degree of popularity. Re- 
ligiously, he is a member of St. Mary's 
Roman Catholic Church. 

CHARLES A. ROBINSON, township 
trustee and a prosperous farmer of Lost 
Creek Township, owns and resides on a 
fine farm of 20.'} i^. acres, located near the 
^liami County line. He was born March 
17, 1845, in a log house on his present fai-m 
and is a son of Michael and Eleanor (Rich- 
ardson) Robinson. 

Michael Robinson was born November 
11, 1800, in New Jersey, and was there 
reared to maturity. During his early man- 
hood he came with his mother to "Warren 
County, Ohio, where he resided some few 
years, but did not purchase land. He was 
there married to Eleanor Richardson in 
1826 and about 1834 came with his family 
and mother to Miami County, where he 
purchased a tract of timberland at $1.25 
an acre. The family ma<le their home in 
an old log house which stood upon the land 
and the nearest market was at that time 
Dayton, Ohio. Here Mr. Robinson en- 
gaged in farming the remainder of his life, 
his death occurring July 15, 1854, his 
widow surviving him until August 10, 
1890. They were the parents of nine chil- 
dren, namely: Lydia A., married Nathan 
Jackson, both are deceased; Andrew J., 
deceased; Michael, deceased; Rebecca, 
married J. II. Corey, both deceased ; Thom- 
as, deceased; Edward R.; Eleanor, de- 
ceased; Charles A., subject of this sketch; 
and Hannah J., who is the wife of William 
Le Feever. 

Charles A. Robinson was reared in an 



558 



HISTORY OF ISnAMI COUNTY 



old log house on his present farm and ob- 
tained his educational training in the dis- 
trict schools of Lost Creek Township. When 
still quite young he gave a helping hand 
to the work on the farm, and subsequently 
purchased the land from his father's heirs, 
the original tract consisting of 180 acres. 
He has always followed general farming, 
has erected a commodious eight-room, 
frame house and has made various other 
improvements on the land. He has always 
been a successful farmer and has added to 
his original purchase, now owning a tract 
of 20.314 acres of rich farming land. 

j\Ir. Robinson was united in marriage 
September 25, 1875, with Ina M. Wriglit, 
a daughter of Obadiah and Rebecca (Nei- 
barger) Wright, who were the parents of 
three children : Dr. C. H. Wright, of Addi- 
son, who graduated from the Eclectic Med- 
ical Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1876; 
James G., a resident of Michigan, who is 
engaged in fruit growing; and Ina M., the 
wife of our subject. Three children were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Robinson, namely: 
James E.; Zella, wife of J. G. Scott of 
Troy, who has one child, Tom; and Leah, 
who married Dr. B. Hyde of Addison and 
has one child, Virginia. 

Politically, Mr. Robinson is a Democrat 
and has served two terms as trustee of 
Lost CVeek Township and was for some 
time a member of the Miami County Fair 
Board. 

HON. M. H. JONES, a prominent law- 
yer of Miami County, who has been siic- 
cessfully engaged in the practice of his 
profession for the past sixty years, was 
born in the District of Columbia in 1825. 
He acquired a good literary education, and 
after studying law and being admitted to 



the bar, entered upon the practice of his 
profession in Piqua, where he soon made 
a name for himself as an able attorney, 
which reputation he enjoys to the present 
day. For a number of years beginning 
with 1878, he was associated in practice 
with his son, now Hon. W. D. Jones, com- 
mon pleas judge, which connection was 
continued until the latter was appointed 
by Governor Bushnell to the common pleas 
judgeship, to fill the vacancy caused by the 
election of Judge Theodore Sullivan as 
circuit court judge. For the time of their 
association the firm enjoyed the leading 
practice in the city of Piqua and was re- 
garded as one of the strongest possible 
combinations of legal talent. Mr. Jones's 
wife was born in New Hampshire in 1828, 
a daughter of Timothy Davis Wood, who 
settled at a comparatively early date in 
Miami County, Ohio. 

Hon. Walter D. Jones, son of Hon. M. H. 
Jones, by the above mentioned union, was 
born in Piqua, Ohio, June 21, 1857. He 
was reared and educated in his native city, 
being graduated from the high school in 
1872. After leaving school he entered the 
industrial ranks, learning the printers' 
trade and was for some time employed in 
the office of the Miami Helmet, of Piqua. 
He was also connected with newspapers in 
an industrial capacity for several years 
thereafter. While thus self-supporting, he 
had in the meanwhile entered upon the 
study of law under his father's direction, 
and in 1878 was admitted to the bar before 
the Supreme Court of the State at Colum- 
bus, Ohio. As already noted, his first 
professional experience was gained in 
partnership with his father, the firm being 
the leading law firm of its day in Piqua. 
Mr. Jones's appointment by Governor 




RUFUS FISH 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



561 



Bushnell to the common pleas bench of 
the second judicial district of Ohio has 
been already noticed. In November, 1899, 
he was elected by the people to fill Judge 
Sullivan's unexpired term. He was also 
city solicitor of Piqua for some twelve 
years, being elected for six terms, and his 
administration of the affairs of that office 
gave excellent satisfaction to the people. 
He was a careful and methodical lawyer, 
always coming into court with papers well 
prepared. In his more elevated position 
on the bench he has won the character of 
an able and impartial jurist. Upright, hon- 
orable and painstaking, his decisions are 
the result of careful thought and a mind 
well stored and trained in all the funda- 
mental principles of the law. He is also 
a man of literary tastes and an able writer, 
though hitherto he has made no effort to 
gather literary laurels. A prominent Ma- 
son, he has served as worshipful master of 
Warren Lodge No. 24, F. & A. M., and as 
high priest of Piqua Chapter No. 31. 

Hon. Walter D. Jones was married, in 
1879, to Miss Laura Harlow of Piqua. Mrs. 
Jones was born in Tennessee and came to 
Miami County, Ohio, with her parents, 
Eev. William' I), and Kate (Tuttle) Har- 
low, when in her eigliteenth year. Of this 
union there has been one child — a daugh- 
ter, Laura C. 

A. P]. SINKS, who will enter U])on the 
duties of the office of auditor of Miami 
County, Oliio, on the third Monday in Oc- 
tober, 1909, is a well known resident of 
Troy and has had a long experience in 
official life. He was born August 28, 1860, 
in ]\Iontgomery County, Ohio, and is a son 
of D. W. Sinks, who was formerly treas- 
urer of IMiami Countv. 



Mr. Sinks came with his parents to Mi- 
ami County, when he was eight years old, 
and was reared and educated at West Mil- 
ton. AN'heu his father l>ecame county treas- 
urer and moved to Troy, A. E., then twenty 
years of age, became his deputy and served 
in that capacity from 1880 until September 
1, 188-1-. ]\fr. Sinks then embarked in the 
clothing business, in which he continued 
for twelve years, without, however, giving 
up his interest in politics and public af- 
fairs. In the spring of 1899 he was ap- 
pointed deputy county auditor and re- 
mained in the auditor's office in this posi- 
tion until his own election. His long period 
of service has made him well known all 
over the county, and those doing business 
with the auditor will feel that they are 
meeting with an old friend. 

In 1885 Mr. Sinks was married to Miss 
Maggie B. Tullis, who was born and reared 
at Troy, and is a daughter of the late O. M. 
Tullis. Mr. and Mrs. Sinks have two chil- 
dren: R. W. and Helen A. The family 
belong to the Christian Church. Mr. Sinks 
is an Odd Fellow and a Knight Templar 
Mason. 

RUFUS FISH, the efficient superin- 
tendent of The Knoop Children's Home, 
which is situated in Section 34, Elizabeth 
Township, Miami Count}% Ohio, was born 
at Sumnei-, Lawrence County, Illinois, No- 
vember 24, 18(54. His parents were James 
and iNfary (Denman) Fish. 

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Fish 
wore Luke and ^fary (Graham) Fish, and 
they had a family of twelve children, as 
follows: William, born November 24, 
1814; Margaret, born November 11, 1816; 
Thomas, born December 2, 1818; Eliza- 
beth, born March 2, 1821; Luke Sidney, 



562 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



born March 31, 1823; Edward, born Au- 
gust 7, 1825; Mary Jane, born August 15, 
1827; James, born August 28, 1829; 
George Washington, born February 22, 
1832 ; Hannah, born July 16, 1834 ; Henry, 
born August 24, 1836; and Sarah, bom 
May 28, 1838. 

The parents of Mr. Fish came to Miami 
County in his childhood. The father rent- 
ed farm land northwest of Troy, for 
twenty-seven years, and later bought 
forty-five acres near Casstown. James 
Fish married Marj Denman, a daughter 
of Richard Denman, and they had eight 
children, namely: Flora Agnes, born No- 
vember 23, 1855; Frank Leotus, born No- 
vember 12, 1858; John Clarence, born 
May 26, 1860; Charles Albert, born July 
26, 1862; Rufus; "William Ayers, born 
June 21, 1868; James Edwin, born Au- 
gust 12, 1870; and Elmer, born August 
4, 1875. The parents of this family were 
members of the Baptist Church, in which 
James Fish was a deacon. 

Rufus Fish attended what was known 
as the Favorite school in his boyhood, and 
I'emained assisting his father until he was 
about twenty-seven years of age. He then 
went to Troy and accepted the position of 
weighmaster with the firm of Allen & 
Wheeler, and remained in that city for 
twelve years, in the meanwhile, however, 
not entirely neglecting his agricultural in- 
terests. He owns one-half of a farm of 
106 acres, situated in Elizabeth Township, 
not far from Casstown, and he has ac- 
quired realty in Troy. 

In 1903 Mr. Fish became superintendent 
of The Knoop Children's Home, which in- 
cludes a farm of 165 acres, with nine build- 
ings and accommodations for 100 children. 
Its location is on a crossroad from the 



Le Fever and Springfield Turnpike. The 
wisdom of selecting a man of Mr. Fish's 
business capacity and high personal char- 
acter has been demonstrated during the 
period of his superintendency. He has de- 
voted twelve acres to orchards, raises a 
large amount of wheat and enough grain 
to feed the stock grown on the place for 
the use of the Home. Employment is con- 
stantly given thirteen workmen. Mr. Fish 
gives his personal attention to everything 
and satisfactorily fills all the demands of 
the trustees. 

In 1890 Mr. Fish married Miss Mary 
Jane Walker, a daughter of Daniel C. and 
Amanda Walker, of Piqua, Ohio. They 
have an adopted daughter, Bernice F. Mr. 
Fish is a deacon and also a trustee in the 
Baptist Church. In politics he is a Re- 
pubi>an. He belongs to both the Masons 
and Odd Fellows, at Troy. 

JACOB KENDELL, M. D., for many 
years a prominent medical i^ractitiouer of 
Covington, Miami County, Ohio, is now 
cashier of the Stillwater Valley Bank Com- 
pany at that jjlace and devotes his entire 
time to the duties of that position. He 
has been identified with the institution 
ever since its inception, first as president 
and then as cashier, and is entitled to much 
credit for its great success. 

Dr. Kendell was born on a farm in New- 
ton Township, Miami County, November 
16, 1846, and is a son of Benjamin and 
Mary (Boggs) Kendell. Benjamin Ken- 
dell was a native of Pennsylvania and 
came to Miami County, Ohio, when a young 
man. He was a miller by trade and be- 
came the owner of what was known as the 
Sugar Grove Mill. 

The subject of this sketch was five years 



AND REPRESENTATH'E CITIZENS 



563 



old at bis mother's death, aud three years 
later, owing to the death of his father, he 
became an orphan. From that time until 
he was twelve years old lie resided in Piqua 
and since then he has been almost con- 
stantly a resident of Covington. He began 
his education in the public schools and be- 
fore beginning his jn-eparations for a med- 
ical career taught school for two years. He 
studied medicine under Dr. "Weaver of Cov- 
ington and later attended ^liaiui Medical 
College at Cincinnati, graduating from that 
institution with the degree of M. D., in 
1869. In that year he entered into a part- 
nership with Dr. Weaver, which was con- 
tinued for sixteen years. He then opened 
an ofiSce by himself and won high rank in 
his profession. He was one of the organ- 
izers of the Stillwater Valley Bank Com- 
pany, and served as first president 'from 
January 27, 1908, imtil November 1, 1908, 
when he was elected cashier to succeed Mr. 
A. C. Cable, deceased. He is a man of 
exceptional business qualifications aud well 
fitted for the responsible position he fills. 

Dr. Kendell was united in marriage witli 
Sarah Jane Brump, a daughter of Josei)h 
Brump of Tippecanoe City, and they have 
two sons — Dr. H. W. Kendell of Covington, 
and Dr. B. J. Kendell of Tip])ecanoe City. 
The subject of this sketch is a trustee of 
the Christian church, of which he has been 
a member many years and treasurer for 
thirty years. Fraternally he is a charter 
member of Covington Lodge, K. of P., of 
which he was also first chancellor com- 
mander. He was for fifteen years a mem- 
ber of the School Board of the city, aud 
for ten years a member of the City Coun- 
cil, but does not now hold any political 
office. 

Dr. H. W. Kendell, son of Dr. Jacob 



Kendell, was born in Covington, !Miami 
County, Ohio, January i, 1876. He was 
reared in his native town and was gradu- 
ated from the Covington High School in 
1894. He then entered the Medical Uni- 
versity of Columbus, Ohio, now known as 
the Starling, Ohio, Medical University, 
and after the usual course of instruction 
was there graduated in the class of 1898. 
He was resident physician at the Protes- 
tant Hospital of Columbus for a year and 
in 1899 located in Covington aud entered 
into practice with his father. He married 
Llora "Worley, a daughter of George "Wor- 
ley, and has two children — Elizabeth and 
Herl)ert "Worley. At tlie time of his mar- 
riage he and his wife took a trip to Eu- 
rope, the doctor spending several months 
in the leading hospitals of London and 
other large cities. He is a member of the 
Ohio State, the Miami County, and the 
American Medical societies. He is a stock- 
holder in the Stillwater Valley Bank Com- 
l)any, first vice president of the Covington 
B. ic L. Association, and a director in the 
Covington Home Teloi)hone Comjiany. 
The Doctor is also a meml)er of the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows. 

ANGUS CA]^IERON CA:\1PBELL. de- 
ceased, was for many years identified with 
the dry goods trade in Piqua, Ohio, and 
otlier nearby cities and was a man of wide 
acquaintance, one who held the respect 
and foufidence of his fellow citizens to a re- 
markable degree. He was a veteran of the 
Union Army, serving tliree years as a 
member of the Eleventh Regiment. Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded at 
Chattanooga. 

Mr. Campbell was born in Piqua, Febru- 
ary 14, 1842, and was a sou of Robert aud 



564 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Jane Campbell. He was of Scotch an- 
cestry. He was possessed of many manly 
attributes wliicli endeared him to the peo- 
ple with whom he was brought in contact, 
and was well educated and refined. He 
was a successful dry goods man and held 
positions with the Eike Dry Goods Com- 
pany, Dayton, and for many years in 
Piqua with C. S. Parker & Company, J. W. 
Brown, the Feible Bros, at Hillsboro, and 
also in Columbus, where the last named 
concern had a branch store. 

Mr. Campbell was first married July 10, 
1872, to Cornelia A. Kitchen, daughter of 
John and Eliza Kitchen, and they had two 
children: Wirt Campbell of Tacoma, 
Washington, and a daughter who died in 
infancy. The mother of these children died 
in 1875. November 17, 1887, Mr. Camp- 
bell formed a second marital union with 
Miss Sarah Ellen Jarvis, who was born in 
Piqua and is a daughter of the late Fran- 
cis and Mary J. (Johnston) Jai'vis. One 
son, Malcolm Campbell, was born to them. 

Francis Jarvis, father of Mrs. Camp- 
bell, is well remembered in Piqua, the city . 
in which he attained the first rank in the 
business world, as well as the seat of his 
many benefactions. He was born May 19, 
1821, at Dowupatrick, County Down, Ire- 
land. At the age of twenty-two, thinking 
to better his fortunes in the country across 
the sea, he came to America and endeav- 
ored to make his start in the city of To- 
ronto. Being ambitious and becoming dis- 
satisfied with the progress he was making, 
after a year's residence there, he deter- 
mined to locate at Piqua, Ohio. From that 
time until his death he was an active fig- 
ure in the histoiy of the city and county, a 
period of fifty-five years. On August 1, 
1887, he was chosen to fill the responsible 



position of president of the Piqua National 
Bank, succeeding the late J. M. Scott, and 
he continued actively to direct the affairs 
of this institution imtil within a few days 
of his death, which occurred August 25, 
1900. 

Mr. Jarvis was married March 2, 1847, 
to Miss Mary J. Johnston, and they reared 
the following children: J. J. Jarvis, a 
wool manufacturer who died at Defiance, 
Ohio, in June, 1903; Mary A., who is the 
wife of Wallace Alexander, a banker of 
St. Louis, Missouri; Frank, who is in the 
real estate business in Kansas City, Mis- 
souri; Sarah E. (Campbell) ; Elizabeth J., 
wife of Dr. W. S. Powell of Defiance, Ohio; 
and W. G. Jarvis, who is engaged in the 
manufacturing business at Defiance, Ohio. 
Mrs. Jarvis preceded her husband to the 
grave, dying July 28, 1895, her death hav- 
ing a saddening influence on the remaining 
years of his life. 

The high estimate placed upon Mr. Jar- 
vis as a man is revealed in an article which 
appeared in the local press at the time of 
his demise. From it we quote: "Not only 
does Piqua mourn the loss of a good man, 
a loyal citizen and a cherished friend, but 
all through Western Ohio, his great worth 
will be missed and business men realize 
that one of their noblest is gone." 

"Old citizens remember him in his early 
struggles, and saw him steadily, surely 
building up that deep character that will 
live long after his face is forgotten, and 
that knowledge of business and affairs 
that has made his opinion carry great 
weight when a crisis was at hand. Later, 
in the prime of life, when his own success 
was assured, he took a deep interest in 
the growth of his chosen city, and has 
watched its progress from year to year 



AND RE PRESENT ATI\^E CITIZENS 



565 



until the present prosperous conrlition that 
it enjoys. ' ' 

"There is little need to recite the many 
deeds of charity, for they are many, that 
have come from his hand. Generous, open- 
hearted, philanthropic he was, and none 
in sultering who came to him for relief 
were turned away. Many of his acts of 
kindness were never known to others than 
himself, but sometime, somewhere, they 
will receive a rich reward. His biography 
shows that he lived for those who loved 
him and that no service done him was ever 
forgotten." 

EAY^klOXD A. KERR, a prominent at- 
torney of the Miami County bar and a 
member of the firm of E. H. & R. A. Kerr, 
of Tippecanoe City, was born November 
10, 1880, at Tippecanoe City, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is a son of E. H. and Etta 
(Tenney) Kerr. 

E. II. Kerr, father of Raymond A., was 
born near Casstown, in Miami County. His 
school attendance covered his youth up to 
fifteen years and later he turned his atten- 
tion to the law, graduating' from the Cin- 
cinnati Law School. He began to jiractice 
before his graduation, in 1885, and is num- 
bered among the successful members of 
the ^liami County bar. He has been a 
resident of Tipi)ecanoe City since 1878. 
He is a son of the late Thompson Kerr, 
who was a prosperous farmer and popular 
teacher for a number of years. Thompson 
Kerr died in 1887, aged tifty-six years. Of 
his four sons, the youngest, Owen, is de- 
ceased, and the other three are all attor- 
neys, namely : IManford ; Asbury, residing 
at Tippecanoe City; and Ellis H., who is 
the senior member of the law firm of E. H. 
and R. A. Kerr. Ellis H. Kerr married 



Etta Tenney, who is a daughter of the late 
Peter Tenney, a farmer, who died in Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio. To this marriage 
the following children were born : Loran, 
who is a railroad man, residing in South 
Carolina; ^'era, who is the wife of Lieut. 
R. W. Kessler, of the United States Navy, 
who is stationed at Cincinnati; and Ra.v- 
mond A. 

Raymond A. Kerr attended the public 
schools of his native city and the Ohio 
Wesleyan University at Delaware, graduat- 
ing in the class of 1902. He then entered 
the University of Michigan, graduating 
from the law department of that institu- 
tion in the class of 1905. He immediately 
became his father's associate and the law 
business of the firm is very heavy, almost 
all branches of the law being covered by 
one or other of the partners. Mr. Kerr is 
a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fra- 
ternity, and belongs also to Lodge No. 174, 
F. i<: A. M., Tippecanoe City, and to Cole- 
man Commandery at Troy, Ohio. On April 
18, 1906, ^Ir. Kerr was married to Miss 
Myra Wehrly, who is a daughter of Rev. 
W. H. Wehrly, of Troy, Ohio,. :\Ir. and 
Mrs. Kerr are members of the Metiiodist 
Episcopal Church. In politics he is in 
sjTnpathy with the Democratic party. 

WILLIAM ALONZO COVAULT, 

whose valuable farm of seventy-five acres 
lies in Staunton Township, belongs to one 
of the old families of ^liami County, his 
grandfatlier, Abraham Covanlt, l)eing a 
pioneer settler in Lost Creek Township. 
William Alonzo Covault was born on his 
father's farm in Lost Creek Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, Jnly 1, 1850, and is a 
son of Erastus and Frances (Shell) Co- 
vanlt. 



566 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUKTY 



Grandfather Al)raham Covaiilt was born 
in the old block-house, at Cincinnati. In 
early manhood he started out for himself 
and came to Lost Creek Township when 
the whole surrounding coimtry was one 
vast wilderness. He cleared up a farm 
and lived on it until he reached old age, 
when he moved to Mercer County, where 
his death took place. He had the follow- 
ing children: William, Sarah, Erastus, 
Timothy and John. 

Erastus Covault was born in Lost Creek 
Township and there passed the whole of 
his life, making farming his chief pursuit. 
After he married he purchased a tract of 
fifty-two and one-half acres of land and on 
that farm he died April 20, 1861, when in 
middle age. He married Frances Shell, 
who was born near Casstown, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio. She survived until 1896. She con- 
• tracted a second marriage with Carter D. 
Hathaway. There were four children born 
to Erastus Covault and wife, namely: 
Viola, who married John Smith ; Preston ; 
William Alonzo and Horace P. 

William Alonzo Covault grew up on the 
home farm and lived with his parents and 
attended the district school. Following 
the death of his father he purchased the 
home farm, which later he sold and then 
bovight his present farm, which formerly 
belonged to his mother. He carries on 
general farming and understands how to 
make an agricultural life one of prosperity 
and contentment. His home and sur- 
roundings indicate much comfort. 

On November 3, 1869, Mr. Covault was 
married to Mrs. Mary Yates, widow of 
Edmund Yates and daughter of Samuel 
and Mary (Chambers) Miller. Mrs. Yates 
had one daughter born to her first mar- 
riage, Sylvia Ellen, who is the wife of 



William Edward Gillespie, and has two 
children. To Mr. and Mrs. Covault there 
have been nine children born, as follows: 
Ottie, who married F. Drake ; Mirtie, who 
married Charles Campbell; Flossie, who 
married Charles Derr; Fleetie, who died 
aged two years ; Harry, who married Rose 
Trabert; Harriet Frances; Orval, who 
married Jessie Howard ; and Clarence and 
Clifford. Mr. Covault and family are mem- 
bers of the L'nion Baptist Church. In 
liolitics he is a Democrat. 

HENRY FLESH, who has attained 
prominence as a merchant and financier, 
has been a resident of Piqua, Ohio, for 
more than half a century, during which 
time he has identified himself with the de- 
velopment of the city and its resources in 
a patriotic and public-spirited manner. He 
was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1837, in 
which province his father was a prosper- 
ous country merchant. 

Mr. Flesh received a common school and 
commercial education in his native land, 
and was fifteen years of age when he emi- 
grated to America in 1852. Soon after his 
arrival in the United States, he located at 
Dayton, Ohio, and for a period of five 
years clerked in a clothing establishment 
in that city. He was then for a short time 
employed in a similar establishment at 
Troy, Ohio, after which he moved to Piqua 
in 1858. He accepted the position of book- 
keeper and salesman in the clothing house 
of A. Friedlich, one of the best known 
merchants of the city at that time, and con- 
tinued in that capacity until the latter jiart 
of the year 1862, when he embarked in 
business for himself. He began a mer- 
chant tailoring business, but as his means 
were verv limited, it was some time before 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



567 



he had a store of auy great preteusious. 
He had the ability and the energy neces- 
sary to make a success of the venture and 
the jiersouality to retain the friendshijis 
he had formed. As his trade increased his 
stock was enlarged, and he continued the 
business without change until 1878. He 
then disposed of the merchant tailoring 
branch of the business and confined him- 
self exclusively to ready-made clothing 
and gentlemen 's furnishing goods. ' ' Qual- 
ity'" has ever been his watchword and his 
establishment, which is now probably the 
largest in Miami County, receives its pat- 
ronage from the leading class of people in 
the community. 

Mr. Flesh's success in this enterprise 
attracted attention to his ability and in 
January, 1878, he was elected cashier of 
the Citizens' National Bank, which posi- 
tion he still retains. He is also president 
of the Border City Building and Loan 
Association of Piqua, one of the safest and 
most prosperous institutions of the kind 
in this part of the state, and president of 
the Cron-Kills Company, manufacturers 
of furniture at Piqua. He served for some 
time as president of the Board of Trade 
at Piqua, during which time that body was 
kept at its highest state of efficiency and 
accomplished much that has been of last- 
ing benefit to the city. "With a view to 
giving Piqua an honest business adminis- 
tration it has been the policy of the ward 
in which he lives to have as its representa- 
tive in the city council a man of proven 
worth and ability. Mr. Flesh has been 
honored with that office many years — a 
part of the time as president of the council 
— and at a personal sacrifice has given his 
time and energj' to the faithful discharge 
of his duties. 



In 18G2 Henry Flesh was united in mar- 
riage with the eldest daughter of :\loses 
Friedlich, a representative citizen and 
business man of Piqua at an early day. 
Fraternally Mr. Flesh has been very active 
in the Masonic Lodge, of which he is past 
master. 

JOHN DANIEL MILLER, A. .M., M. 1)., 
a leading i)hysieian of Tippecanoe City, 
was born in Marion County, Ohio, June 
18, 1878, and is a son of Lucius 0. and 
Lydia (HajTvood) Miller. 

The parents of Dr. Miller have been resi- 
dents of Dayton for the past twenty-seven 
years. The paternal grandfather, Rev. 1). 
R. Miller, is a venerable minister of the 
United Brethren Church and at one time 
was chaplain of the Ohio State Peniten- 
tiary. The maternal grandfather. Dr. 
John Haywood, formerly was a member 
of the faculty of Otterbein College, tilling 
the chair of mathematics. Dr. John D. 
^liller has two brothers and three sisters, 
namely : AVinton, who is engaged in news- 
paper work in connection with the Dayton 
Herald; Haywood, who is in the employ 
of the Dayton Alanufacturing Company; 
and Grace, Edna and Marjorie. 

From the Dayton public schools. Dr. 
Miller entered Otterbein College, where he 
was graduated in 1900, and completed his 
medical prepai'ation in the Hahnemann 
Medical College at Philadelphia, where he 
was graduated in the class of 1903. He 
served for a period of fifteen months as a 
])hysician at the New York Metropolitan 
Hospital, after which he engaged in prac- 
tice at Dayton until August, 1907, when he 
located in Tippecanoe City, where his med- 
ical skill has brought about his profes- 
sional independence.. He is a student yet 



568 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



and a close observer of all scientific devel- 
opments in medicine and surgery, and en- 
joys his membership in the Dayton and the 
Miami Valley and Ohio State Homeo- 
pathic Societies and Union Clinical Society 
of Miami and Shelby Counties. 

Dr. Miller was married (first) to Miss 
Honori Cornell, a daughter of John B. and 
Luoinda Cornell. In 1905 he was married 
(second) to Miss Julia Kelly. Mrs. Miller 
is a native of New York and prior to her 
marriage was a trained nurse by profes- 
sion. Dr. and Mrs. ]\Iiller have two chil- 
dren : Helen Ahydell and John Haywood. 
Dr. Miller is not a politician but he is an 
active citizen and he votes on public ques- 
tions with the Republican party. 

SHERMAN D. CROFT, a prominent 
lawyer and real estate dealer of Coving- 
ton, Miami County, Ohio, has been a resi- 
dent of this village since 1901 and is num- 
bered among its most progressive citizens. 
He was born on a farm in Newberry Town- 
ship, Miami County, January' 12, 1866, and 
is a son of David and Catherine (Whit- 
mer) Croft. 

David Croft, father of the subject of this 
sketch, was bom in Maryland, where he 
grew to maturity, and when a young man 
came west to Dayton, Ohio. He clerked in 
a store for a time and then moved from 
that city to Newberry Township, Miami 
County, where he was married. He be- 
came proprietor of a mill and grew to be a 
man of considerable importance in the 
community, in which he continued to live 
imtil his death in 1881. 

Sherman D. Croft was reared on the 
farm and received his primary education 
in the district schools, supplemented by a 
course in Co^^ngton High School, from 



which he graduated in 1886. He read law 
at home and in the oliSce of Judge Johns- 
ton at Piqua, and wliile continuing his pro- 
fessional studies carried on a real estate 
business in Co\dngion from 1897 until 1901, 
when he was admitted to the bar of jMiami 
County. During the winter and spring of 
the latter year he pursued a review course 
in law in Ohio Northern University at Ada. 
Immediately after his admission, he began 
practice in Covington and in the meantime 
has continued the real estate business with 
uninterrupted success. He has bought and 
sold many farms, and has been very active 
in building new additions. He has always 
identified liimself with the best interests of 
the place and takes high rank among his 
fellow citizens. Upon the organization of 
the Stillwater Valley Bank Company in 
1909, he took an active part in the affairs 
of that institution, in which he is still finan- 
cially interested. 

Mr. Croft was united in marriage with 
Miss Lillie Kauffman, a daughter of 
George Kauft'man of Newton Township, 
and they have one son, named William 
Herbert. Fraternally, he is a member of 
the Improved Order of Red Men, of which 
he is treasurer; and is also a member of 
the Ancient and Honorable Order of 
Gobblers. 

W. H. COLES, one of the younger rep- 
resentative business men of Troy, identi- 
fied with large entei-prises here and at 
other points, was born at Troy, Ohio, in 
1875, and is a son of T. E. Coles, for many 
years the leading hardware merchant here 
and now a most highly esteemed retired 
citizen. 

W. H. Coles graduated from the Troy 
High School in 1892 and then entered Am- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



569 



lierst College, where he was graduated in 
the class of 1897, with the degree of A. B. 
The following two years he devoted to 
learning business methods in his father's 
store and for eight subsequent years 
served as secretary of the Hobart Com- 
pany. In 1905 he organized the W. H. 
Coles Sales Company, for the manufacture 
and distribution of electrical machinery. 
He is also general manager and one-half 
owner of the Skinner Irrigation Company. 
He has succeeded as a business man both 
througli natural ability and his energy, 
system and practical knowledge. 

Mr. Coles was married in 1902, to Miss 
Fannie Thompson, who is a daughter of 
W. E. Thompson, of Troy, and they have 
one daughter, Charlotte Louise. Mr. Coles 
is a member of the First Presbyterian 
Church at Troy and is superintendent of 
the Sunday-school. He is a Knight Tem- 
plar Mason and belongs to the Troy Club. 

MRS. MARY A. GREER, one of Eliza- 
'beth Township's most esteemed ladies, for 
fifty years a member of the Cove Spring 
Christian Church, is the widow of the late 
John M. Greer, who died on his valuable 
fai-m of fifty acres, situated in section 14, 
Elizabeth Township, Miami County, now 
owned by Mrs. Greer, on July 24, 1906. 
Mrs. Greer was born May 31, 1827, in 
Adams County, Pennsylvania, and is a 
daughter of William and Elizabeth (Crum) 
Baldwin. 

William Baldwin, father of Mrs. Greer, 
moved from Adams County, Pennsylvania, 
to Holmes County, Ohio, where he engaged 
in farming for five years and then re- 
turned to Pennsylvania, where he subse- 
quently died. In addition to farming he 
operated a shingle mill for a number of 



years. He was married (first) to Eliza- 
beth Crum, who was a daughter of Peter 
and Elizabeth Crum, and they had six chil- 
dren born to them, namely: Mary A., 
Thomas, John, Samuel, Peter and Will- 
iam. For his second wife he married 
Katherine Crum, who was also a daughter 
of Peter and Elizabeth Crum, and seven 
children were born to this union, namely: 
Joseph, Isabella, an infant, Ella, David, 
Jennie and Elizabeth. Three brothers and 
a half-brother of Mrs. Greer were soldiers 
in the Civil War and the latter was cap- 
tured by the enemy and died from starva- 
tion. 

The late John M. Greer was born in 
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, June 3, 
1820. He was the youngest son of James 
and Susanna (Essick) Greer. James 
Greer was born in Ireland and came to 
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, in early 
manhood, married there and reared five 
children, namely: William, Nancy, Eliza- 
beth, Rachel and John M. 

John M. Greer grew to manhood on his 
fatlier's farm and later became a woollen 
manufacturer. After his marriage and 
the birth of two children, he and his wife 
decided to move to Ohio. Their only 
means of transportation was by wagon 
and as ]\Ir. Greer wished to take with him 
his household possessions, together with 
farm and mill machinery, the load made 
very heavy toiling over the mountains and 
Mrs. Greer remembers very distinctly how 
many weary miles she walked, carrying 
her little son William in her arms, to ease 
the load to the struggling horses. It re- 
quired eighteen days to make the journey. 
First settlement was made at New Car- 
lisle, in Clark County, where Mr. Greer 
entered into woolen manufacturing; he 



570 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



then moved for one year to Midway, and 
carried on a mill for two years at Lake 
Branch, moving then to Indiana for a year. 
He then retired from the milling business 
and turned all his attention to farming, 
renting a farm in Elizabeth Township for 
four years, and moving from there to Lost 
Creek Township, where he bought eighteen 
acres. After selling that farm he bought 
forty acres on Honey Creek, but one year 
later sold that place also and moved to 
Addison, buying four acres of ground 
there with a house and conducting a butch- 
ering business for about eighteen months. 
He then resumed farming, taking charge 
of the Carver farm for six years and then 
moved to the farm now owned by Mr. Esty, 
purchasing seventy-two acres. On that 
place Mr. and Mrs. Greer resided for 
eleven years, when Mr. Greer bought the 
farm of fiftj' acres, situated in Section 14, 
Elizabeth Township, on which he died. 
Mrs. Greer then moved to Troy for a time, 
renting her farm to a good tenant, but at 
present she is residing with her son AVill- 
iam, in Elizabeth Township. 

To John M. Greer and wife were born 
four children, as follows: AVilliam, who 
married Elizabeth Gearhart, a daughter of 
Nelson and Mary Gearhart, and has three 
children — Thomas Emory, William John 
and Mary Lizzie; Thomas, who died in in- 
fancy; and Savannah and Miriam E., both 
of whom are now deceased. At the time of 
his death Mr. Greer was eighty-six years 
of age and he was laid to rest in the Cass- 
town Cemetery. He was a most worthy 
man in every relation of life, for years a 
deacon in the Christian Church and a lib- 
eral supporter of its various benevolent en- 
terprises. In his political views he was a 
Republican, later a Prohibitionist, and at 



different times he served acceptably as 
justice of the peace, school director and 
township trustee. 

"William Greer, the only surviving child 
of John M. Greer and wife, was educated 
in the public schools and has devoted him- 
self mainly to farming. He was married 
March 27, 1873, and for four years after- 
ward continued to reside with his i^arents, 
later rented land and then moved on his 
present farm of fifty-seven acres, which is 
in Elizabeth Township. He resided in 
Troy for four years but returned to his 
farm on February 18, 1908. He owns an 
additional forty acres together with a 
house and lot in Troy. He put up all the 
buildings on his farm, on which he engages 
in general agriculture, including the grow- 
ing of tobacco. The Greer family has long 
been one of the most highly respected in 
Elizabeth Township. 

HON. JOHN CORNWELL GEYER, in 
whose death Piqua lost one of its foremost 
citizens, was a lawyer of much prominence 
and large practice. He had a wide acquaint- 
ance throughout this section of the state, 
and was frequently called upon to serve 
the public in official capacity. He was pro- 
bate judge of Miami County two terms of 
three years each, and in the able and con- 
scientious discharge of his duties added 
largely to his following in the county. 

Judge Geyer was born in Piqua, June 12, 
1860, and was a son of Frederick and Mar- 
tha (Manson) Geyer. His paternal grand- 
parents, Henry and Elizabeth (Bonner) 
Geyer, came to Ohio from Maryland in 
1824 ; both died at Germantown, Ohio. 

Frederick Geyer was born in Emmits- 
burg, Maryland, in 1814, and was about 
ten years of age when he accompanied his 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



571 



parents to (Termantowu, Ohio. Thence he 
moved to Piqiia, Miami County, in 1838, 
and was there engaged in the hardware 
business for some years. He died in 1875 
and was survived for more than a quarter 
of a century by his widow, who lived to an 
advanced age. She was in maiden life 
Martha Mauson, and was a daughter of 
David Jr. and Sarah ((.'oruwall) Mansou, 
and a granddaughter of David Manson Sr., 
who was a native of Belfast, Ireland. The 
last named emigrated to America in colo- 
nial days, and when the Revolutionary war 
broke out enlisted from Pennsylvania in 
the Continental army. In 1807 he emi- 
grated to Brown Township, Miami Countj^ 
Ohio, and here passed the remainder of his 
days, dying in 1838. He married Miss 
Jean Johnston, who was a cousin of 
Colonel John Johnston, the noted Indian 
agent of Ohio. David Mauson, Jr., was 
a native of the state of Pennsylvania and 
accompanied his parents to Ohio in 1807. 
He was a soldier of the War of 1812. He 
married Sarah Cornwall of Virginia, and 
among their children was General Mahlon 
D. Manson, who attained distinction in 
public life. He enlisted in the Union army 
during the Civil War, and for gallant 
services was promoted to the rank of gen- 
eral. He was for several terms a member 
of the United States Congress from Indi- 
ana, and also served as auditor and lieu- 
tenant governor of that state. His death 
took place at Crawfordsville, Indiana, in 
1893. 

John C. Geyer, subject of this biog- 
raphy, was reared in Piqua, and after com- 
pleting the public school course, entered 
the Ohio Wesleyan University at Dela- 
ware, Ohio, where he was graduated in 
1882. He then pursued a course in law at 



the Cincinnati Law School, and after his 
graduation from that institution in 1884, 
went west to Emporia, Kansas, where he 
was employed on the Emporia Daily Re- 
publican for some six months. In 1885 he 
returned to his native county and em- 
barked in the practice of law in Piqua, 
where he thereafter resided until his death, 
which occurred February 21, 1901. A man 
of unquestioned ability, he built up a lucra- 
tive practice and gained a high standing 
in the comnnmity. An enthusiastic Repub- 
lican, he was also an active politician and 
a hard worker for party success. In 1889 
he was elected mayor of Piqua, being the 
first Republican elected to that ofBce in a 
])eriod of twenty-two years, a fact which 
is of itself sufficient evidence of his popu- 
larity. After holding that office for twenty 
months he resigned in order to enter upon 
the duties of probate judge, to which office 
lie had been elected by a handsome major- 
ity in November, 1890. Re-elected probate 
judge in 1893, he served in all six years 
in a most capable and efficient manner. In 
1896 he was prominently mentioned and 
received strong support for the nomina- 
tion for member of Congi-ess, but was de- 
feated in the convention after a hard and 
honoral)le fight. After the expiration of 
his term of office he resumed his law prac- 
tice, which he conducted with great activ- 
ity and success, notwithstanding the facts 
that he was never physically strong or 
rolnist. 

Judge Geyer was for many years prom- 
inent in fraternal work, especially so in. 
tlie order of the Knights of Pythias. He 
served as grand chancellor of that order 
in Ohio for the year ending in May, 1900, 
and for a number of years prior to his 
death he was a director of the Ohio Pyth- 



572 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ian Home at Springfield, being for four 
years president of the board. He was a 
member of the Masonic Lodge, taking the 
thirty-second degi-ee at Cincinnati ; he also 
belonged to the Ohio Society of the Sons 
of the American -Revolution. 

In 1888 Mr. Geyer was joined in mar- 
riage with Miss Binnie Page of Cincinnati, 
who was a native of Hamilton, Butler 
County, Ohio. Among her ancestors were 
near relatives of Daniel Webster and Jon- 
athan Fellows, and she is also connected 
with the Fairbanks family, manufacturers 
of the Fairbanks scales, which are in use 
the world over. This marriage resulted in 
the following issue : Frederick P., Martha 
A., John Cornwall, and Mahlon H. Mrs. 
Geyer still makes her residence in Piqua, 
where she is well known and most highly 
respected, being surrounded by friends of 
long years' standing. 

DANIEL C. KNOOP, proprietor of a 
grocery and bakery at Covington, Miami 
County, Ohio, has been a resident of this 
city since 1900 and has built up a large 
patronage. He was born in Casstown, 
Miami County, May 29, 1871, and is a son 
of Samuel and Martha (Brelsford) Knoop. 
He comes of a prominent family of that 
vicinity, and his father is a retired mer- 
chant of Casstown. 

Daniel C. Knoop was reared and edu- 
cated in his native town, and when nine- 
teen years of age went to Troy, where for 
nine years and three months he was in the 
employ of McCullough & Company. He 
then represented a grocery firm on the 
road for eighteen months, at the end of 
which time he established a grocery and 
bakery at Covington. He does his own 
baking and the trade he has built up is 



such as to require the use of two delivery 
wagons, one for each department. He is 
an enterprising and progressive man, of 
no mean business -ability, and he occupies 
a place high in the esteem of his fellow 
citizens. Mr. Knoop was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Ruth Rench, a daughter of 
George Rench of Covington, and they have 
three children — Ralph Edgar, Mary Mar- 
garet, and Irene. Fraternally, he is a 
member of the Masonic Order and has at- 
tained the thirty-second degree. 

ABRAHAM R. GARVER, a leading 
Inisiness man of Tippecanoe City, carry- 
ing on a large manufacturing enterprise, 
is secretary, treasurer and general man- 
ager of the Tipp Furniture Company. He 
was born on a farm nine miles west of 
Springfield, Ohio, and is a son of Benja- 
min C. and Ruth Garver. 

Abraham Garver, the paternal grand- 
father, came to Clark County, Ohio, from 
Maryland, in 1831. By trade he was a 
farmer. At that time his son, Benjamin C, 
was a child of two years. He was reared 
in Clark County and continued to reside 
there until 1885, when he moved to Harper 
County, Kansas, which continues to be his 
home. 

To Benjamin C. Garver and wife were 
born eight sons and three daughters, and 
of this family but two are deceased, Eliza- 
beth and Ruth. The survivors are: John 
N., residing at Springfield, Ohio, where he 
is engaged in the real estate business; 
Abraham R., of Tippecanoe City; Frank 
R., who is an electrical engineer with the 
Westinghouse company at Pittsburg; 
James L., who carries on an insurance 
business at Richmond, Indiana ; Walter D., 
residing also at Richmond, engaged in the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



573 



flour aud feed business; Edward L., who 
is interested in lumber in Minnesota; 
George G., who is a farmer and stock 
dealer in Harper County, Kansas; Clara 
E., who is the wife of Ora J. McDowell, of 
Shattuck, Oklahoma ; aud Arthur C, who 
is a farmer residing near Shattuck. 

Abraham E. Garver obtained his educa- 
tion in the public schools, Wittenburg Col- 
lege and Nelson's Business College, after 
one year of commercial training, in 1883, 
acce2:»ting a position as traveling salesman 
for the U. S. Wind Engine & Pump Com- 
pany. He left the road in 1888 in order 
to enter into the manufacturing business 
at Troy, Ohio, and from there came to 
Tippecanoe City in 1889, since when he 
has been officially identitied with the Tipp 
Furniture Company. This concern is a 
stock company, having a capital of $20,000, 
and is one of the most prosperous and im- 
portant business enterprises of Tippecanoe 
City. The well equipped manufacturing 
plant utilizes a large brick structure and 
occupies 25,000 square feet of floor space 
and gives constant employment to a skilled 
force of some forty-live men. The output 
is bed room suits, dressers, chiffoniers and 
wash-stands. Mr. Gai-ver has been a very 
active business citizen for the past twenty 
years and is financially interested in other 
enterprises than the one mentioned, and is 
a director in the Citizens' National Bank 
of Tippecanoe City. 

In 1887 Mr. Garver was married to Miss 
Ida Rohrer, who is a daughter of Jacob 
Rohrer, of this city, and they have three 
children — Ruth E., Karl R. and Jacob C. 
He belongs with his family, to the English 
Lutheran Church and is a member of the 
church council. In his political views he is 
a Republican but has never been willing to 



assume the duties of public office. He is 
prominent in Masonry, belonging to Tip- 
pecanoe Lodge No. 174, F. & A. M. ; Reed 
Commandery No. 6 ; Franklin Chapter No. 
24; and Antioch Temple, Mystic Shrine, of 
Dayton. 

EDWIN N. RUSK is a well known agri- 
culturist of Staunton Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is the owner of a fine 
farm of eighty-seven acres. He was bom 
on his father's farm in Spring Creek 
Townshij), Miami County, September 13, 
1859, and is a son of William and Mary 
Jane (Anderson) Rusk, aud a grandson of 
James and Sarah (French) Rusk. James 
Rusk, the grandfather, was of Scotch- 
Irish parentage, and came from the North 
of Ireland to Warren County, Ohio, locat- 
ing near Franklin, where he was married 
aud lived the remainder of his life. 

William Rusk was one of the oldest of ten 
children born to his parents and was bom 
in Warren County, Ohio, July 27, 1820. He 
helped to clear the home farm there and 
after his marriage moved to West Charles- 
ton, in Miami County, Ohio. He later lo- 
cated on a farm in Shelby County, and 
from there returned to Miami County, pur- 
chasing a farm of 112 acres in Spring 
Creek Township. He sold out after a few 
years and in March, 1864, purchased of 
Henry DeWeese the farm on which his 
son Edwin N. Rusk now lives. Here he 
l^assed the remainder of his life, dying in 
January, 1891. His wife, Mary Jane An- 
derson, who was bom in 1823, died in 
March, 1890. They were parents of the 
following children: William Franklin; 
Lettie, deceased wife of Albert Kinder; 
Walter Scott; Edwin Nelson; Luella; 
James A. ; John N. ; and two who died in 



574 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



infancy. Both James A. and John N. were 
killed in hattle in the Civil War. 

Edwin Nelson Eusk was less than five 
years of age when his parents located upon 
the farm on which he now lives, and he re- 
ceived a fair education in the public schools 
of this district, first attending the old Pet- 
erson school. He started to farming at 
an early age and has since continued with 
good results. After the death of his par- 
ents, he purchased the interests of the 
other heirs in the home farm, on which he 
now has made many important improve- 
ments. 

February 21, 1884, Mr. Eusk was united 
in marriage with Miss Minnie Hart, a 
daughter of John and Susan (Harritt) 
Hart, her father being a native of Tren- 
ton, New Jersey, and her mother of Greene 
County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Hart at an 
eai'ly date became residents of Miami 
County, where they were married. He was 
born in 182.3, and died in June, 1905, and 
Mrs. Hart, who was born in 1834, is still 
living. They had two children — Joseph 
G. Hart, of Troy, Ohio; and Minnie, wife 
of the subject of this sketch. 

Mr. and Mrs. Eusk also became parents 
of two children : Lettie M., wife of Frank 
Weatherhead, of Staunton Township, by 
whom she has a daughter, Helen Marie; 
and Velva, who died at the age of one 
year and eighteen days. Eeligiously they 
are members of the Christian Church of 
Troy. In politics Mr. Eusk is a Eepub- 
lican, and has served as justice of the 
peace and assessor, and in other minor 
oflSces. 

WILLIAM B. HAWN, a leading citizen 
of Bethel Township, who successfully op- 
erates a valuable farm of eighty acres. 



which lies in Section 19, near Phoneton, 
on the National Eoad, was born August 
22, 1844, in Bethel Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a son of John and 
Margaret (Saylor) Hawn. 

John Hawn was born in Pennsylvania 
and in young manhood came to Miami 
County and secured farm work with the 
old Knoop family. Following his mar- 
riage, he moved to Bethel Township and 
bought 172 acres of land, all of which he 
cleared. He was a man of unusual energy 
and robustness ; in addition to clearing his 
land and putting it under cultivation, he 
engaged in milling and blacksmithing. He 
also found time and opportunity to serve 
his country in time of war, and went out 
with an Ohio com])any in the War of 1812, 
returning home unharmed. He died when 
aged seventy-three years, having been re- 
spected from youth into old age. He 
served his township as school director for 
a number of years, but would not accept 
other pulilic office. He married a daugh- 
ter of John Saylor and they had fifteen 
children, Elias and William B., the twelfth 
and thirteenth members of the family, be- 
ing the only survivors. The remains of 
both John Hawn and his wife rest in the 
old Saylor Cemetery. 

William B. Hawn attended the Fairview 
school in his boyhood and remained on the 
home farm until his father died, when the 
property was sold, each survivor at that 
time getting his share. For several years 
he worked at farming by the month, and 
was then engaged in farming for himself 
on rented land near Brandt, for three 
years, when he married. After this he 
bought his present farm from Mr. Neflf, 
of Montgomery County. He cleared about 
twenty acres of the land, put in 1,000 rods 




J. A. SHADE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



577 



of tile and erected all the substantial build- 
ings. With the exception of eight acres 
of timber, he has all his land uuder good 
cultivation. 

On August 8, 1865, Mr. Hawn was mar- 
ried to Miss Melissa Booker, a daughter 
of Solomon Booker, and they have had the 
following- children born to them, namely: 
Elizabeth, who is the wife of John Staub; 
Minnie, who married Frank Brooks; Mar- 
garet, who married Irviu Cavanaugh; 
Mary, who married Jacob Heffner; Jes- 
sie, who married Walter Hartman; Ora 
and Dora, twins, who live at home; 
Charles, who married Dolly Dill; Samuel, 
who married Augusta Brooks; and Earl. 
Clara and John. Of these Margaret, Clara 
and John are deceased. Mr. Hawn and 
family are members of the Lutheran 
Church at Brandt. 

In politics Mr. Hawn is an active Demo- 
crat and has frequently been chosen by his 
party for offices of responsibility in the 
township. For thirty years he has been 
constable of Bethel Township, for years 
has been a trustee, during two terms 
served on the School Board and has held 
other positions of a public nature. For- 
merly he was identified with the Odd Fel- 
lows at Osborn. If all men were like Mr. 
Hawn, the doctors in this section would 
have a hard time making their living, for, 
with his robust constitution and pei'petual 
good health, he- never has cause to consult 
them. In all his life, he asserts, he has 
never spent even fifty cents for a physi- 
cian's prescription for himself. There 
are millionaires who would be glad to be 
able to make the same assertion. 

J. A. SHADE, secretary and treasurer 
of The AVright-Kuntz Lumber Company. 



of Piqua, has been a resident of this city 
for the past twenty years, coming here in 
1889. He was born at Dayton, Ohio, June 
30, 1855, where he was reared and edu- 
cated. 

Mr. Shade remained a resident of Day- 
ton until February, 1872, when he moved 
to Darke County for a few years. From 
there he went to Noblesville, Indiana, for 
a short time, and then spent one year en- 
gaged in farming near Springfield, Mis- 
souri. After he returned to Ohio he went 
into the lumber business at Greenville, in 
which he continued until 1889, when he 
came to Piqua, engaging- in the lumber 
business with the Wright-Kuutz Company. 
In 1896 the plant was burned and when 
the business was reorganized it was incor- 
])orated as The \\'right-Kuntz Lumber 
Company, with a capital stock of $10,000. 
The present officers are : Peter Kuntz, of 
Dayton, president; J. A. Paj'ne, vice- 
president ; and J. A. Shade, secretary 
and treasurer. The company deals in all 
kinds of lumber, both wholesale and retail. 
Mr. Shade is also president of Acme Rem- 
edy Company of Piqua and is numbered 
with the city's able and active business 
men. 

In 1881, ^fr. Shade was married to Miss 
Kate L. Evans, and they have one child 
living, Eutli M., and three deceased — two 
boys and one girl. Ruth is the wife of 
L. F. Koester, who is connected with the 
lumber company above mentioned. Mr. 
Shade's interest in politics extends no fur- 
ther than to do his full duty as a private 
citizen. 

W. 0. COFIELD, a representative of 
the lime interests of Piqua and a dealer 
in stone, coal, and cement, with quarters 



578 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



at No. 817 South Maiu Street, has been 
a resident of this city for more than twen- 
ty years and has been very active in its 
business affairs. He was born at Cass- 
town, Miami County, Ohio, in 1859, and 
is a son of Levi Cofield. The father of 
Mr. Cofield was a lime manufacturer, and 
during the first six years of the latter 's 
life tlie family home was near Sulphur 
Grove, Montgomery County, and after 
that in Kirkwood, Shelby County. Mr. 
Cofield thus grew up in the business, and 
after coming to Piqua, in 1887, he con- 
tinued in this line and shortly afterward 
began the manufacture of marble dust, 
being the pioneer in this industry in this 
section. Subsequently he sold his plant 
to the Ohio Marble Company, but he has 
continued the manufacture of lime and 
does a large business also in handling 
lime, cement and all kinds of contractors' 
supplies. 

Ground is now being broken for the erec- 
tion of a plant for the manufacture of all 
stone products, from flues for steel fur- 
naces to the finest marble floor, the com- 
pany to be known as The Stone Product 
Company, and the works to be under the 
management of Mr. Cofield. The new com- 
pany is incorporated for $50,000, the prin- 
cipal stockholders being prominent busi- 
ness men of Findlay and Piqua. The 
company will control at least three modern 
crushers for the crushing plant, and for 
their marble flour department will estab- 
lish enough machines to give them pos- 
sibly the largest capacity of any like plant 
in the country. Several thousand dollars' 
worth of railroad switch work will be put 
in and accommodations provided for about 
forty cars. The main building for the 
manufactiare of marble flour will be 50x200 



feet ; that of the crushing plant, 55x75 feet. 
The buildings will be frame, with the ex- 
ception of the engine-room, which will be 
of concrete. The quarries cover sixty-five 
acres and the material is available for 
many uses. The new concern will be one 
of the big manufacturing enterprises of 
Piqua. 

As a good citizen Mr. Cofield has never 
ignored the calls made on his time or purse 
and has willingly done his part to advance 
the general welfare. In 1882 he was mar- 
ried to Miss Elizabeth Davis, of Shelby 
County, Ohio, and they have three chil- 
dren : L. M. ; Rowena Elmira, who is the 
wife of W. R. Snyder, of Troy; and Bon- 
nie Ethel, who resides at home. Mr. Co- 
field and family are members of the Church 
of Christ. 

GEORGE McCULLOUGH, deceased. 
In depicting the career of him who is the 
subject of this sketch, one has not to deal 
with a life spent in vain strivings after 
riches or fame — the two principal goals of 
the ambitious — but rather with a life that 
was a negation of self, a daily sacrifice to 
the Lord, and a benediction to all others 
that came into contact with it, even 
though but casually. 

The late George McCullough came of 
a hardy family. His paternal grandfather 
was born in Ireland and learned the trade 
of tanner in the city of Cork, after which, 
when still a young man, he came to this 
country, making his home in a little town 
just in sight of Philadelphia. This town 
was destroyed in the Revolutionary War, 
by the British troops, Grandfather Mc- 
Cullough losing all his property. He had 
early enlisted on the American side, taking 
part in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



579 



under Ethan Allen; then reaeliing Bunker 
Hill, near Boston, in time to take part in 
the memorable battle there; and after- 
wards serving with Washington when he 
crossed the Delaware, and in tlie engage- 
ments at Trenton and Princeton, and in 
the closing operations of the war at York- 
town, where lie witnessed the surrender of 
Lord Coruwallis. He lived many years 
after the war, and died at the age of 
eighty-eight, having never been sick a day 
in his life until then. He was a Free 
Mason and his funeral services were con- 
ducted by members of the order. He mar- 
ried a Miss Mary Elliott, who was of 
"Welsh origin, and their family numbered 
nine children. 

William McCullough, son of the forego- 
ing and father of the subject of this sketch, 
was the third son of his parents, and was 
born in Pennsylvania in 1793. He was 
reared amid pioneer surroundings and, 
like most of his contemporaries in this 
section, sought his living in the subduing 
of the forest and the conquest of the soil. 
About the year 1813 he married Susan 
Shidler, a sister of the Hon. Tom Shidler, 
who rejiresented Miami County in the leg- 
islature in 1839. In October, 1823, when 
George McCullough was six years old, the 
family came to Ohio, crossing the moun- 
tains in wagons, the journey taking sev- 
eral weeks. Reaching Miami County, they 
settled on a tract of land in Lost Creek 
Township that has since been known as 
the McCullough farm. But little of the 
land was then cleared in this vicinity, wild 
game of all kind abounded, and panthers 
and bears were still occasionelly seen. The 
first residence of the family was a little 
log cabin, 20x24 feet, and they also erected 
a small stable, where their little dun mare 



found shelter. Their food was plain, con- 
.sisting principally of nuLsh and milk, corn 
bread, pumpkins and game. The milk 
was strongly flavored most of the time with 
the wild onion, upon which the cattle fed. 
Once a week, on Sundays, the family had 
coffee, and that was a day that all looked 
forward to with joyous anticipations. 

It was in this stern school of life that 
George McCullough received his early 
training, but it was conducive to the up- 
building of a strong and vigorous man- 
hood. The district school which he at- 
tended in his boyhood days was taught by 
Mr. John Hutton and was in a log cabin. 
Here he was taught reading, writing and 
arithmetic to the single rule of three. In 
1825 the iirst meetinghouse was built in 
Lost Creek Township. It was built of 
logs and was put together at a cost of just 
$6, which was spent for nails, glass, and 
sashes for three small windows, the labor 
being voluntarily contributed by the neigh- 
bors. At first a large quilt was used for a 
door, and the floor consisted' entirely of 
"Mother Earth." The dimensions of this 
primitive place of worship were 26x30 
feet. The first Sunday School in Miami 
County was organized and taught in this 
log building soon after its erection, by 
Thomas Long, the enterprise, however, not 
being regarded favorably by everybody, as 
it was not thought the right way to teach 
the Bible. 

Mr. McCullough grew uj) in this neigh- 
borhood and saw it grow into beauty. The 
log structures that we have herein de- 
scribed he saw change into a commodious 
brick school house and a handsome coun- 
try church. When still a lad he helped 
with his team to build the canal, and came 
to Trov on horseback to see General Har- 



580 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



rison when the latter came with great 
pomp and show on a caual boat to that 
little city. In 1851 he went into the gen- 
eral dry goods business with C. E. Quick, 
at Addison, and so continued until 1860. 
He was afterwards engaged in the grocery 
business until he retired from active life. 

Mr. McCuUough was converted in 1843, 
under the labors of Mark D. Briney, in the 
old log meeting-house near the present 
beautiful brick structure of the Lost Creek 
Church. His conversion was thorough, 
comprehending soul and body, time and 
talents. It has been said of him by one 
who was ten years his pastor: "From 
the time of his Spirit-birth he was Spirit- 
filled, and till death he carried with him 
that, often overflowing measure. Endowed 
by nature with mind, thought, song, a 
musical voice, a winning face, tiuent, fit- 
ting speech and forceful personality, his 
consecration of these, intensified by a glow- 
ing Christian experience, meant much for 
the church, for the community, for all re- 
forms, for the souls of men, and for his 
long and grand career as the Lord's serv- 
ant. No excuse of the sinner or subter- 
fuge of the skeptic could stand before his 
array of Holy Writ, his burning love for 
the doubter, and his unique forms of un- 
answerable arguments. Meeting by acci- 
dent or introduction with a stranger, he 
left him not till learning of him whether 
or not he loved Christ. Nor was this in- 
formation gained offensively, but in a 
happy, tactful, winning way. From the 
time of his conversion he was an active 
worker for Christ, praying, speaking and 
exhorting in public, and this with peculiar 
impressiveness, edification and power." 
The same writer further says: 

"When in his usual health he attended 



and actively participated in the sessions 
of the Ohio Miami Conference. On com- 
mittes he was a wise counsellor; on the 
floor his speeches were short, terse, and 
telling in the flavor of sincerity and the 
flash of earnestness. In exhortation but 
few preachers were his equal. In prayer 
he seemed to come very close into the di- 
vine presence, pleading with a Jacob-like 
imi^ortunity, and seizing promises with the 
uncorrupted confidence of a child. It was 
his delight to pray with the sick, and his 
more than half a century of praying life 
built Bethels and altars by most of the 
sick beds and in most of the woods and 
fields in the vicinity of his home. Biding 
to church alone or in company, often did 
he pause at some suitable place by the 
wayside to wrestle with God in behalf of 
the service and the saving of souls. Per- 
haps I have never known a man who 
seemed so constantly to dwell in the secret 
of his presence and in his very pavilion. 
He carried eveiywhere the joy of his 
Christian experience, but never was he 
hapiner than in protracted meetings and 
when souls were being born into the king- 
dom. He was a persistent Bible student. 
He di-ew his theology from the Word, and 
had a fund of doctrinal and practical quo- 
tations at his tongue's end. He was friend- 
ly to ministerial education and culture, 
and believed that these were helpful to the 
spiritual power, without which all preach- 
ing is in vain." 

He was an earnest friend of the young 
minister, whom he aided with his advice. 
A good student of human nature, he did 
not often err in forecasting the success 
or failure of the youthful Timothy. Many 
thought he himself called to the ministry, 
but on this subject he once said to his 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



581 



pastor — the same from whom we have al- 
ready quoted: "Brother Rush, I feel it 
is mainly my mission to lighten and 
broaden our people's ideas of lay rela- 
tions." Mr. McCuUough was an ardent 
reader of religious literature, especially 
that published by the Christian denomina- 
tion, to which he belonged, and of which 
he accumulated a large- collection. His 
brother Peter, of Dayton, was a minister 
of the denomination — earnest and success- 
ful in bringing souls to Christ — and it was 
Mr. McCuUough 's belief that his brother 
sufficiently represented the family in that 
department of Christian effort, his own 
ambitions lying solely in the direction of 
lay usefulness. 

Much could be said of his brotherly kind- 
ness and helpfulness to his fellow men. 
Especially was he the friend of the poor. 
His wagons, his farming utensils or gar- 
den tools were freely at the command of 
his neighbors, especially those who were 
unal)le to purchase for themselves, and it 
was wonderful what amount of wear they 
were subjected to in the universal service. 
Everybody's friend, everybody's helper 
was he. The life of this good man was 
prolonged far beyond the scriptural three 
score years and ten, for he passed tri- 
umphantly to the Eternal Mansions on 
Monday, June 30, 1902, at the age of 
eighty-five years and twenty-five days. 
AVell it might l)e said of him, "Blessed are 
the dead that die in the Lord." 

His home life was true and l)eautiful. 
He was married November 18, 1849, to 
Amanda S. Warner, of Addison, Cham- 
paign County, Ohio, and for more than 
fifty-two years they pursued life's journey 
happily together. Until the father's death 
the familv circle remained unbroken. Of 



its members we may briefly say that De- 
rostus M. McCuUough, tlie eldest son, is 
now one of the leading citizens and busi- 
ness men of Troy, Ohio, a jirominent mer- 
chant, vice-president of the Troy National 
Bank, and an active lay worker in the 
Christian Church. George McCuUough, 
the younger son and his father's name- 
sake, is a respected resident of Dayton, 
Ohio. Of the two daughters, Emma is the 
wife of Dr. H. E. Smith, of Kansas City, 
Missouri ; the other daughter is Mrs. John 
M. Thomas, whose husband is a successful 
business man in Columbus, Ohio. 

For some years before his death Mr. 
AlcCullough was unable to attend church, 
but his son, D. M. McCuUough, put a tele- 
phone in his father's house in .Iddison, 
the wires reaching to the pulpit and choir 
seats of the Christian Church in Troy, and 
being skilfully aranged to catch every 
sound. Thus, through his son's love, the 
aged Christian, in his declining years, had 
the sweet consolation of the services of the 
sanctuary brought to his very bedside or 
to his invalid chair, and his hours of 
weariness and pain were ligliteued there- 
by, and his lieart made ghid by the songs 
of Zion and the words of gospel cheer, 
every Sabbath, though the songs were 
sung and the Word preached ten miles 
away. 

^Ir. McCuUough was survived by his 
wife, in addition to the children above 
mentioned. She was ever his faithful and 
well suited help-mate, sharing his joys 
and sorrows with a kind womanly sym- 
pathy and love. She, too, commanded the 
love of her children and of a wide circle 
of friends. Mrs. McCuUough died May 
24, 1905, aged seventy-five years. 



582 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



CHARLES M. FINFROCK, president 
of the Stillwater Valley Bank Company of 
Covington, Ohio, was one of the founders 
of that institution and has been closely 
identified with other interests of the city 
during his residence of a quarter of a cen- 
tury or more there. He has been agent 
for the Pennsylvania Railroad and of the 
Adams Express Company at Covington 
since May 1, 1883, and has been in the 
employ of the foi-mer company since 1872. 
Mr. Finfrock was born in Piqua, Ohio, 
May 24, 1850, and is a son of William 
and Mary Ajin (Routson) Finfrock. His 
father, who died in 1882, was for a time 
proprietor of the Miami House at Piqua 
and later conducted a mercantile estab- 
lishment in that city. 

Charles M. Finfrock was six years of 
age when his mother died. Two years 
later he became an inmate of the home of 
an uncle, Jacob Reesor, at Versailles, 
Ohio, by whom he was reared until four- 
teen years old. He then went to work on 
a farm for Samuel Fetters in Newberry 
Township, Miami County, with whom he 
continued for five years. He next worked 
at carpentering, following that trade sev- 
eral years in Newberry Township and in 
Piqua. In that city he worked for O'Fer- 
rell & Daniels, manufacturers of thresh- 
ing machines, and later for Hardesty & 
Speelman at house carpentering. During 
this time he also worked in the Western 
Union Telegraph office at night, under C. 
E. Macher, who still is in Piqua, and from 
there went to Richmond, Indiana, as mes- 
senger in the train dispatcher's office; 
that was in 1872 and it was his first posi- 
tion with the company. In February, 
1873, he became night operator for the 
Pennsylvania Company at Greenfield, In- 



diana, and from there went to Kjiights- 
town, Indiana, where he was operator and 
agent's clerk. In 1874 he was made op- 
erator and agent's clerk at Piqua, where 
he continued two or three years, then went 
to New Paris, Preble County, Ohio, as 
agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 
May, 1883, he became agent of the Penn- 
sylvania Company and the Adams Express 
Company, at Covington, in which capacity 
he has since continued. A man of exem- 
plary habits and a conscientious employee, 
his advancement in the business world 
was steady and he now takes rank among 
the substantial men of the place. When 
the Stillwater Valley Bank was incorpo- 
rated in 1900, he was one of the prime 
movers and became a stockholder and di- 
rector. In January, 1909, he was advanced 
to the presidency of that institution. 

Charles M. Finfrock was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Mary A. Cable, daughter 
of the late John Cable, of Newberry Town- 
ship, and they have one son, Clarence M. 
The last named is a lawyer by professional 
training and an instructor in Western Re- 
serve Law School, of Cleveland, of which 
institution he is a graduate. He also is a 
graduate of Covington High School and 
Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware. 
Religiously the subject of this record is 
a member of the Christian Church, of 
which he is one of the deacons. 

HENRY FREE, one of Staunton Town- 
ship's representative citizens and substan- 
tial farmers, resides on his well improved 
estate of eighty acres, which he owns 
jointly with his wife. Mr. Free was born 
on the old Knoop farm in Staunton Town- 
ship, Miami County, on which his parents 
first settled after coming to Ohio, August 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



583 



26, 1844, and is a son of Philip and Sarah 
(Helsel) Free. 

The father of Mr. Free was born in 
France and was twenty years of age when 
he accompanied his parents to America, 
settling in Pennsylvania. There he mar- 
ried Sarah Helsel and there were ten chil- 
dren born to them, namely: George, who 
is deceased; Jacob, who lives in Califor- 
nia; Barbai'a, now deceased, who was the 
wife of G. Struble; Daniel, who is de- 
ceased ; Caroline, who is the wife of Henry 
McDowell, of Casstown; Elizabeth, who is 
the wife of S. Ferr, of Indiana; Philip, 
who died young; Lavina, now deceased, 
who was the wife of M. Small, also de- 
ceased; John, who died while serving his 
country in the Civil War; and Henry. 
With his wife and four children, Philip 
Free came to Ohio, and both he and wife 
passed the rest of their days in this State. 
Their first home was on the Knoop farm, 
on Lost Creek, which PhiliiJ Free rented 
for a number of years. Later he pur- 
chased a farm of 100 acres not far from 
the farm now owned by his youngest son, 
and there he died in 1877, when aged sev- 
enty-eigiit years. On that farm his first 
wife died, and he married Nancy Konkel, 
who survived him but a few years. Al- 
though he encountered much misfortune 
and had a great deal of sickness in his 
family, which entailed much ex^^ense, he 
had good children, and with the help of 
his sons cleared up his farm, acquired 
other property, and at the time of the 
Civil War not only gave one son, but con- 
tributed some $500 in money to aid in its 
prosecution. 

Henry Free was the youngest of the 
family and was an infant when his pa- 
rents moved to the farm near his own. He 



has been a continuous resident of Staun- 
ton Township, with the exception of eleven 
months, when he lived in Brown Town- 
ship, and during the periods covered by 
several trips to California, Oregon and 
Washington. He had but meager educa- 
tional opportunities in his youth, but 
travel, reading and association with many 
people have all contributed to making him 
one of the best informed men of his sec- 
tion. He lived at home until his marriage, 
after which he engaged in farming for his 
father-in-law for thirty-six years. In 
1905 he bought his present farm from 
Mrs. John Cavault, a sister of his wife, 
residing in Mercer County, Ohio. It is a 
productive tract of land and lies in Staun- 
ton Township, where the Tro)', the Spring 
Creek and Peterson Turnpikes corner. 

On September 6, 1866, Mr. Free was 
married to Miss Margaret Ann Smalley, 
who is a daughter of John and Sarah 
(Cullen) Smalley, the former of whom was 
born in Butler County, Oliio, and the lat- 
ter in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Free had two 
sisters: Mary Ellen, who married John 
Cavault, and Eliza Jane, who died young. 
Mr. and Mrs. Free have had four children, 
namely: John, who married Martha 
;Marr, has three children— Murray, Bertha, 
and Everett— and is a farmer in Spring 
Creek Township ;Flora, who married Bert 
Cavault, of Piqua, and has four children 
-Blanche, Iva, Ralph and Margaret; 
Charles, who married May Deuman, now 
deceased, and had three children — Elden, 
Arthur and Opal, the youngest deceased 
and the other two living with their grand- 
parents; and Harry Allen, who died aged 
six years. Mr. and Mrs. Free are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
of which he is an official. He is a Repub- 



584 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



lican aud has served as township super- 
visor for many years. 

MARTIN A. CI'RTIS, residinsr on 
Boone Hill, two and one-half miles south of 
Troy, in Concord Township, along the iu- 
terurban electric railway, is the owner of 
a fine farm of ninety acres and follows 
general farming. He was born on the 
home farm in that vicinity, on Easter Sun- 
day, April 5, 1856, and is a son of William 
and Anp**. (Fiese) Curtis, aud grandson 
of Hira:a Curtis. The grandfather came 
from the east and settled near Frederick- 
towu, Miami County, when the country 
was in a wild and undeveloped state. He 
lived there until his death. 

AVilliam Curtis was among the younger 
of a large family of children, and was born 
near Fredericktown. He helped clear the 
place, and while still a young man started 
out for himself; he started without means 
or assistance, but was always a hard 
worker and his success was beyond the 
average. After his marriage he farmed 
for a few years on shares, and then bought 
what at present is the Mrs. DeAYeese farm, 
in Concord Township. He lived on this 
place imtil his death, in 190-1-, at the age 
of eighty years, he surviving his wife some 
years. His marriage to Anna Fiese, who 
also was born near Fredericktown, re- 
sulted in the following issue: Sarah, de- 
ceased; Mary Jane; Francis; Davis AY., 
deceased ; Martin A. ; EUwood ; Peter, de- 
ceased ; Lydia ; Belle ; Minnie ; Burnet ; 
and Charles. 

Martin A. Curtis attended school in Dis- 
trict No. 2, Concord Township, but his 
schooling was very limited, as there was 
a big family of them and a farm to pay 
for, all of the boys being required to work 



on the place. He began work very young, 
and frequently after working hard in the 
field all day would accompany his father 
to the old stillhouse with a load of cord 
wood. He cut wood aud split rails on the 
place he now owns for Isaac Boone, who 
afterward became his father-in-law. After 
his marriage in IS?? he farmed the 
Thomas Sheets place, on the ojjposite side 
of the road from his present place, on 
the shares, and continued there for a 
period of nineteen years. He then bought 
his farm of ninety acres from the Boone 
heirs and has since lived upon it. 

January -t, 18?7, ~Sh-. Curtis was united 
in marriage with Miss Meliuda E. Boone, 
a daughter of Isaac and Mary Ann (Hold- 
erman) Boone, and they are parents of 
two children: John, who lives near his 
parents and farms the home place; and 
William E., who lives at home. John Cur- 
tis married Gussie Eobbins, and they have 
two children, ]\Iary and Edgar. Frater- 
nally ^lartin A. Curtis is a member of 
Troy Lodge, No. 43, K. of G. E. ; and Troy 
Lodge, No. 222, I. 0. R. M. 

MARTIN L. GANTZ, who resides on 
his farm of eighty-eight acres, situated in 
Section 2, Bethel Township, was born 
January 8, 1855, in Bethel Township, Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, and is a son of Martin 
and Lydia Ann (Heffner) Gantz. 

The parents of ^Ir. Gantz had a family 
of ten children, named, respectively: Har- 
riet, ^largaret. Perry, Martin, Thomas, 
Eliza, Minnie, Ezra, George and Laura. 
Martin Gantz was a blacksmith and he 
learned his trade at Brandt aud worked 
there all his active life. He was a Demo- 
crat in politics, but took no active part in 
public matters. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



585 



Martin L. Gantz attended school at 
Brandt and then learned the blacksmith's 
trade under his father and worked at it 
until his first marriage, in 1877, after 
■whicli he resided one and a quarter miles 
west of Brandt, where he was engaged in 
the business of raising trees for tlie Ala- 
baugh Nursery Company. In March, 
1907. he came to his present farm, which 
he purchased of the Black heirs. He found 
sufficient and substantial buildings on the 
place, with the exception of a barn, which 
he immediately put up, and he has done 
other improving. Mr. Gantz has proved 
himself as good a farmer as he was long 
known to be blacksmith, and he has fre- 
quently found it to advantage to under- 
stand both industries. 

On December 5, 1877. Mr. Gantz was 
married to Miss Margaret Weaver, who 
died in March, 1900. She was a daughter 
of John and Elizabeth (Wright) Weaver. 
To this union the following children were 
born : Vesta, who married Bessie, daugh- 
ter of Thomas Forrest ; Richard, who mar- 
ried Etliel, daughter of Duke Beneham ; 
Delia, who married Clinton Hendricks; 
Clyde, who married Effie, daughter of 
Charles Harris; Glenna, who resides at 
Dayton ; Hershel, who goes to school ; and 
Elmer, who died in infancy. On Decem- 
ber 10, 1902, Mr. Gantz was married (sec- 
ond) to Miss Laura Belle Young, who is 
a daughter of John Young. Mr. Gantz and 
family attend the Lutheran Church. In 
politics he is a Democrat. 

FRANK A. CUSHWA. one of Bethel 
Township's substantial citizens and large 
farmers, owning 300 acres of valuable land 
in this section, was born in Washington 
County, Maryland, October 20, 1832, and 



is a son of Benjamin and Sophia (Angle) 
Cushwa. 

The parents of Mr. Cushwa were both 
natives of Washington County, Mai-yland, 
and when they came to Ohio they had four 
children. Benjamin Cushwa settled first 
on a farm of 160 acres on the Clifton Turn- 
])ike, near Sjn-ingfield, in Clark County, 
where he built a house, but finding that the 
land would require a great amount of fer- 
tilizing to make farming profitable, he 
moved to Harshmansville for three years, 
and then came to Bethel Townshij), Miami 
County, where lie first bought fifty acres 
and then added twenty-five more. Both he 
and wife sjient the remainder of their days 
on that farm, he dying in 1871 and she 
when aged sixty-eight years; both were 
buried in Bethel Cemetei-y. They were 
worthy members of the German Reformed 
Church. In politics he was a strong 
Democrat, but no persuasion would have 
induced liim to accept any public office. 
Of his family of eleven children, the fol- 
lowing survive: Katherine, George W., 
Martin B.. Frank A., John. ^Nlary Eliza- 
beth, James, Anna and David. 

Frank A. Cushwa attended school in 
Bethel Township, mainly at West Charles- 
ton, and from boyhood assisted his father 
on the farm. Subsequently he bought the 
home place of seventy-five acres and pur- 
chased 225 adjoining acres, making his 
whole estate a large and valuable one. He 
has all his land cleared with the exception 
of eighty acres still in timber, has two 
dwelling bouses on bis property and heli)ed 
to ]nit up all the buildings. He cleared 
about ninety acres by himself, and has put 
down a large amount of tiling, making his 
land well drained and caiial)le of jiroduc- 
ing almost any crop. Mr. Cushwa attends 



586 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the Brethren Church of Bethel Township. 
He is a Democrat in his political views. A 
pleasant country road runs from Tippe- 
canoe City, some three and one-half miles 
south to Mr. Cushwa's property. 

OGDEN EDWAEDS, of the firm of Ed- 
wards Brothers, dealers in grain, seed, 
tlour and feed, at No. 301 East Main 
Street, Troy, has been identified with Troy 
interests since 1890 and is numbered with 
the rej^resentative citizens. He was born 
in 1860, at Youngstown, Ohio, where he 
was educated. 

Prior to coming to Troy, Mr. Edwards 
was engaged in farming and stock rais- 
ing in Mahoning County. In partnership 
with his brother, Allen Edwards, he estab- 
lished the grain firm of Edwards Brothers, 
at Troy, in 1890, and in the spring of 1891 
started making flour. In the spring of 
1893 they purchased their present loca- 
tion. They own an onion farm at Mc- 
Guffy, Ohio, where, in 1908, they raised 
100,000 bushels of onions, in addition to 
potatoes, corn and other vegetables. The 
firm does a lai-ge and constantly increas- 
ing business. Mr. Edwards owns stock 
in a number of other successful enter- 
prises. 

In 1893 Mr. Edwards was married to 
Miss Kate King, of Warren, Ohio, and 
they have three sons: Jonathan 0. E., 
King and Frederick A. Mr. Edwards 
takes a hearty interest in all that pertains 
to the genei-al welfare of the city, but he 
has never sought political honors. He is 
a member of the Presbyterian Church, and 
he belongs to the Troy Club. 

ADAl\r DENNISON WEAVER, M. D., 
who for fifty-seven years was actively en- 



gaged in the practice of medicine and for 
many years was senior partner of the drug 
firm of Weaver & Kendell, at Covington, 
at the time of his death, on January 10, 
1908, was the oldest practicing physican 
in Miami Coimty. Dr. Weaver was born 
October 31, 1822, in Augusta County, Vir- 
ginia, and was a son of George and Jane 
(Moffet) Weaver. 

The parents of Dr. Weaver came to 
]\Iontgomery County, Ohio, in 1823, and 
on that pioneer farm, ten miles west of 
Dayton, and situated on the banks of Wolf 
Creek, the ambitious boy grew to manhood. 
His educational opportunities up to that 
time had been more or less limited, but 
from childhood he had cherished the desire 
to become a physician. He then made his 
way to Canton, Illinois, where he read 
medicine under Dr. H. Martin, with whom 
he remained until 1847, having many hard- 
ships to overcome in pursuing his medical 
studies. He completed his reading under 
Dr. C. Gish, at Salem, Ohio, and in 1849 
managed to accumulate enough capital to 
enable him to attend medical lectures at 
Cleveland. Thus fortified, in the spring 
of 1850 he began practice with Dr. Gish 
and contimied with the older physician for 
two years. He then came to Miami Coun- 
ty, in 1852, locating at North C^ayton, 
where he practiced until 1863, when he set- 
tled permanently at Covington. For ten 
years he was associated in practice with 
Dr. R. E. Cable, after which he was alone. 
Few medical men had more trying experi- 
ences than had the late Dr. Weaver and 
few retained their mental capacity, profes- 
sional skill and physical health into ad- 
vanced age as did Dr. Weaver. In en- 
couraging younger physicians he very 
often told them of the hardships he had 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



587 



faced iu the days of his early practice, 
when the only 2)ossible way to get over 
the country was on horseback, a large 
l^ortion of the land being yet uncleared, 
and many of the streams unbridged. On 
many occasions he had been obliged to 
swim with his stui'dy little pony through 
seven streams in order to reach his i)a- 
tients ; on others he had been compelled to 
tie his horse and take his saddle bags 
containing medicine and surgical intru- 
ments under his arm and push his way 
through nuid and ice on foot ; and there 
were times when, lost in the woods, he 
had to await daylight in order to go on 
his way. Naturally, Dr. Weaver thought 
lightly of the situations which some of 
his younger contemporaries believed seri- 
ous obstacles. Dr. Weaver was eighty-five 
years of age when, after a call upon a pa- 
tient and his return to his office, appar- 
ently in his usual health, he was found re- 
clining lifeless in his armchair. This was 
just as he would have desired, a quiet pass- 
ing after a life of intense usefulness, with 
all his powers undimmed. His loss was 
deeply felt, for he had been physician, 
friend and counsellor to so many for so 
long a period. 

Dr. Weaver is survived by his widow 
and other relatives. He was married July 
30, 1856, to jMiss Barbara Whitmer, who 
was born in Lancaster County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and was three years of age when 
brought to Miami County, Ohio, by her 
parents, who were Samuel and Barbara 
(Brubaker) Whitmer. To Dr. and Mrs. 
Weaver were born two children, a son and 
a daughtei-, namely: Isaac Newton, who 
died a victim of diphtheria when aged four 
years ; and Amrina Jane, who is the wife 
of IT. W. B. Routson, of Covington. Mr. 



aiul Mrs. lioutson have three children — 
Paul Weaver, liuth and Martha Belle. 
The eldest grandcliild of Mrs. Weaver, 
Paul Weaver Routson, married Miss Het- 
tie Bachman, who was born at Piqua, 
Ohio, and they have one son, who bears the 
name of his grandfather, Henry Ward 
Beecher Routson. Ruth resides at home. 
Martha Belle is the wife of Lester Lee 
Falknor, a farmer, of Newberry Town- 
ship. 

In 18G6 the late Dr. Weaver united with 
the Christian Church and up to the time 
of his demise was active in its work and 
liberal in its support. On manj^ occasions 
both ])rofessional and political offices wei'e 
tendered Dr. Weaver, but none of these 
ever appealed to him, the good he could 
do in his private ])ractice and its reason- 
able emoluments satisfying his ambition. 
He will long be remembered. 

JACOB IIENNE, a prominent citizen 
and business man of Troy, Ohio, is pro- 
prietor of the Troy brewery, which for 
many years has been conducted under the 
firm name of Joseph Henne & Son, and is 
also manager of the Troy Ice Company. 
He has all his life lived in Troy and was 
born in this city July 10, 1861, son of 
Joseph and Mary (Long) Henne. 

Joseph Henne, father of Jacob, was 
born in Germany, and when about eight- 
een years of age crossed the Atlantic to 
the United States. He took up his resi- 
dence in Troy, Ohio, where he was engaged 
in the retail shoe business until 1874. He 
then imrchased of Titus Schwind an in- 
terest in the Troy brewery, and in part- 
nership with a Mr. Mayer, under the firm 
name of Henne & Mayer, carried on the 
1)usiness for a number of vears. He then 



688 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



purchased the interest of his partner and 
continued to operate the plant alone un- 
til 1884, in which year he deeded a half- 
interest in the establishment to his son 
Jacob. The firm name was changed to 
Joseph Henne & Son, and although Jacob 
Henne became sole owner and proprietor 
in 1895, the business is still carried on un- 
der the old title. Joseph Henne departed 
this life December 28, 1890. He was an 
able and public spirited man and his death 
was mourned as a distinct loss to the com- 
munity. 

Jacob Henne was reared in Troy and re- 
ceived his educational training in the pub- 
lic schools. At an early age he entered the 
brewery and soon mastered all the details 
of the business. He has made many im- 
provements in the property, not only in- 
creasing the capacity of the plant, but 
raising the standard of excellence in the 
product as well. The brewery enjoys an 
extensive patronage throughout this sec- 
tion of the State and is kept running at its 
full capacity of 5,000 barrels per annum. 
Mr. Henne has been a director of the Troy 
National Bank since 1890 and, as already 
stated, is also manager of the Troy Ice 
Company, which has a large and thriv- 
ing business. 

Mr. Henne has always been an enthusi- 
astic Democrat, and iu April, 1891, was 
elected on the ticket of that party as coim- 
cilman from the Fourth Ward, serving 
two years in that capacity. In April, 
1899, he was elected waterworks trustee 
for a term of three years. Fraternally he 
is a member of the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows, the Elks, and Eagles. He is 
one of the substantial business men of 
Troy, and enjoys great popularity among 
his fellow citizens. 



ENO WILHELM, who comes of an old 
Miami County family, is a resident of Con- 
cord Township and is the owner of 100 
acres of land, sixty of which are embraced 
in the farm on which he lives, located on 
the North Township Pike, six miles north- 
west of Troy. The other forty acres is 
located in "Washington Township and is 
the tract on which his grandfather located 
upon his arrival from Pennsylvania. Mr. 
Wilhelm was born in the old log house 
which stood on the home place in Wash- 
ington Township, July 31, 1859, and is a 
son of Percival and Nancy (Stewart) 
Wilhelm. 

Percival Wilhelm was born in Pennsyl- 
vania and was of German parentage. He 
was very young when he accompanied his 
family to Miami County, Ohio, and set- 
tled on the farm in Washington Township. 
He lived on that place many years, then 
purchased 120 acres where his son Eno 
now lives, and lived there until his deaths 
iu 1883, at the age of fifty-six years. He 
married Nancy Stewart, whom he sur- 
vived some years, and the following were 
their children: Eno; Mina, deceased; 
Henry; and Emeline, wife of Harvey 
Winrick. 

Eno Wilhelm was just a boy when his 
family moved from the old home in Wash- 
ington Township to the place he now lives. 
He received a meagre educational train- 
ing, as he was the eldest of the children 
and his services were needed on the farm 
as soon as he was able to work. He 
helped clear the farm, which was heavily 
timbered, and as the fields were full of 
stvmips for many years, the work of plow- 
ing and cultivating was more difficult than 
it has been in recent times. He has al- 
ways farmed in a general way and takes 



AXD REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



589 



rank among the successful meu of the com- 
munity. His home farm was obtained 
from his father's estate, and the other 
forty acres was purchased by him from 
Jiilian Whittiker. 

January 24, 1884, Mr. Wilhehu was 
united in marriage with Miss Nancy Bard, 
a daughter of Rockwell BardJ and they, 
have the following children : Mary, who 
married William Lougendelpher and has 
two children, Nora E. and Lester; Nora, 
who married Burt Favorite and has one 
son, Leonard ; Edith ; Carl ; and Orrie. 
The family belong to the Christian Church. 
Mr. Wilhelm is a Democrat in his jDolitical 
views. 

LOUIS SHERMAN, a well known resi- 
dent of Concord Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, is the owner of a farm of fifty acres 
located about three-fourths of a mile 
northwest of Troy, on the Piqua Pike. He 
He was born in McClain Township, Shelby 
County, Ohio, May 25, 1851, and is a son 
of Henry and Catherine (Ernst) Sherman. 

Joseph Shei-man, grandfather of the 
subject of this record, was a native of 
Germany, in which country he lived many 
years after his marriage. He came with 
his family to the United States in 1835, 
and made the trip from Baltimore, Mary- 
land, to Shelby County, Ohio, in wagons. 
He settled in the woods near Loramie, that 
being before the town of Berlin was start- 
ed. "With the assistance of his sons he 
cleared the farm and continued farming 
there until his death. He had three sons 
to grow to maturity, all now deceased, 
namely : Joseph, Henry and William. 

Henry Sherman was born and reared 
in Germany, and was a lad of seventeen 
years when he came with his parents to 



the United States. The most of the work 
of clearing the home farm in Shelby Coun- 
ty fell upon his shoulders, and it continued 
to be his home until his death, in 1904, at 
the advanced age of eighty-eight years. 
He engaged in teaching school for twenty- 
five years and saw that his sons were all 
provided with good educational training. 
In the early days he helped to build the 
canal through this section of the State. 
He married Catherine Ernst, who was 
born in Germany and who died in Janu- 
ary, 1908, at the age of eighty years. They 
became parents of three children: John 
J., who is one of the commissioners of 
Shelby County; Louis; and Adolph, who 
is serving as justice of the peace in Shelby 
County, an office his father tilled before 
him for a period of eighteen years. 

Louis Sherman was born in the old one- 
room log house which stood on the old 
homestead in Shelby County, and there 
grew to manhood. He attended the old 
log schoolhouse in that district and lived 
at home until his marriage. He theu lo- 
cated upon a farm of eighty acres in Shel- 
by County, which he received from his 
father, and lived upon it until 1895, when 
lie moved to Troy. In his younger days he 
operated a threshing outfit, and after mov- 
ing to Troy he held a position as stationary 
engineer with the Hobart Electric Manufac- 
turing Company for six years. He then 
conducted a coal yard on Walnut Street, 
on the Big Four Railroad, for three years, 
at the end of which time he sold out to 
Burt Nicol. In a short time he bought 
his present farm of fifty acres from Dr. 
Sterrett and has since followed general 
farming. He has a fine and large brick 
home of nine rooms, in keeping with which 
are the other improvements on the place. 



590 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Mr. Slieriuan started a postoffice at St. 
Patrick, in Shelby County, iiuder appoiut- 
ment of President Cleveland, but after 
nine months resigiied the office owing to 
his removal to Troy. lie is a stanch 
Democrat in politics, and an enthusiastic 
worker for party success. In Shelby 
County he filled various township offices 
in a very efficient manner. 

In April, 1877, Mr. Sherman was united 
in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Guden- 
kuff , of Auglaize Count}', Ohio ; she died 
five years later, without issue. He formed 
a second marital union in April, 1883, with 
Miss Lucy Kirch, a daughter of John 
Kirch, who was a pioneer of Miami County 
and later of Shelby County. The follow- 
ing offspring were born to them : Emma, 
who married William Depweg, of Dayton, 
and has a son, Irving; Adolj^h; Albert; 
Christopher; Matilda; and Lena, who died 
at the age of sixteen years. Religiously 
the family is Catholic and belongs to St. 
Patrick's Church at Troy. 

H. F. DOUGLASS, who has been a resi- 
dent of Troy, Ohio, since 1882, is presi- 
dent of the Troy Carriage Sunshade Com- 
pany and was one of the founders of the 
plant. He was born in New York State, 
where lie lived until his removal to Ohio. 

Mr. Douglass first engaged in the coal 
business in this city and continued until 
1889, when, with Mr. A. G. Stouder, he 
founded the manufacturing plant of which 
he is now the head. They began business 
in a small way, occupying a little room 
over a cigar factory on South Market 
Stx-eet; but with faith in their enterprise 
and a close application to business, they 
made steady progress. They moved from 
their original quarters to the northeast 



corner of the public square, and in 1892 
began the erection of their first factory 
building. The main plant now consists 
of two four-story brick buildings, 50x100 
feet, and in another part of the city the 
company has a tliird building of equal size. 
It is one of the important industrial con- 
cerns of the city, and has about 150 em- 
ployees on its pay roll. Mr. Douglass is 
a man of unusual ability and takes high 
rank among the business men of Troy. 

• J. FRANK ANDERSON, one of Pi- 
qua's representative citizens and long- 
time residents, is superintendent of the 
American Strawboard plant, with which 
industry he has been identified for about 
twenty-eight years. He was born at Pi- 
qua, Ohio, in 1851, and is a son of Robert 
Anderson. 

The late Robert Anderson was a well 
known citizen of Miami County. He was 
born in Kentucky and came to this section 
of Ohio in 1848, where he continued to live 
until his death, which occurred in 1905. 
He followed an agricultural life, took an 
active interest in politics and ijublic mat- 
ters, particularly those concerning his 
county, and for a long time held the office 
of suijerintendent of turnpikes. 

J. Frank Anderson spent all the earlier 
part of his life on the home fax'm, but 
when the American Strawboard plant was 
established at Piqua, in 1881, he became 
an employe, and through faithful service, 
fidelity and natural adaptation, was ad- 
vanced until, in 1899, he was made super- 
intendent, a position he has effectively 
filled until the present time. 

In 1883 Mr. Anderson was married to 
Miss Ange L. Blood, who was born in Mi- 
ami County, and is a daughter of Jerre 




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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



593 



Blood. Mrs. Audersou is a member of 
the Green Street Methodist Episcopal 
Church. Mr. Anderson takes no very 
active interest in politics, but for a num- 
ber of years he has been identified with 
the Odd Fellows. 

JAMES M. CAVEN, deceased. The 
death of James M. Caven, which occurred 
July 28, 1908, removed from Brown Town- 
ship one of its most esteemed citizens and 
substantial men. He was a member of a 
prominent pioneer family of Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and was born on the old Caven 
homestead, situated one and one-quarter 
miles northwest of Fletcher. 

Until he was eighteen years of age, 
James M. Caven remained on the home 
farm and obtained his knowledge of books 
in the Brown Township schools. He then 
went to Illinois and from there, in 1864, to 
Idaho, where he remained for four years 
and then came back to the homestead. He 
cared for his aged mother until her death, 
after which he sold his share of the old 
fai-m to a brother, subsequently ac(|uiring 
the large amount of valuable property 
which made him one of the men of capital 
in this section of the state. At the time of 
his death his 500 acres of land were dis- 
tributed in Orange Township, Shelby 
County ; in Green Township, Shelby Coun- 
ty, and in Brown Township, Miami County. 
His business had always been fanning and 
stockraisiiig and his good judgment and 
practical methods had made him success- 
ful in all his ventures. 

James M. Caven married Annettie Sav- 
ers, who is a daughter of Samuel and Jane 
Sayers, the former of whom was horn in 
Bj-own Township, Miami County, of wliieli 
liis father was also a native, and the latter 



of \irginia. To Mr. and i\Irs. Caven five 
children were born, namely : William, who 
married Margaret Cavault, has three sons 
— Foster Invin, Franklin Clay and Will- 
iam (Jarner; James S., who married Viola 
Sims, has two children. Marvel Floss and 
(Jrace Annis, but lost his young wife on 
December lil, 1908; Harley Ward, who 
married Lottie Fergus, has two children, 
Francis Sayers and Vertis Valentine; Ber- 
tha, who married Charles Wyatt ; and 
Samuel, who died when aged fourteen 
years. Mr. Caven was a consistent mem- 
ber of the Presbyterian Church, to which 
his widow also belongs. She maintains 
her home in Fletcher, residing on ^Main 
Street, having rented her farms to her 
sons. In his political sentiments, Mr. Ca- 
ven was identified with the Democratic 
party. He was a man of enlightened views 
and was in every way qualified for public 
office but his tastes did not lie in that di- 
rection. He was a most worthy citizen 
and through his long and useful life his in- 
fluence was always directed to the encour- 
agement of law, order and right living. 

HENRY ZOLLINGER, a prominent re- 
tired farmer of Miami County, residing at 
Coving-ton, still retains his two vtiluable 
farms, one containing 125 acres, which is 
situated in Newton Township, and the 
other of 116 acres, lying in Newberry 
Townshiji, and has both of them o]ierated 
by capable tenants. Mr. Zollinger was 
born in Perry County, Ohio, October 25, 
1847, and is a son of Jacob and Margaret 
(Lindville) Zollinger. Jacob Zollinger 
came of German parentage, but he was 
born in Perry County, Ohio, to which sec- 
tion his father. Lewis Zollinger, had come 
from I'ennsvlvania, at an early day. Jacob 



594 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Zollinger and family moved from Perry 
to Fairfield County, Ohio, when Henry 
was small, and that continued to be the 
family homestead. 

Henry Zollinger grew to manhood in 
Fairfield County, attending the district 
schools and assisting his father on the 
farm. In 1875 he was married to Miss 
Amanda Zartman, who was born and 
reared in Perry County, a daughter of 
Simon and Martha (Meckling) Zartman. 
Immediately after marriage they came to 
Miami County and settled on the farm of 
125 acres which Mr. Zollinger bought in 
Newton Township, the purchase of the sec- 
ond farm taking jjlace at a later date. 
There Mr. Zollinger engaged in general 
farming and stock raising until January 
1, 1908, when he retired to Covington. 
Both farms are well improved, Mr. Zol- 
linger having excellent buildings on each 
and living in great comfort on the New- 
ton Township place for more than thirty 
years. 

Mr. and Mrs. Zollinger have four chil- 
dren, namely: Harry, who is an engineer 
on the Pan Handle Eailroad, married 
Flora Awker, and they have two children 
—Claude and Ruth; Mattie, the wife of 
Eoy McCoole, who resides on Mr. Zollin- 
ger's Newton Township farm, and has one 
child, Herbert; Mary, who is the wife of 
Robert Holbrook, a chemist, of Chicago 
Heights, Illinois; and Emma, who lives 
with her parents. Mr. Zollinger and wife 
are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He is one of the directors of the- 
Stillwater Valley Banking Company. 

S. D. HARTMAN, M. D., who has been 
successfully engaged in the practice of 
medicine at Tippecanoe City for the past 



I 



thirty-six years, occupies a very prominent 
position in his profession in Miami Coun- 
ty. He was born in this city August 14, 
1846, and is a son of Dr. A. B. and Delilah 
(Campbell) Hartman. 

Dr. Hartman 's father was a native of 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and of 
German parentage. He was twice mar- 
ried, one child surviving his first wife. He 
married (second) Delilah Campbell, a most 
capable woman, and her eight children in- 
herited many of her natural gifts. Dr. 
and Mrs. A. B. Hartman came to Ohio and 
located at Tippecanoe City, then a mere 
village, in 1837. 

S. D. Hartman obtained his education 
in the schools of his native place. It is 
probable that from boyhood he cherished 
the hope of a medical career, but before 
doing more than desultory reading along 
the lines of his future' profession, he had 
acquired a practical knowledge of milling 
and later of telegraphy. During a period 
of twenty months, when he was employed 
as operator in the telegraph ofiSce at Troy, 
he earned sufficient funds to enable him to 
take the winter course of medical lectures 
at Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1869-70. 
Upon his return he continued his studies 
under his father, to whom he rendered 
office assistance, and in September, 1871, 
he returned to Ann Arbor and completed 
his course. From March to September, 
1865, Dr. Hartman served in the Federal 
army during the Civil War as a member 
of the One Hundred and Ninety-sixth 
Regiment, 0. V. I. 

Dr. Hartman is widely known and his 
record has been such as to give his fellow 
citizens confidence in his skill as a physi- 
cian and in his character as a man. He is 
a member of all the local medical organi- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



596 



zations, keeps in close touch with the prog- 
ress of his profession, and makes use of 
all advanced methods of treatment that 
have stood practical tests. In 1875 he was 
married to Miss Laura Byrkett. He is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and belongs fraternally to the 
Masons and Odd Fellows. 

CHARLES H. McCULLOUUH, who re- 
sides uiDon a farm of sixty-four acres in 
the outskirts of Troy, in Concord Town- 
ship, established a dairy business on Feb- 
ruary 8, 1869, and during the more than 
forty years which have since elapsed his 
wagon has not missed a single day in cov- 
ering the route. He and his five sons have 
successively run the wagon, and the busi- 
ness is now in charge of H. A. McCuUough. 

Charles H. McCullough was born on 
what is known as the old Cosley place, in 
Troy, August 2, 1835, and is a son of John 
and Elizabeth (Ayers) McCullough. His 
grandfather, Alexander McCullough, came 
to Miami County from Kentucky at a very 
early date and became an extensive land 
owner. He entered land upon a part of 
which Troy is located, and in Concord 
Township, obtaining title from the Gov- 
ernment. He survived his wife some years 
and died at the advanced age of eighty- 
eight years. They had the following chil- 
dren grow to maturity : John, Margaret, 
Nancy, Polly, Isabella, and Lucilla. 

John McCullough, father of the subject 
of this record, spent most of his life in 
Miami County. He lived at home and 
farmed until his marriage, and thereafter 
engaged in the brick and stone business. 
Some time after the death of his wife at 
Troy, he moved to Logansport, Indiana, 
where the declining years of his life were 



spent. He died there at the age of sev- 
enty years. His wife's maiden name was 
Elizabeth Ayers, and she was a native of 
Maryland. They had the following children: 
Charles Henry ; Augusta, deceased ; Eliza- 
beth, of Logansport, Indiana ; Julia ; John, 
deceased; Emma, who died young; and 
Mary, who also died young. 

Charles Henry McCullough spent his 
boyhood days in Troy and attended the 
primitive school of that period. He has 
witnessed a wonderful change in condi- 
tions- in that city, and recalls interestingly 
the advent of the railroad and the first 
use of telegraphy there. He knew the first 
man buried in each of the cemeteries, one 
of them, Elisha Harker, being a neighbor. 
In his early manhood he worked for five 
years at the tinner's trade, but after his 
marriage, he and his brother-in-law, Mur- 
ray Telford, went and worked the farm of 
his father-in-law, James Telford, in Con- 
cord Township, the latter being then de- 
ceased. He later bought the farm on 
which he now lives from James Ward, it 
formerly being known as the John Gr. Tel- 
ford farm. As above related, he embarked 
in the dairy business in 1869, and later 
took his sons into the partnership. He 
has always been an energetic and indus- 
trious worker and has met with unvarying 
success. 

October 10, 1861, Mr. McCullough was 
married to Nancy Telford, a daughter 
of James Telford, now deceased. Her 
father was born in Kentucky and was 
fourteen years old when he came to Miami 
County, Ohio, with his father, Alexander 
Telford (deceased), and the other mem- 
bers of the family. After locating a short 
tune in Dayton, Alexander entered a large 
tract of land in Concord Township and 



596 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



lived there the remainedr of his life. He 
and his wife had the following children : 
John, Andrew, James, Finley, Mary, 
Nancy, and Jane. James Telford, father 
of ]\Irs. McCullough, helped to clear the 
home farm in Concord Township, and 
later came into possession of a part of the 
estate. He died on that place at the age 
of fifty-five years, and the house he occu- 
pied so many years is still standing. He 
married ]\fary Murray, who died at the 
age of forty-eight years, and they had 
seven children: Alexander, Murray, Eliza- 
beth, Howe, Mary Ann, Nancy, who was 
born on the home farm, July 25, 1837, and 
is the only member of the family now liv- 
ing, and Hugh. 

Charles H. and Nancy Telford McCul- 
lough became the parents of five sons, as 
follows : Eugene T., deceased ; Heber A., of 
Troy; Walter G., a graduate of the Uni- 
versity of Michigan and at the present 
time engaged in the capacity of a private 
secretary at "Washington, D. C; George 
McCullough, M. D., who graduated from 
the Cincinnati Medical College and is in 
practice at Troy; and Prank McCullough, 
D. D. S., who practices dentistiy in asso- 
ciation with Dr. Jones, of Troy. The last 
named was married to Miss Bessie Mc- 
Knight. Dr. George McCullough married 
Miss Jessie Vonbeseler. In 1864 Charles 
H. McCullough enlisted as a member of 
Company H, One Hundred and Forty-sev- 
enth Regiment, 0. V. I., under Captain 
Kelley, for one hundred days' service and 
was stationed at Fort Marcy, near Wash- 
ington. At the close of the war he re- 
turned to Miami County. He is a member 
of Coleman Post, G. A. R., at Troy. He is 
a Republican in politics. Religiously he 
and his wife are devout members of the 



First Presbyterian Church at Troy, of 
which he is a deacon. 

A. B. FRAME, M. D., one of Piqua's 
skilled physicians and surgeons, who has 
been in active practice here since 1887, 
is also on honored veteran of the Civil 
War. He was born in 181:0, in Athens 
County, Ohio, and he was primarily edu- 
cated there and subsequently took a course 
at Marietta College. In 1862 Dr. Frame 
went into the army, having been mainly 
instrumental in raising Company I, 116th 
0. Vol. Inf., of which he was made second 
lieutenant, five months later becoming 
first lieutenant. Eighteen months after 
that he was commissioned captain and 
served in that capacity until the close of 
the war, participating in the whole Shen- 
andoah Valley campaign. He was honor- 
ably discharged in the fall of 1865. After 
his military service was over he entered 
upon the study of medicine, and in 1868 
was graduated with his degree from the 
Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati. 
He located at Athens, Athens County, and 
continued to practice there until he came 
to Piqua in 1887, where, in addition to at- 
tending to a large general practice, he is 
retained as surgeon of the C, H. & D. 
Railroad. He is affiliated with the Miami 
County and Ohio State Medical Societies 
and the American Medical Association. 

In December, 1868, Dr. Frame was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary Elizabeth Morris, of 
Athens, Ohio, and they have one daughter, 
Mary, who is the wife of J. D. Kennedy, a 
well known attorney, of Detroit, Michigan. 
Dr. Frame is identified with the Masonic 
fraternity and belongs to the Loyal Le- 
gion and the Grand Army of the Republic 
and to the Piqua Club. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



597 



DORSEY WARD JAY, a leading citizen 
of Monroe Township, a member of tlie 
School Board for a number of years and 
at in-eseut also serving as township as- 
sessor, resides on his valuable farm of 
sixty acres, which lies on the Frederick 
and (iingham Turnpike Road and adjoins 
Frederick. He was born on this farm, 
September 6, 1861, and is a son of William 
and Esther (Furnas) Jay. 

The Jay family was established in Mi- 
ami County by the grandfather, Denny 
Jay, who came to this neighborhood from 
South Carolina. He was one of the early 
settlers and lived here until over seventy 
years of age, dying in 1867. He lived to 
see many changes and often told his chil- 
dren of the hardships and disadvantages 
of the early days in this section. He fre- 
quently hauled his produce as far as Cin- 
cinnati in order to find a market. The Jay 
family originally were Quakers but later 
became united with the Christian Church 
and now almost all of the name are mem- 
bers of this religious body. The six chil- 
dren of Denny Jay were: Isaac, deceased; 
Thomas, deceased, who was a Quaker 
preacher; Mary, now deceased; William, 
father of Dorsey W. ; Eli, who is an edu- 
cator at Richmond, Indiana ; and Levi, 
who is now deceased. 

William Jay was born in Miami County, 
Ohio, in 182o. His early life was .spent in 
assisting his father clear up the pioneer 
farm, l)ut his educational necessities were 
not neglected and he was sent to Antioch 
College and also to Oberlin University. 
He then engaged in teaching school and 
subsetiuently served as superintendent of 
the Milton public schools for-three years. 
In association with his brother Eli, he 
built the first school building at Fredei'ick. 



He l)ecame a minister in the Christian 
Churcii and served as such for many years 
and was instrumental in raising enough 
iiioney to build the church at Frederick, in 
1878. His death occurred on his farm 
when he was aged fifty-eight years, in 1881. 
He nuirried Esther Furnas, a daughter of 
John Furnas, also a pioneer settler in this 
.section, from South Carolina. She died 
in January, 1899, when aged seventy-five 
years. They had four children, namely: 
Emma, who married James Leoi)ard, of 
Frederick; Horace; Estella, who died in 
infancy ; and Dorsey Ward. 

Following the death of his mother, Dor- 
sey Ward Jay i)urchased the homestead 
farm, on which, with the exception of three 
years and during his absences while at- 
tending school, he has passed all his life. 
In boyhood he was entered as a pupil in a 
select school and later attended the i)ublic 
schools of Milton, going from there to the 
Covington High School and then spent 
some time at Earlham College, at Rich- 
mond, Indiana. In 1882 he embarked in a 
general store business at Frederick, which 
he continued until 1888, and then returned 
to the farm. He carries on a general farm- 
ing line and devotes eight acres to tobacco 
growing. 

During his period of residence at Fred- 
erick, Mr. Jay was married to Miss Belle 
Shearer, who is a daughter of Henry and 
Lina (Hurley) Shearer. Henry Shearer 
died in 1897, aged seventy-two years. His 
widow died May, 1909, in her seventy- 
eighth year. They had five children : The- 
odore II., Mary C. , Ira, KlizalK'th and 
Belle. Mr. and Mrs. Jay have one son, 
Harry, who married Hazel Barnes. In 
politics, Mr. Jay is a stanch Reiniblican. 
He has served as township assessor for the 



598 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



past six years and has long been a mem- 
ber of the School Board, a part of the time 
being its clerk. He is a Knight of Pythias, 
belonging to lodge No. 238, at "West Milton. 

PETER F. EAGLE, M. D., one of the 
leading medical practitioners of the city 
of Troy, was born near the city of Dayton, 
Ohio, May 2, 1850, son of David and Eliza 
(Eeedy) Eagle. His father was for many 
years a prosperous farmer of Montgomery 
County, where he died in 1894, being fol- 
lowed to the grave by his wife a year later. 

The subject of this sketch was reared on 
the parental homestead and laid the foun- 
dation of his education in the district 
schools, where he proved himself a bright 
puijil. In 1873 he became a student at 
"Washington University, St. Louis, Mis- 
souri, where he remained for a year, aft- 
erwards taking up the study of medicine 
in the St. Louis Medical College, where 
he matriculated January 1, 1874. He was 
graduated from that institution in March, 
1878, and on June 3d of that year he 
opened on office for the practice of his pro- 
fession in Troy. He has since remained 
a resident of this city and is numbered 
among its ablest professional men, having 
built up a large and lucrative practice. 
In polities he is a Democrat and takes an 
intelligent interest in all public questions. 
Though devoting his chief attention to his 
profession, his aid and influence are not 
withheld whenever any public-spirited 
movement is set on foot for the moral or 
material improvement of the community. 
Fraternally he is connected with the In- 
dependent Order of Foresters, the An- 
cient Essenic Order, and the Elks. He 
also belongs to the Miami County Med- 
ical Association. He was married Janu- 



ary 22, 1879, to Miss Mary Kline, of Troy, 
Ohio. He and his wife are the parents of 
two children — Mayme and Harry. 

JAMES KERB, deceased, was in his 
day one of the most prominent and suc- 
• cessful men of affairs of Monroe Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, where the fam- 
ily has been established ever since the very 
earliest pioneer days. He was born on the 
farm adjoining the one on which his widow 
and sons now live, the date being Novem- 
ber 6, 1834, and was a son of James, Sr., 
and Sally (Thompson) Kerr, and a grand- 
son of George Kerr. 

George Kerr, the grandfather, was born 
in Marietta, Ohio, whither his parents had 
located upon coming to this country from 
Ireland. They originally came from Scot- 
land. George Kerr was a young man when 
he came west to Miami County, Ohio, and 
took up his residence in the woods of Mon- 
roe Township, becoming an extensive land 
owner. He was married here and reared 
a large family, mostly sons. 

James KexT, Sr., was born and reared 
in Monroe Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
where he always lived and farmed. He 
was married to Sally Thompson, who was 
lost from her parents in Canada and 
brought to Ohio by soldiers who were fight- 
ing Indians. She had the reputation of 
being a very beautiful woman and lived to 
the age of eighty-four years, surviving her 
husband many years. He died in 1863, at 
the age of sixty-five years. They were 
parents of the following children: Hamil- 
ton; Hauford; George; Margaret (Sins- 
man) ; Thompson; William; Rebecca Ann, 
wife of Harvey Houston; James; John; 
Perry; and Sally Ann, who died at six 
years. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



599 



James Kerr, subject of this record, 
never resided over a half mile from the 
place of his birth. He began when quite 
yoimg- and did most of the clearing on the 
home place; he was a hard worker and 
alwaj's followed general farming and 
stock raising, making a specialty of short- 
horn cattle and Poland China hogs. He 
prosiaered beyond the average and at his 
death owned a farm of 188 acres. He died 
July 7, 1884, and his many friends and 
acquaintances mourned his death as an 
irreparable loss to the community. He 
was much interested in Masonry, and was 
an active member of the lodge at Troy. 

March 19, 1858, Mr. Kerr was united in 
marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth Mc- 
Pherson, who was reared in Miami County, 
Ohio, she being a daughter of Adam D. 
and Eachael (Morris) McPherson. Her 
father was born in Clark County, Ohio, and 
her mother in Miami County. Mrs. Kerr 
was born at Logansport, Indiana, March 
1, 1838, and is at present living with her 
sons on the old home place in Monroe 
Township. By her marriage she had four 
children, as follows : James M., who was 
born in Concord Township, January 15, 
1859; William of Oklahoma, who married 
Delia AVestlake and has two children, Elsie 
and Irving ; Sherman, who was born on the 
present farm, November 13, 1866; and Al- 
bert, who was born on this farm Decem- 
ber 31. 1868. 

James Sherman and Albert Kerr live 
with their mother on the home farm and 
carry on operations under the firm name 
of Kerr Brothers. They have 355 acres in 
Monroe and Concord Townships and fol- 
low general farming and stock raising on 
a large scale, buying largely in the Chi- 
cago markets. Tliev also make a business 



of loaning money at interest. The Kerr 
brothers were reared on the farm and at- 
tended the district schools. They were 
reared to hard work, and having the entire 
confidence of their father, were taken into 
his business deals at an early age. They 
have traveled extensively over the United 
States, and are broad and liberal-minded 
men. Sherman and Albert Kerr are mem- 
bers of Troy Lodge, No. 110, Knights of 
Pythias; and "West Milton Lodge, No. 577, 
F. & A. M. Religiously, they are members 
of the Christian Church. 

MICHAEL MMER, one of Covington's 
esteemed citizens, now living retired, for 
almost a half century was actively engaged 
in business here, conducting a carriage and 
repair shop for forty-eight years, and has 
watched the city develop from a small 
place. Mr. Maier was born in Wurtem- 
berg, Germany, March 2, 1835, and is a son 
of Michael and Katrina (Miller) Maier. 

The parents of Mr. Maier passed their 
whole lives in Germany. The father held 
a responsil)le office under the Government, 
being what was termed a forest watchman, 
a position given only to men of intelligence 
and good character. Mr. Maier remembers 
his parents with feelings of great respect 
and affection, never seeing them after he 
was eighteen years old, when he came to 
xVmerica. 

In his own laud, Michael Maier learned 
the trade of wagon-making and when he 
reached the United States, in 1853, he eas- 
ily secured work at this industry in Hart- 
ford, Connecticut, where he remained four 
years. From Hartford he ciime to Cov- 
ington, in 1857, buying out a small shop 
which was doing business on the Troy 
Turnpike. Later, during the Civil War, 



600 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Ik- jnu'chased the shop of Charles M. Gross, 
where he carried on liis trade for many 
years, ouly retiring ou account of an acci- 
dent, in April, 1905. Mr. Maier was teui- 
liorarily crijipled by a fall that resulted in 
a l)roken leg. He then sold his shop to 
"W. A. Eeed. For many years Mr. Maier 's 
wagon and carriage shop was a landmark 
and on many occasions important matters 
concerning the welfare of the town were 
discussed there by Mr. Maier and other 
old citizens. 

In 1858 Mr. Maier was married to Miss 
Agnes Maria Neth, who died January 19, 
1897. She was a daughter of George Neth 
and was born in Wurtem))erg, Germany, 
and came from there to America and to 
Ohio four weeks before Mr. Maier crossed 
the Atlantic Ocean. Seven children were 
born to this marriage, namely: George E., 
Judge E. W., John, Michael F., Charles A., 
Anna and Catherine. The eldest son, 
George E. Maier, died in 1903, aged forty- 
eight years. He was twice married, first to 
Miss Mina Pearson, daughter of Ephraim 
Pearson. She left one child, Harley, who 
is engaged in the insurance business at 
Troy. Judge E. AV. Maier, residing at 
Troy, married Anna Henne, of that city, 
and they liave one son, William. John 
Maier left home at the age of sixteen years 
and made his first visit back to Oliio some 
eight years later, having taken U]) a land 
claim in Nebraska. When thirty-one years 
old he married and has the following chil- 
dren: ^lichael, Charles, Harley, Agnes, 
Bol)ert and Anna. Michael F. Maier is a 
commercial traveler but retains his resi- 
dence at Covington. He married Moilie 
Goehring and they have two children : Har- 
man and Lula. Charles A. ]\[aier, residing 
at Pi((ua, married Mary lieed and they 



have two children, Reva and Ruth. Anna 
Alaier married Clark Reed of Piqua. Cath- 
erine, the youngest of the family, married 
Barney Smith, who came from Wurtem- 
berg, Germany, when ten years of age. 
Mr. Maier has been identified with the Ma- 
sonic fraternity for a great many years 
and for thirty-two years was treasurer of 
the Covington Lodge. 

DAVID C. SHAFFER, a i)rosperous 
general farmer of Bethel Township, where 
he lives on a farm of 132 acres of valuable 
land, of which he owns two-thirds and his 
sister one-third. He was born September 
2, 183-1, on his grandfather's farm, in 
Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio, his 
parents being John and Nancy (Reed) 
Shaffer. 

Simon Shaffer, the grandfather of David 
C, was born in Berks County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and he came with his wife to Miami 
County in 1805, locating on a farm of 160 
acres, in Bethel Township. He became a 
man of considerable prominence as well 
as substance, owning at one time some -100 
acres of land (at the time of his death he 
had 137yo acres), building a log house and 
l)arn at first, later erecting a frame and 
still later a l)rick house, the latter of which 
still stands but is not tenantable. He was 
a soldier in the War of 1812 and was with 
General AVayne's forces when the Troy 
and Dayton Highway was cut through. He 
was one of the founders of the Lutheran 
Church in this section. His first wife was 
a Miss Miller, of Berks County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and his second wife was Catherine 
(i nihil, of Baltimore, Maryland. His six 
children were born to his first marriage, 
as follows: George, Elizabeth, Peter, 
Nancy, John and Catherine. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



601 



Jolm Shaffer, father of David C, was 
born in Bethel Township, Miami County, 
September 11, 1810, and died December 27, 
1888. He made liis permanent home in 
Bethel Township, about the time of his 
marriage or a few years later, purchasing 
the home farm from his father, a tract of 
I37I2 acres. He did some clearing and 
draining and built the house and barn now 
in use. He acquired also a farm of 160 
acres in Indiana and another farm of 115 
acres in the vicinity of Phoneton. John 
Shaffer was one of Bethel Township's 
most reliable and respected men and on 
numerous occasions his fellow citizens 
elected him to township offices. His duties 
were faithfully performed on all occasions. 
He served usefully as township trustee and 
for a number of terms was road super- 
visor. He was a consistent member of the 
Eeformed Church. In his later years he 
was afSliated politically with the Repub- 
lican party. He married Nancy Reed, 
daughter of Isaac and Mary (Compton) 
Eeed. Slie died in 1865 and was buried 
in Bethel Cemetery. They had eight chil- 
dren: Peter, David C, Isaac H., Mary, 
Henry, Martha and two that died in in- 
fancy. 

David C. Shaffer attended the district 
schools in Bethel Township in his boyhood 
and was given the advantage of one term 
at Heidelberg, after which he assiuned 
farm duties and continued to help his 
father until his first marriage. He then 
settled on a farm near Phoneton and re- 
mained there until the death of his wife, 
when he returned to the homestead and 
has resided here ever since. During the 
Civil War he served out one term of en- 
listment as sergeant in Company B, 147th 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but 



with that excei)tion has not been away 
from his home for any prolonged period. 
He has not found it necessary to do unich 
improving 1)eyond opening up some ditches 
and doing a little draining. His land pro- 
duces well and he is numbered with the 
township's successful farmers. 

Mr. Shaffer was married (first) March 
8, 1860, to JNliss Susan Arnold, a daughter 
of David and Mary (Detrick) Arnold. 
Mrs. Shatter died in Ai)r.il, 1862, and was 
interred in Bethel Cemetery. She was the 
mother of two children, William AV. and 
Susan, the former of whom died in middle 
life and the latter in infancy. William W. 
married Sarah Houser and is survived by 
three children, Reynold, Anna Mary and 
William. Mr. Shatter was married (sec- 
ond) October 17, 1877, to Miss Sally B. 
Swain, a daughter of Charles B. and Mary 
L. (Davis) Swain, and they have three 
children, namely: JJlla and Anna, twins, 
and Charles C. Lilla is the wife of AV. A. 
Hatten and they have two children, Lester 
and Alice. Anna and Charles C. reside at 
home and the latter is a member of the 
graduating class of 1910, at the Bethel 
High School. Mr. and Mrs. Shatter are 
members of the Reformed Church, in which 
he is one of the trustees. Formerly he 
belonged to the Grange in Bethel Town- 
ship but is no longer identified with that 
organization. He is a Republican in his 
political views but has never accepted any 
office save that of school director, in which 
he has served one term. 

SOLOMON A. RUDY, whose excellent 
farm of eighty-three acres is situated in 
Monroe Township, on the (lingham and 
Frederick Turninke, is one of the jirosjier- 
ous farmers and tobacco growers of this 



602 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



section and is also one of the reliable and 
respected citizens. He was born May 2, 
1871, in Bethel ToAvnship, Miami County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Joseph M. and Louisa 
(Young) Eudy. 

Joseph M. Rudy was born in Bethel 
Township, Miami County, not far from 
"West Charleston, on the pioneer farm on 
which his father, Joseph Eudy had settled 
when he came into what was then a wilder- 
ness, from Pennsylvania. Joseph Eudy 
had five children — Emanuel, Solomon, Ma- 
hala, Elizabeth and Joseph M. The last 
mentioned grew to manhood on that farm 
and helped to clear it. Shortly after his 
marriage he engaged in the butcher busi- 
ness for a short time but subsequently re- 
turned to his farm and followed agricul- 
tural pursuits all the rest of his life. 
Throughout Ohio and possibly through 
other States, there is a certain prolific 
wheat much in favor with the farmers and 
known as the "Eudy wheat." Its origin is 
very interesting. One day, George W. 
Rudy, the eldest brother of Solomon A., 
noticed some heads of wheat waving in the 
wind which seemed to have far outstripped 
the rest of the grain, then ripening evenly. 
As a matter of curiosity, Mr. Eudy gath- 
ered these heads, four in all, and took them 
to his father. The latter decided to experi- 
ment with them and planted them, for 
trial, in the garden. The result was sur- 
prising, the yield being far beyond that 
of any other specimen and several years 
later, Mr. Eudy had a yield of 1,736 bush- 
els, which he placed on the market and re- 
ceived for it $1.50 per bushel. It has since 
been called the Eudy wheat, and it was 
the means of adding largely to Mr. Rudy's 
income from his wheat lands. He died on 
that farm when aged sixty-eight years. 



His widow survives and lives at Tippe- 
canoe Cit}'. She was formerly Miss Louisa 
Young and was born and reared in Bethel 
Township. They had ten children, namely : 
Montgomery M., George W., Anna, Lillian, 
Ella and Ida (twins), Joseph, Solomon A., 
and Flora L. and an infant, both of whom 
are deceased. 

Solomon A. Eudy spent his boyhood days 
on the home farm and was educated in the 
district schools, spending one winter in 
the High School, and one term at college, at 
Ada, Ohio. He then took upon himself his 
share of the work at home and continued 
to live with his parents until his marriage, 
when he purchased his present farm from 
Mrs. John F. Idemiller. He found it neces- 
sary to do quite an amount of improving, 
and using good judgineut in the matter, he 
now has a very comfortable home with 
substantial farm buildings of all kinds. He 
grows the usual grains that do well in this 
section and usually devotes about five acres 
to tobacco. 

Mr. Eudy was married January 2, 1893, 
to Miss Lilly M. Smith, a daughter of John 
and Mary (Idemiller) Smith, of Monroe 
Township, and they have six children : ^Mil- 
dred, Emerson, Joseph, Mary, Paul and 
Harold. Mr. Eudy and wife are members 
of the Dunkard Church. 

J. F. WILGUS, who owns and resides 
upon a valuable farm of seventy-two acres 
in Lost Creek Township, Miami Coimty, 
Ohio, comes of an old and prominent fam- 
ily of the county. He was born in this 
township on Xovember 7. 1860, and is a 
son of John H. and Dulcina (Frazee) Wil- 
gus, a grandson of Thomas "\Vilgus, and 
great-grandson of William Wilgus. It is 
an old Quaker family which was estab- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



603 



lislied iu this country by four brotliers, 
•wiio came from Eugland duriug the colo- 
nial days. 

William AVilgus, great-grandfather of 
the subject of this sketch, was born in New 
Jersey, and there followed the trade of a 
tailor. At an early date, accompanied by 
his wife and children, he went with a team 
and wagon to Cincinnati, Ohio. He was 
offered a quarter section of land in what 
now is the heart of the city for his team 
and wagon, but not liking the place, he de- 
cided to return to his old home in New Jer- 
sey. He got to a point near Lebanon, in 
"Warren County, Ohio, where he lost a 
horse, and as a result was obliged to spend 
the winter there. He liked the community 
so well he determined to remain, and there 
purchased a farm of 120 acres. There he 
followed his trade a few years, and farmed 
until his death, at an advanced age. He 1 
and his wife reared a large family. 

Thomas Wilgus, the grandfather, was 
born in New Jersey, and was a mere child 
when the family moved to Warren County, 
Ohio. He began working on the home farm, 
and continued at home until his first mar- 
riage. In 18.34 he moved with his wife and 
children to Miami County, Ohio, where he 
purchased a half section of land in Lost 
Creek Township, a part of which is now 
owned by William AVilgus. Mrs. Wilgus, 
who was in maiden life Anna Hunt, died 
three weeks after the arrival of the family 
in this county. They had two children : 
John; and Mary, who became the wife of 
John Babb, both now deceased. Thomas 
Wilgus was later married to Hannah Rob- 
inson, and they had the following children : 
William, of Lost Creek Township; Mi- 
chael, of Casstown; Thomas, of Fletcher, 
and Anna, deceased wife of H. Brecount. 



The mother of this family died in lS«o, and 
her husband in March, 1885. 

John Hunt Wilgus was born iu Warren 
Coimty, Ohio, October 5, 1831, and was 
three years old when his parents moved to 
Lost Creek Township, in Miami County. 
His mother dying soon after, he was taken 
to raise by her people in Warren County, 
with whom he lived until he was fifteen 
years of age. Having arrived at the age 
where he could be of assistance, he went to 
live with his father on the fanu. He re- 
ceived a very meagre education, attending 
the district schools about three months 
each winter. He remained with his father 
until his marriage, then purchased a farm 
of 100 acres in Lost Creek Township, on 
which they set up housekeeping. He later 
sold that i^roperty and purchased the pres- 
ent farm of our subject from the Frazee 
leirs. He followed farming throughout 
his entire life. He was united in marriage 
with Dulcina Frazee, who was reared on 
the farm now owned by her son, J. F. Wil- 
gus, and was a daughter of Lewis Frazee. 
Her grandfather, David Frazee, a Baptist 
minister, located in Lost Creek Township 
at an early date and became the owner of 
a vast tract of land. John 11. Wilgus sur- 
vived his wife some years, dying May 15, 
1908; her death occurred July 24, 1900. 
They were parents of the following chil- 
dren: Lewis F., of North Dakota; John 
Franklin; G. Rousseau; Thomas, of AVest 
Milton; Ralph IL, of West Milton; Will- 
iam W. ; and three who died in infancy. 

John Franklin Wilgus was I'eared on 
the farm and attended the district schools 
in the vicinity, and the business college at 
Lebanon, Ohio. He has devoted his activ- 
it.v to farming throughout his career, and 
has been very successful. He has seventy- 



604 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



two acres in tlio farm on which he lives, 
and also has an interest in the old estate. 
He pni-chased liis farm of Mrs. Mary 
Blackford, and in 189:2 erected a substan- 
tial residence, which was destroyed by fire 
in 1908. He is a Republican in politics, 
and for sixteen years has served on the 
school board. 

December 9, 1888, Mr. Wilgus was united 
in marriage with Miss Maiy Ellen Bright, 
a daughter of Adam Briglit, of Addison, 
Ohio. Two children were born to them, 
namely: EUwood M. and J. Adam. Mrs. 
Wilgus died on April 3, 1905. ^.h: Wilgus 
has a wide acquaintance throughout this 
section of the country, and enjoys the con- 
fidence and esteem of his fellow citizens to 
a marked degree. 

MARTIN VALENTINE HOUSER, re- 
siding on a farm of eighty acres in Staun- 
ton Township, Miami County, Ohio, is also 
the owner of several otlier tracts of land in 
that and Spring Creek Towusliips, having 
331 acres in all. He was born on St. Val- 
entine's Day, February 1-t, 18.30, on the 
home farm in S^jring Creek Township, 
Miami County, and is a son of John and 
Margaret (Booher) Houser, and a grand- 
son of Martin and Barbara (Neff) Houser 

Martin Houser, the grandfather, was a 
farmer in the Shenandoah Valley, Vir- 
ginia, and some years after marriage 
moved to Montgomery County, Ohio, set- 
tling on the east side of tlie ^Miami River, 
about two and a half miles north of Day- 
ton, which was then a village consisting of 
but a few small hoiises. He later entered 
one-half a section of land in Spring Creek 
Township, Miami County, but continued to 
live at his old home near Dayton, where he 
died at the age of eighty-one years. He 



and his wife were i)arents of the following 
children: Jacob, Daniel, Isaac, Henry, 
John, ]\Iartin, Barbara and Catherine. 

John Houser was born in the Shenan- 
doah Valley, and was a small boy at the 
time the family moved from Virginia to 
the vicinity of Dayton, where he was 
reared to maturity. They lived in a rude 
log house, and he helped in clearing the 
timber from the farm. When a young man, 
during the War of 181:2, he hauled grain 
to the soldiers in the army. He also in 
that period was one of a party which went 
to Indiana, it being a hard six weeks' trip 
at that time. They lost all of their horses 
but one on the journey, and upon their re- 
turn sold the remaining horse for the mu- 
nificent sum of $7.00, which was divided 
among the seven members of the party. 
After his marriage and the birth of two 
children, they moved to Miami County, lo- 
cating upon the north half of the half sec- 
tion of land entered by his father, his 
brother Henry locating upon the south 
half. He lived in a small log house on the 
])lace for many years, and cleared it of 
timber. The country was in a compara- 
tively wild and undeveloped state at that 
time, and he frequentl.y supplied his table 
with wild game. He died at the age of 
eighty-one years, and Mrs. Houser died at 
the age of eighty-four. They were parents 
of the following: Samuel; John B. ; Bar- 
bara, wife of Moses Denman ; Martin Val- 
entine; Mary Ann, wife of Job Emmons; 
Bartholomew, who was a soldier in the 
Union Army during the Civil War and 
died at Washington, D. C. ; and Jacob, who 
lost his life in the Battle of the Wildei-ness. 
The subject of this sketch is the only one 
of his parents' family now living. 

Martin V. Houser spent his boyhood 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



605 



days ou the home farm in Spring Creek 
townsliip, which he aided in clearing. He 
first attended school in the old church in 
that vicinity, also the old log schoolhouse, 
and the brick school which replaced it. He 
received a fair education, being ambitious 
and a good student, and was tendered a 
position as teacher at different times. His 
educational training was restricted by ill- 
ness, and in his youth he went on an ex- 
tended hunting trip in Indiana for the ben- 
efit of his health. He covered 231 miles on 
horseback in six weeks, and returned home 
in a much improved condition. He has al- 
ways followed farming, and what he owns 
he owes almost entirely to his individual 
efforts. His first purchase was the farm 
on which he now lives, and when the mort- 
gage was finally removed from the place 
he felt himself the happiest and richest 
man in the community. He has always in- 
vested his earnings to good advantage, and 
now has 331 acres, in several tracts, in 
Spring Creek and Staunton Townships. 

In November, 1856, Mr. Houser was 
united in marriage with Miss Margaret 
Duncan, a daughter of Robert and Jane 
(^IcClintock) Duncan, and her death oc- 
curred March 2, 1886. They became par- 
ents of two children, Ida and Flora. Ida 
Houser was married to AVillis Peterson, of 
Staunton Townsliiji, and has two children 
— Roy, who married Elsie Clark; and 
Rali)li. Flora Houser married J. Todd 
Small, by whom she has two children. Ray 
and Birdie, and they make their home with 
her father. Politically, Mr. Houser is a 
strong Prohibitionist, and a staimch sup- 
porter of Bryan, being the only member of 
the family to vote the Democratic ticket. 
He has been a member of the Methodist 



Episcopal Church for many years, and has 
filled various church offices. 

FRANK EDWARD LeFEVRE, owner 
of 105 acres of fann land in Staunton 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, is one of 
the substantial and progressive men of 
that community. He was born on his pres- 
ent fann March 15, 1862, and is a son of 
Cyrus Haywood and Caroline (Babb) Le- 
Fevre, and a grandson of Christian Le- 
Fevre. 

Christian LeFevre came to Miami 
County. Ohio, from ^laryland, bringing his 
bride to this then new country in a wagon, 
and he helped to clear the road which the 
pioneers used in going to Cincinnati. He 
obtained a patent from the government for 
the LeFevre farm in Staunton Township, 
and there erected a log cabin in the woods. 
A box was used for a table and puncheons 
driven into the wall for use as a l)ed. They 
resided here the remainder of their lives, 
he dying February 26, 1871, and his wife 
about six months later. They were parents 
of the following children: Sarah, John, 
Elizabeth, Minor, Naomi, Amy, Reason, 
James, Alfred, Cyrus H., Christian, Sol- 
omon, and Mary. 

Cyrus H. I^eFevre was born in the log 
cabin on the home fai'm, October 23, 1824, 
and spent all his life on this farm. In com- 
pliance with his father's wish, he pur- 
chased the interests of the other heirs to 
the 262 acres which composed the home 
fann. In addition to farming, he dealt ex- 
tensively in live stock, and also was con- 
siderable of a capitalist. He died October 
28, 1894, and his death was mourned as a 
loss to the community by his many life- 
long friends and acfpiaintances. He was 
married to Caroline Babb, a daughter of 



606 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Daniel Babb, one of the pioneer settlers of 
Miami County, and they became parents of 
three children — Walter, of Troy, who owns 
part of the old home place; one who died 
in infancy, and Frank Edward. Mrs. Le- 
Fevre died January 7, 1875. 

Frank E. LeFevre spent his boyhood 
days on the fann and attended school in 
this vicinity. With the exception of a short 
time following his marriage, he has always 
resided on this farm, and is engaged in 
general agriculture. His house was badly 
damaged by the cyclone of June 25, 1902, 
but was immediately remodeled and im- 
proved. He has met with much success in 
tobacco growing. He has in his possession 
the sheepskm deed to this farm, granted 
to his grandfather by the government and 
bearing the signature of President Andrew 
Jackson. 

September 20, 1892, Mr. LeFevre was 
united in marriage with Miss Vina 
Schramm, a daughter of George and 
Rachel (Schultz) Schramm, both of whom 
came from Germany and are now living at 
advanced ages, in Newton township, Miami 
County. A daughter, Helen May, was born 
to bless this union. Politically Mr. Le- 
Fevre is a Republican, as have been the 
other members of the family since the or- 
ganization of the party. They belong to 
the Presl>yteriau Church. 

HON. HARRY J. RITTER, Tippecanoe 
City, Ohio, serving in the seventy-seventh 
and seventy-eighth General Assemblies. 
for many years has been one of the fore- 
most citizens and business men of Miami 
County. He is general manager, sec- 
retary, and treasurer of the Tippecanoe 
Building and Manufacturing Company, a 
large concern with extensive interests, and 



is also identified with various enterprises 
in different parts of the county. Mr. Rit- 
ter was born near Reading, Pennsylvania, 
March 29, 1848, and is a son of Israel 
Ritter, his ancestors being of German na- 
tionality. 

He was seven years old when his par- 
ents moved to the city of Reading, where 
he lived until he entered Pennsylvania 
State College at Gettysburg, Pennsyl- 
vania. He attended that institution until 
he was sixteen years old, when, in March, 
1864, he entered the service of the Union 
army, joining the signal corps. He thus 
served until August 5, 1865, his duties 
calling him to Virginia, West Virginia, 
and Maryland. He was honorably dis- 
charged at Greencastle, Pennsylvania, and 
at once returned to Reading, where he pur- 
sued a course in the business college. 
After graduating therefrom in 1866, he 
accepted a clerkship in a hardware store 
and continued thus occupied for a year. 
At the end of that time he went to Carroll 
County, Missouri, and, in company with 
a brother-in-law, was engaged in the stock 
business there for a year and a half. He 
then returned to Pennsylvania, and with 
headquarters at Reading, dealt extensively 
in horses, making a specialty of fast trot- 
ting stock. 

In 1871 Mr. Ritter became identified 
with the development of oil fields near 
Titusville, and in the meantime continued 
dealing in horses. In 1874 he moved west ' 
to Miami County, Ohio, and took charge 
of Col. John R. Woodward's stock farm 
in Bethel Township, which he managed un- 
til the Colonel's death in 1876. He then 
conducted the farm himself, breeding and 
developing trotting horses until 1881. He 
then moved to Tippecanoe City, and in the 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



607 



following year went to Europe as purchas- 
ing agent for the prominent firm of Powell 
Brothers, of Shadeland, Pennsylvania. He 
continued in that capacity eight years, dur- 
ing which period he crossed the ocean six- 
teen times, traveling through England, 
Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, France, Ger- 
many, and the Shetland Islands, purchas- 
ing horses for export to the United States, 
about eight years of his life being thus 
spent in Europe. 

In the spring of 1890 Mr. Eitter re- 
turned to Tippecanoe City, and four years 
later purchased the business of C. Trupp 
& Co., wMch he reorganized under the 
name of the Tippecanoe Building and 
Manufacturing Comjjany, becoming its 
principal stockholder, as well as general 
manager and treasurer. This company 
does a large business in contracting and 
building, also operating lumber yards, a 
planing-mill and sawmill, and manufac- 
turing furniture. EmplojTnent is given 
to a large force of men, and for years the 
plant has been kept running at its full ca- 
pacity, its products being sold in many 
parts of the country. Mr. Eitter has 
served many years as president and man- 
ager of the Tippecanoe City Interurban 
Telephone Company. He is also president 
of the Tippecanoe Business Men's Club. 
He served twelve years on the Board of 
Education, most of the time as clerk and 
president. He is a man of keen business 
perception and through his own industry 
has won his own way to the front rank 
among the business men of the county. 

Mr. Eitter was married October 14. 
1879, to Miss Ada L. "Woodward, a daugh- 
ter of Col. John E. and Marcella (Bell) 
Woodward. The Colonel was born in 
Bethel Tov-nship, Miami County, Ohio, 



December 5, 1835, and was a son of Will- 
iam Woodward, who was a native of Will- 
iamsport, Pennsylvania, and became a 
pioneer settler of Miami County. 

In September, 1861, Col. John E. Wood- 
ward enlisted in military service and was 
made captain of Company C, Seventy-first 
Eegiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and 
served until August, 1862, participating in 
a number of engagements, among them the 
battle of Shiloh. In 1864 he aided in or- 
ganizing and raising the 147th Ohio Eegi- 
ment for 100 days' service, and was chosen 
lieutenant colonel. Upon receiving an hon- 
orable discharge in 1865, he returned to 
the farm in Bethel Township, where he 
subsequently resided until his death in 
1876. He and his wife had two children 
— William B., of Washington Court. House, 
and Ada L. 

Mr. and Mrs. Eitter have a son, Harry 
Woodward, who was born February 19, 
1886, is a graduate of Yale College, ad- 
mitted to the bar December, 1908. Eelig- 
iously they are active members of the 
Lutheran Church. Politically 'Mv. Eitter 
has always taken an earnest interest in the 
success of the Eepublican party and the 
supremacy of its principles and as already 
partially intimated, has been frequently 
called upon to fill positions of honor 
and public trust. As representative in the 
State Legislature he has served his con- 
stituents in an intelligent and conscien- 
tious manner and has gained the friend- 
ship of his former political opponents. At 
the first session of the seventy-seventh 
General Assembly he was appointed a 
member of a joint committee to investi- 
gate penitentiaries with a view of remodel- 
ing the Ohio penitentiary. He was also a 
member of the standing committees on 



608 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Taxation, Insurance, Soldiers' and Sail- 
ors' Orphans' Home, and Fish and Game. 

During the seventy-eighth General As- 
sembly he was a member of the standing 
coumiittees on Finance, Taxation, Public 
Works, and Soldiers' and Sailors' Oi'- 
phans' Home. He was chairman of the 
Finance Committee, the most important 
in the House. He succeeded in getting out 
the General Appropriation Bill carrying 
$7,607,927 with it, in less than three weeks, 
and introduced it one day and the House 
passed it the next day without a single 
change. He was appointed and made 
chairman of a special Advisory Commit- 
tee to the Board of Managers of the Ohio 
penitentiary. 

Fraternally he is a member of Tippeca- 
noe Lodge, No. 174, F. & A. M.; Franklin 
Chapter, R. A. M. ; Coleman Commander}-, 
K. T., of Troy ; and of the Royal Arcanum, 
of which he is a past regent. He is also 
a member of D. M. Rouzer Post, G. A. R., 
of Ti]>pecanoe City; Antioch Temple and 
Thirty-second Degree Scottish Rite. 

LEVI SWITZER, a prominent retired 
farmer residing in his comfortable home 
at No. 213 South May Street, Troy, Ohio, 
for many years was one of Miami County's 
leading agriculturists. He was born in 
October, 1837, in York County, Pennsyl- 
vania, and is a son of William and Eliza- 
beth Switzer. 

The jtarents of Mr. Switzer came to Ohio 
about 1852, settling at what is now Dial- 
ton, in Clark County, but not finding con- 
ditions to suit them there, soon came into 
Miami County, where the l)alance of their 
lives were spent. Of their family of chil- 
dren there are four survivors, namely: 
Levi; Jacob, who also resides at Coving- 



ton; Mary, who is the wife of Samuel Di- 
ven, and lives near the old home at Pleas- 
ant Hill ; and Catherine, who is the widow 
of John Varner, and lives with her son 
George at Covington. 

Levi Switzer obtained his education in 
his native state and after accompanying 
his parents to Ohio, continued to follow 
agricultural pursuits almost continuously, 
until he retired to Troy. He served dur- 
ing a period of 100 days in the Civil War, 
a member of Company A, 147th Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry, and while receiving no 
permanent injury during this time, he ex- 
perienced enough hardship to understand 
what a soldier's life means. His service 
was faithfully performed, he being sta- 
tioned near Arlington Heights. 

On January 29, 1869, Mr. Switzer was 
married in Cumberland County, Pennsyl- 
vania, to Miss Sallie E. Zeigler, who was 
born there in 1840. She is a daughter of 
the late Jesse and Mary Ann (Peffer) 
Zeigler. Her father died in 1881 and her 
mother in 1895. Of their eight children six 
survive, namely : Sophia E., who resides in 
New Jersey ; Mrs. Switzer ; John H., Jesse 
P. and William A., all three of Cumber- 
land County, Pennsylvania, and Mrs. P. C. 
Rateliff, of Troy. To Mr. and ]^Irs. Swit- 
zer were born two sons, Jesse and Edward, 
the former of whom is one of the officials 
of the Cash Register Company of Dayton, 
the latter being a substantial farmer in 
]\Iiami County. 

For many years Mr. Switzer was active 
in all that concerned the public alTairs of 
his township, serving in local offices and 
lending his influence to all that advanced 
the community's best interests. He is one 
of the older members of the Lutheran 
Church at Troy, in which he has long 










15) 






3 
N 



N 

H 
?3 




AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



611 



served as au elder. For over fifty years 
he lias been identified with the Masonic 
fraternity and is known well in that or- 
ganization all through this section. Mr. 
Switzer has witnessed many changes since 
he came to Miami County and has done his 
full share in making these of practical im- 
portance. 

J. B. BAEKER M. D., one of Piqua's 
reputable physicians and surgeons, was 
born in Campbell County, Kentucky, 
March 20, 185(3, and when twelve years of 
age accompanied his parents to Clermont 
County, Ohio. Dr. Barker attended the 
schools of Moscow, Ohio, and after gradu- 
ating from the high school, entered the 
Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, 
where he was graduated in 1881. He be- 
gan practice at Blue Creek, in Adams 
County, wliere he remained for three and 
a half years. In September, 1885, he lo- 
cated at Fletcher, in Miami County, where, 
for twenty-two years, he carried on the 
active practice of his i^rofession, with re- 
gret severing very many pleasant ties 
when his business interests led him to set- 
tle in Piqua in 1907. He is a medical man 
of superior qualifications and is a member 
of the ^liami County Medical Society, the 
Pnion Clinical Society of AVestern Ohio, 
tlie Western Ohio Eclectic Medical So- 
ciety, of which he is president, and the 
Oiiio State Eclectic Medical Association, 
and the National Eclectic Medical Associa- 
tion. Under the late ex-President Cleve- 
land he served as a member of the United 
States Board of Pension Examiners. 

On March 27, 1884, Dr. Jiarker was mar- 
ried to Miss Jennie Christina Franz, of 
Adams County, Ohio, and they have three 
children, :Mattie Estella, Ella Cliristina 



and Joseph Hamilton. Dr. Barker and 
family are members of the Presbyterian 
Church. Fraternally he is identified with 
the Masons, Odd Fellows, and Knights of 
Pythias. 

WALTER E. BOWYER, cashier of the 
Troy National Bank, with which financial 
institution he has been identified since Au- 
gust, 1894, was born at Foster, Warren 
County, Ohio, in March, 1873. 

Mr. Bowyer was educated in his native 
section and in the high school at Arcanum, 
Darke County, and for several years there- 
after he taught school, and then entered 
the employ of Joseph Mayer & Sons, deal- 
ers in leaf tobacco, where he continued for 
two years. From there he entered the 
employ of the Farmers and Merchants 
Banking Company, at Arcanum, where he 
remained until he accepted the office of 
bookkeeper in the Troy National Bank, in 
August, 1894. Step by step he advanced 
until in June, 1902, he was made cashier 
of this bank, a position of responsibility he 
has held ever since. He is interested in 
other successful business enteri)rises of 
this city, being a stockholder and a mem- 
ber of tlie board of directors of the Hobart 
Electric Manufacturing Comjjany, the 
Troy Buggy AVorks Company, the Troy 
Carriage Sunshade Company, and others. 

In P^bruary, 1896, Mr. Bowyer was 
married to Miss Charlotte Thomjjson, who 
is a daughter of Dr. W. R. Thompson, of 
Troy, and tliey have one daughter, Laura 
Margaret. Mr. and Mrs. Bowyer are 
members of the First Presbyterian 
Church, of whicli he is treasurer. Mr. 
Bowyer is an active and useful citizen and 
is serving as a member of the School 
Board at Trov. Sociallv he is identified 



612 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



with the Troy Club; fraternally is a 
Knights Templar Mason, and Knight of 
Pythias, belonging also to the Junior Or- 
der of American Mechanics. 

AUGUSTUS C. HALL, D. D. S., one of 
Covington's best known and esteemed 
citizens, who for thirty years has been en- 
gaged in the jjractice of dental surgery at 
this place, is also an honored veteran of 
the great Civil War. Dr. Hall was born 
on a farm in Butler Township, Montgom- 
ery County, Ohio, July 1, 1834, and is a 
son of James and Henrietta (Sidden) 
Hall. 

.James Hall was born in South Carolina 
and was a son of William Hall, who was 
a Quaker in religious faith, and it is prob- 
able that he came to Ohio in 1808 in order 
to rear his family in a free State, the 
Quakers being notably opposed to slavery. 
He lived at first at Dayton, but later set- 
tled on a farm in Montgomery County, on 
which he resided until his death, when aged 
eighty-six years three months and twenty- 
one days. When the family came to Ohio 
James Hall was small. He was reared on 
the home farm and devoted himself to ag- 
ricultural pursuits. His death took place 
December 14, 1854. He married Henrietta 
Sidden, who was born in North Carolina 
and died in Ohio, April 24, 1850. A nu- 
merous family was born to James Hall 
and wife, and four of the sons adopted 
dentistry as their profession. These were : 
William P., who practiced at Piqua for 
many years and resides in that city, aged 
eighty-six years; Horatio G., who died at 
Piqua, in May, 1901; Samuel T., a twin 
brother of Dr. Augustus C, who is still 
in active practice at Coffeyville, Kansas; 
and Augustus C, of Covington. The pro- 



fession has claimed practitioners from the 
next generation. Dr. Ward Hall, son of 
Dr. W. P., died at Shanghai, China, of 
hydrophobia, September 29, 1908. Dr. Ed- 
ward and Dr. Eugene Hall, sons of Dr. 
H. G. Hall, are practitioners in Columbus, 
Ohio. The two sons of Dr. Augustus C. 
Hall have both become prominent in the 
same profession. 

Dr. Augustus C. Hall began the study 
of dentistry with his eldest brother, in 
April, 1855, and after completing his 
course of study he opened and conducted 
an office at Piqua for four years. His prac- 
tice was interrupted when he enlisted for 
service in the Civil War. On September 
22, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, Sixty- 
third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, as a pri- 
vate, serving through his first period and 
re-enlisting at Prospect, Tennessee, as a 
veteran. Although he participated in aU 
the dangers in which his company and 
regiment took part, including the march 
to the sea with General Sherman, the At- 
lanta campaign, the battle of Kenesaw 
Mountain and many others, and was so 
valiant a soldier as to gain promotion to 
the first lieutenancy of Company H, Sixty- 
third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, he was 
never either wounded or taken prisoner. 
He was honorably discharged and was 
mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, on 
July 8, 1865. He is a valued member of 
Langston Post, No. 299, Grand Army of 
the Eepublic. 

On November 11, 1879, Dr. Hall located 
at Covington, and this city has been his 
chosen home ever since. In 1880 he estab- 
lished a dental office at Pleasant Hill, and 
for twenty years it was his custom to re- 
ceive patients at that point every Friday. 
About the same time, in order to accommo- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



613 



date the people of Bradford, he estab- 
lished an office there which for twenty-four 
years he visited every Tuesday. His sci- 
entific skill is appreciated all through this 
section and, although he is no longer quite 
so active in professional work, having dele- 
gated a considerable portion of it to his 
capable partner, Dr. George Y. Hall, he 
still enjoys perfecting some of the delicate 
and important bits of dentistry which 
much scientific study and long experience 
have so thoroughly qualified him for and 
which place him in the front rank of his 
profession in Eastern Ohio. 

May 1, 1866, Dr. Hall was married to 
Miss Caroline Yount, a daughter of John 
and Nancy (Insco) Yount, natives of 
North Carolina. Two sons were born to 
this marriage, Ernest and George Y. Dr. 
Ernest Hall was graduated from the Ohio 
Dental College, after studying three years 
with his father. He remained with the lat- 
ter for a short time, and then opened an 
office first at Wapokoneta and later at 
Hamilton, where he is well established in 
practice. He married Miss Jessie Sort- 
man, of Hamilton, and they have one son, 
Dwight Elvin. 

Dr. George Y. Hall, the second son, who 
is the present manager of the dental busi- 
ness both at Covington and Pleasant Hill, 
was bom at Piqua, Ohio, September 2, 
1877, and was a student in the Covington 
High School until in his senior year, when, 
on account of his older brother leaving 
home, he entered his father's office as stu- 
dent and assistant. After proper prepara- 
tion, he entered the Ohio Dental College at 
Cincinnati, and was graduated in the class 
of 1901, receiving honors. He continues 
to reside with his parents, and is one of 
the city's most enterprising young profes- 



sional men. He is a Mason, and belongs 
to Covington's Ancient and Honored Or- 
der of Gobblers. The Hall family is affili- 
ated with the Christian Church. 

HARRY LINCOLN SAYERS, a worthy 
representative of one of the oldest families 
in Miami County, is engaged in general 
farming on a tract of 125 acres belonging 
to his father, a part of the old Sayers 
farm, lying in Staunton, Elizabeth and 
Lost Creek ToVnships. He was born 
March 26, 1864, on his present farm, and 
in the house in which he resides. His par- 
ents are Ezekiel and Caroline (French) 
Sayers. 

The Sayers family may be credited with 
being one of the very first to penetrate 
into the great forests of Miami County, 
when all this smiling and productive 
country was a wilderness. William Sayers, 
the great-grandfather of Harry L., was a 
contemporary settler with the Knoops, 
coming about the same time from Pennsyl- 
vania, or a very short period later. He en- 
tered a large tract of land in Elizabeth 
Township, and this land has descended 
from father to son until the present time. 
These early settlers met many difficulties 
and faced innumerable dangers, and in 
overcoming them bred a race of hardy, 
courageous men and women, and these 
qualities are seen in the present genera- 
tion. William Sayers often shared his 
meals with the wandering Indians, and 
thus gained their good will, and in the rec- 
ords of his family are found no indications 
of their ingratitude. 

Jefferson Sayers succeeded his father 
William, and took possession of the prop- 
erty when the latter passed away. He did 
a large amount of clearing, and made the 



614 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



first roads, in lioyhood hlazing his path 
througli the thick woods. He was a man of 
enterprise, and later engaged in teaming 
between Cincinnati and Toledo, carrying 
freight before there was any transporta- 
tion line built between these important 
points. He lived to be seventy-four years 
of age, and died on the east half of the old 
farm. His wife, Margaret, survived him 
about ten years. They had seven children, 
namely: Ezekiel ; John, who is deceased; 
Harrison; Enos, who served in the Civil 
War from 1861 until 1864; Sallie, who mar- 
ried Christopher Class; Judson. who 
served in the Civil War from 1861 until 
1864; and Milton, now deceased, who also 
served three years in the Civil War. 

Ezekiel Sayers, father of Harry L., was 
born on the eastern ]iortiou of the old 
Sayers farm, in September, 1832, and, 
being the eldest of the family, he assumed 
the responsibilities of a farmer almost in 
boyhood. When his father died he inher- 
ited the western half of the homestead, and 
to that property he subsequently added 
other land. He spent the greater ])ortion 
of his life prior to 1885 engaged in culti- 
vating his farm and then retired, moving 
to Troy, where he occupies a pleasant and 
comfortable residence on Lincoln Avenue. 
He was married (first) to Caroline French, 
who died in 1878, when in middle age. She 
was born and reared in Indiana. There 
were five children bom to this union, 
namely: Martha, who is the wife of R. 
Clyne; Carry, who is now deceased; Alta, 
wlio is the wife of T. L. Rogers; Harry 
Lincoln; and Maggie, who is the wife of 
Clinton Free. Mr. Sayers was married 
(second) to Catherine Knight, who sur- 
vives. 

Harry Lincoln Sayers lias spent almost 



the whole of his life in Staunton Township. 
During some years of his infancy the fam- 
ily lived in Miami City, but here he ob- 
tained his education and his training as a 
farmer. He remained assisting his father 
until he was twenty-four years of age, and 
then started out for himself, renting the 
land from his father. He carries on a gen- 
eral line of farming, and makes it pay. His 
crops are the usual ones of this section, 
and he grows stock for his own use. 

On October 14, 1886, Mr. Sayers was 
married to Miss Ida Scott, wfto is a daugh- 
ter of James and Frances (Scott) Scott, 
and they have two children, a daughter 
and son : Nona, who was born March 9, 
1892, and Scott, who was born June 3, 1898. 
Mr. Sayers is a member of the Baptist 
Church, and Mrs. Sa.yers belongs to the 
First Presbyterian Church of Troy. In 
his political views he is a Republican. 

R. N. BTTRWELL, county treasurer- 
elect of Miami County, Ohio, is a native of 
this State, and the son of the late William 
P. Burwell. Born in Buena Vista, Scioto 
County, Ohio, April 15, 1869, Mr. Burwell 
received his education in the public schools 
at Buena Vista, later locating in Troy. His 
first business experience was gained as a 
clerk in a hardware store, he resigning this 
position after eight years' service to take 
a commercial course in a business college. 
His interests broadened as he grew older 
and he began to be active in politics. His 
first official position in public life was be- 
ing appointed deputy county auditor, he 
later accepting the position of deputy 
treasurer. Mr. Burwell 's large acquain- 
tance throughout the county and his ex- 
perience in county affairs made him a 
formidable candidate for the nomination 
for county treasurer, which he received 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



615 



May 2;J, 1908, and was elected county 
treasurer in November, 1908, the responsi- 
ble duties of which office he will assume in 
Sei)teniber, 1909. 

j\lr. Burwell takes a great interest in 
lodge affairs and is past chancellor com- 
mander of the Knights of Pythias and also 
belongs to the Junior Order of American 
Mechanics and is a member of the Troy 
Club. 

CLIFFORD D.McCOY, traveling repre- 
sentative of the Allen & Wheeler Company 
of Troy, Ohio, in the states of Ohio and 
Kentucky, has been a resident of Pitjua for 
the past twenty years. He was born in 
Casstowu, Ohio, in 1869, and is a son of 
AVilliam and Paulina (Frazier) McCoy. 

William McCoy was born in New Jersey, 
where he learned the trade of a carpenter. 
He moved to Indiana, and while there en- 
listed in Company I, Twenty-seventh Bat- 
talion Indiana Volunteers, and served im- 
til the close of the Civil War. He then 
moved to Miami County, Ohio, where he 
continiied at his trade during his active 
career and resided until his death in 1905. 

Clifford D. McCoy was reared in Cass- 
town and was educated in the public 
schools there and in Piqua High School. 
Upon leaving school he was clerk in a 
grocery some fifteen years, at the end of 
which time he accepted his present posi- 
tion as traveling salesman for the Aleen & 
Wheeler Company of Troy. He is a man of 
wide acquaintance in Piqua and vicinity, 
and has many personal friends. 

In 1893 Mr. McCoy married Miss Mat- 
tie B. Alexander, a daughter of M. W. 
Alexander, who is a highly esteemed re- 
tired citizen of Piqua. Two children, 
Frances Pauline and Clifford D. McCoy, 



Jr., were born of this union. Religiously, 
they are members of the Grace Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and Mr. McCoy is a 
nieniber of the official church board. In 
politics he is a Rejiublican. Fraternally, 
he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, 
in which he has been quite prominent and 
has held all the offices and been master of 
exchequer for the past six years; and to 
tlie Union Commercial Travelers. 

DAVID W. ORBISON, who with his 
brother, Ora D. Orbison, i<s the owner of 
eighty-six acres of valuable land in Staun- 
ton Townshiji. Miami County, Ohio, comes 
of one of the old and prominent families 
of the community. He was born October 
29, 1856, about eight months after his 
father's death, and is a son of David, Sr., 
and Hannah I). (Jones) Orbison, and a 
grandson of Henry Orbison. 

Henry Orbison was born in Virginia and 
at an early age accompanied his parents 
to Miami County, Ohio, which was then in 
practically a wild and undeveloped state. 
He first located at Piqua, the old fort still 
standing at that time, and later settled 
one-half mile south of our subject's pres- 
ent farm in Staunton Township. He also 
came into possession of the present farm, 
which then consisted of 160 acres of tim- 
berland and was acquired from General 
Harrison. He continued to live on the south 
farm the most of his days, but died at the 
home of a son in Troy at a ripe old age. 
He and his wife were parents of the fol- 
lowing children: David; William, who 
was a soldier in the Union Army during 
the Civil War; Alexander; Thomas; 
James; Martha; Gilmore; Nancy and 
Julia. All are now deceased. 

David Orbison, Sr.. was born on the old 



616 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



I 



home farm, now known as the Peterson 
farm, in Staimton Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, in 1818, and helped to clear 
the place. He was a man of superior edu- 
cation for those days, and as a young man 
held a position in the county court house. 
He died in the prime of life, in March, 
1856. He was married to Hannah D. 
Jones, who survived him many years. She 
was a native of New Hampshire, and was 
among the first to make the trip over the 
new Miami Canal from Toledo to Troy. 
The village at the time of her arrival was 
very small ; but four houses could boast of 
having a lawn. She engaged in teaching 
in the village prior to her marriage. They 
set up housekeeping in a rented house on 
the Troy pike, while their new brick home 
was being erected on the eighty acres which 
David purchased from his father for three 
hundred dollars. The place was almost 
wholly uncleared at the time. Five chil- 
dren were born of this union, three of 
whom died young. Those living are Ora 
Danforth Orbison, who lives with his 
brother and is part owner of the home 
farm, and David Wilber, whose name heads 
this record. 

David W. Orbison attended the old 
Peterson school in his home district and 
has lived nearly all his life in this vicinity. 
He follows general farming and each year 
has about four acres in sugar cane, operat- 
ing a sugar-mill on the farm. December 
6, 1881, Mr. Orbison was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Amanda Stith, a daughter 
of "William Stith of Miami County, and 
they have two children : Eay, who married 
Elizabeth Ealston and has a daughter, 
Helen; and "Walter J., who lives at home. 
Politically, he is a stalwart Eepublican 
and his brother also is a supporter of the 



principles of that party. They are sub- 
stantial men of the township and are well 
known, 

E. F. BENNETT, A. M., who has been 
prominently identified with the educational 
interests of Miami County for more than 
fifty years, and at present is superintend- 
ent of the public schools of Newberry 
Township, was born January 15, 1836, at 
Piqua, Ohio, and is a son of Enoch and 
Margaret (Withcott) Bennett. 

The parents of Professor Bennett 
moved to a fann in Washington Township, 
Miami County, when he was four years 
old, and there he grew to manhood. He 
secured his education in the country 
schools and in a select school at Piqua, 
which he attended for two years, and 
when twenty years of age taught his first 
term of school, that being in Newberry 
Township. He continued to teach, and 
after four years in "Washington Township 
he took a course at the Ohio "Wesleyan Col- 
lege at Delaware. In 1863 he came to Cov- 
ington, and has been continuously con- 
nected with the educational affairs of this 
city and neighborhood ever since. For a 
period of thirty-two years he sei'ved as 
superintendent of the Covington schools 
and for the past ten years has been 
superintendent of the schools of Newberry 
Township. He owns a valuable farm of 
240 acres, situated in "Washington Town- 
ship, a part of it being the Bennett home- 
stead, formerly owned by his father. 

In 1867 Professor Bennett was married 
to Miss Frances Jordan, who died in 1900. 
One son was born to this marriage, Profes- 
sor L. J. Bennett, who has been superin- 
tendent of the Covington schools for the 
past five years, filling the same office in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



617 



wbicli his father had made so honorable a 
record for so long a period. 

Professor L. J. Bennett was born Feb- 
ruary 28, 1878, at Covington, and from 
boyhood displayed evidences of a quick 
and receptive mind. With credit he gradu- 
ated from the Covington and the Piqua 
schools, and subsequently the Ohio Wes- 
ley an University at Delaware. Flattering 
offers were made to him from educational 
institutions upon his return, and he taught 
one year in the Bethel Township High 
School and one year in the Covington High 
School and then returned to Bethel Town- 
ship for one year as superintendent. Al- 
though he was re-elected to the same office 
for the following year, he decided to accept 
the similar position at Covington, two 
other superintendents, in the meanwhile, 
separating his incumbency from that of 
his honored father. He is one of the board 
of three school examiners in Miami 
County. He married Miss Addie Har- 
wood. and they have one daughter, 
Frances. 

Professor R. F. Bennett is a member 
and one of the trustees of the Covington 
Methodist Episcopal Church. His frater- 
nal affiliation is with the Odd Fellows. He 
has been honored on many occasions by 
educational bodies, and positions of polit- 
ical importance have been offered him, but 
he has had no leaning toward public life. 
He is one of the trustees of the Miami 
County Children's Home. He has wit- 
nessed a wonderful change in the attitude 
of the people and in educational methods 
since he first entered the field, and it has 
been his pleasant task to contribute much 
to the high standard which is maintained 
in the schools of Miami County at the pres- 
ent day. 



BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KEMP, own- 
er of eighty acres of well improved farm 
land in Lost Creek Township, is one of 
the representative men of this section of 
Miami County. He was born July 1, 1847, 
on the old Kemp homestead farm situated 
just across the road from his own prop- 
erty, in Lost Creek Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Hiram and 
Margaret (Moore) Kemp. 

Hiram Kemp was born near Allentowu, 
Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and was a 
son of Ralph and Elizabeth (Probst) 
Kemp. Ralph Kemp was born near Hol- 
lis. New Hampshire, and went to Pennsyl- 
vania in early manhood and taught school 
at Allentowu. He married in Lehigh 
County and later brought his family to 
Ohio and settled in Lost Creek Township 
on a farm west of the one owned by his 
grandson. It was then an undeveloped 
region and the family endured many 
pioneer privations, but nevertheless the 
parents lived into old age. In 1847 Ralph 
Kemp built the brick house still standing. 
His three children were: Hiram, Edwin 
and Hannah, the latter of whom married 
James Long ; all are now deceased. 

Hiram Kemp came to OMo in early 
manhood as his father had gone to Penn- 
sylvania, and married Jane Margaret 
Moore, who was born near Franklin, War- 
ren Countj', Ohio. Her parents were 
James and Agnes (Small) Moore and her 
maternal grandfather was Andrew Small, 
a Revolutionary hero, who was with Gen- 
eral Montgomeiy when the Heights of 
Abraham were scaled at Quebec. Mrs. 
Kemp, in her girlhood, accompanied her 
parents on horseback to Spring Creek 
Township, where she subsequently married 
Hiram Kemp. The latter died in 1851, 



618 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



when aged twenty-seven years. Five years 
later slie married Jaeob Yoiitsey and both 
died on the farm on which Mr. Kemp lives. 
There was no issue to the second union, 
but two sons were born to the first : Ben- 
jamin Franklin and Francis Marion, the 
latter of whom lives in Kansas. 

Benjamin F. Kemp attended the district 
schools in his youth and later enjoyed one 
term at Antioch College and one year in 
the Ohio Wesleyan University at Dela- 
ware, Ohio. These educational advantages 
placed him far ahead of the larger num- 
ber of his companions and he put his 
knowledge to the practical test of impart- 
ing it to others and for sixteen years 
taught school most acceptably through 
Miami County. He then purchased twenty 
acres of his present farm and when his 
mother died he inherited sixty acres, all of 
which he devotes to general farming and 
stock raising. The present comfortable 
residence was built during his mother's 
-lifetime. On July '28, 1875, Mr. Kemp was 
married to Miss Wilmina Search, a daugh- 
ter of Charles and Sarah J. Search, and 
they have one child, Warren B. The lat- 
ter married Grace Buchanan and they 
have two children, Margaret B. and Carl- 
ton F. 

In his political sentiments, Mr. Kemp 
has always 1>een identified with Democratic 
policies and he has frequently beeir elected 
to public office. He is a member of the 
present townshij) School Board and has 
served with efficiency as trustee and as 
jiistice of the peace. Since July, 1871, Mr. 
Kemp has lieen a member of the order of 
Odd Fellows at Fletcher, in which he has 
held all the offices, including that of dis- 
trict deputy grand master and at present 
being past grand master. Ever since unit- 



ing with this organization he has worked 
earnestly for the principles which it incul- 
cates. 

WILLIAM HENRY SMITH, whose ex- 
cellent farm of 105 acres lies in Lost Creek 
Township, one mile from the eastern line 
of Miami County, has been a quiet, general 
farmer for many yearg, but for a long 
period led a more active and adventurous 
life than falls to the lot of people geqer- 
ally. He was born in Clark County, Ohio, 
on the old Croft farm, October 11, 1848, 
and is a son of Enoch and Catherine 
(Rockey) Smith. 

Enoch Smith was born on a farm near 
Frankfort, Kentucky, in 1801. His father 
died when he was quite young and the 
mother moved first to Virginia, with her 
children, and then brought the family to 
Ohio and settled on a small place in Clark 
County, not far from Boston, where she 
died. Enoch had two brothers and two 
sisters, and as his mother's resources were 
small he started out for himself while still 
young, beginning to work as a teamster. 
Later he entered the employ of George 
Croft and shortly afterward was married 
to Catherine Rockey, a native of Lancas- 
ter, Ohio. Enoch Smith and wife remained 
with the Croft family for thirty years, giv- 
ing faithful service and receiving just re- 
muneration and high regard. In 1876 he 
bought a tract of sixty acres of land one 
mile north of the present farm of William 
H. Smith, and there he and wife passed the 
remaining years of their lives, respected 
and esteemed by all who knew them. The 
death of Enoch Smith took place when 
within sixteen days of his ninetieth year, 
and his widow died in 1893, two years 
later, at the home of her son, William 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



619 



Henry, when aged eighty years. They had 
eight children, namely: Jonathan, who is 
deceased ; Elizaheth, now deceased, who 
was the wife of Vincent Yiuks; Daniel, 
who is deceased; Martha, deceased, who 
was the wife of Levi Kirby, also deceased ; 
Catherine, who is the wife of Augustus 
Hagan, also deceased; William Henry; 
and Jacob and James, both of whom live in 
Clark County, Ohio. 

William Henry Smith is a very well in- 
formed man, but he secured but little 
school training in his youth, his services 
being required on the farm as soon as he 
was old enough to wield a hoe or hold a 
plough handle. He remembers the old log 
district schoolhouse where he was taught 
the rudiments by a young man who later 
became the distinguished soldier and 
statesman. Gen. O. W. Keitifer. In 1868 
he left home, being then a youth of about 
twenty years, and, in comjiany with his 
cousin, Jesse Benson, started for that land 
of adventure — the West. The boys utilized 
the railroad as far as the iron rail would 
transport them, which was to Laramie, 
Wyoming. They then started teaming to 
Helena, Montana, which, at that time was 
an inconceivably rough mining town and 
to reach it they had to travel through wild 
sections beset by savage Indian wari'iors. 
They reached Montana safely, however, al- 
though parties just before and after, on 
the same trail, were cruelly massacred. 
The boys fell in with the ways of the peo- 
ple to some extent, built a cabin on the 
creek in which they washed out their gold, 
sometimes digging up $1,000 in a single 
day for a week at a time, and remained 
there, with varying luck, for four years. 
They then returned to Clark County. 
where thev remained for nine months, and 



then went back to the same region, accom- 
panied by Henry Croft, Jr., and stayed 
there for seven years. 

Mr. Smith then came back to the East 
and in IHH'A he bought his present farm 
from George Sprinkle, after which he 
made his third trip to the gold fields, 
jjreviously renting his farm, on which he 
had lived for seventeen years, and selling 
his stock. On this occasion he remained 
in the far West only two years. His sec- 
ond trip would have proved his most 
profitable one had it not been undertaken 
about the time of the Custer massacre, 
when the Indians were 'on the war path. 
At that time, to save themselves from a 
like fate, the miners had to lay down their 
tools and waste their time i)ursuing the 
savages, and right near the camp where 
Mr. Smith was interested several of the 
miners were killed and scalped. On one 
occasion, just at that time, Mr. Smith says 
that the water had suddenly gone out of 
the ditch which supplied the camp, and 
the supposition was that the Indians had 
cut off the su]i]ily. Mr. Smith was given 
the doubtful honor of being ap})ointed to 
go and find out and he took the precaution 
to carry his loaded gun with him wlien he 
started to investigate. Fortimately he met 
no Indians in his ride of ten miles, but dis- 
covered that the trouble had been caused 
by a bear sfepjiing on a hand sj^ike that 
controlled the flow of water and thus shut 
it off. 

Mr. Smith formally engaged in thresh- 
ing after he settled on his farm, l»ut when 
his outfit wore out he decided to follow 
that industry no longer. He has never 
married, but his long camping experience 
has made him more indeiiendent of a good 
cook's hel)) than many who have not had 



620 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



it, and there are those of his friends who 
have sampled his dinners and declare they 
could not be improved on. The original 
writer of this sketch, however, regrets that 
it was necessary to decline with thanks the 
kind invitation extended to him to partici- 
pate in one of these repasts which was be- 
ing served at the time of the interview. 
Mr. Smith is a Republican in politics and 
has served as supervisor of the township. 
He belongs to the Odd Fellows' lodge at 
Addison. 

HARRY KINGSLEY KIRK, a general 
farmer and stock raiser in Lost Creek 
Township, Miami County, residing on his 
farm of forty acres, owns several other 
adjoining properties and is one of the sub- 
stantial men of this section. He was born 
May 28, 1868, at Catawba, Clark County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Rev. Eli and Ruth 
Ann (Moore) Kirk. 

The Kirk family is of Scotch ancestry 
and possiblj' the grandfather, William 
Kirk, was born in Scotland. He was a 
resident of Brown County, Ohio, when his 
son Eli was born, and there the latter grew 
to manhood. He united early with the 
Methodist Episcopal Church and later be- 
came a minister in the Cincinnati Confer- 
ence and preached at different points for 
a period covered by twelve years. He died 
when his son, Harry K., was a child a 
comparatively yoi;ng man. He married 
Ruth Ann ^Moore, who was a daughter of 
Philip and Rebecca Moore, who came to 
Ohio from Pennsylvania in 18.36 and set- 
tled in Lost Creek Township, Miami 
Coimty. They had three children : Harry 
Kingsley; Dora, who died in 1890; and 
]\fary, who died in 190.3. She was the wife 
of John Marshall of Addison, Ohio, and is 



survived by one child, Ralph K. Eli Kirk 
died in 1870, but his widow survived to be 
seventy years of age, dying in 1906. 

After his father died, Harry K. Kirk 
removed with his mother and two sisters 
to St. Paris, in Champaign County, where 
he attended school, taking a course of three 
years in the high school, after which he 
was employed for two years as a clerk by 
John Poorman in his dry goods store. Mr. 
Kirk then came to Miami County and 
bought the forty acres on which he has 
lived ever since, which is one-half of the 
old Moore farm, and to this he later added 
forty more acres, bought of the Fickes 
heirs, and fifty adjoining acres of the 
Weatherhead heirs. The Moore family 
came very early to Lost Creek Township, 
settling on the present farm when but five 
acres of the land had been partially cleared 
and when wild game still abounded in the 
forest. Philip Moore, the grandfather, 
was born and reared in Philadelphia 
County, Penna. His grandfather, Charles 
Moore, was killed at the battle of German- 
town, in the Revolutionary War, being an 
old man at that time. Philip Moore 
brought his family to Ohio in 1836 and died 
in 1879 in Lost Creek Township. His 
wife's name was Rebecca Shutt and she 
died in 1885. They had eight children, 
namely : Joseph ; William ; Susan, who was 
the wife of James Mitchell ; Charles ; Ruth 
Ann, who was the mother of Mr. Kirk; 
George, who resides at St. Paris and 
served during the Civil War as a member 
of the 147th 0. Vol. Inf.; John H., who 
was born January 30, 1840, on the Moore 
farm in Lost Creek Township, where he 
still resides, having never married; and 
Sarah, who also survives. 

On December 28, 1892, Harry K. Kirk 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



621 



was married to Miss Emma Nesbett, a 
daughter of James and Margaret Nesbett, 
of Troy, Ohio, and they have had four 
children: Harry Leon, Mabel, Mary and 
George, the eldest of whom died when 
aged thirteen months. Both Mr. Kirk and 
Mr. Moore are stanch Republicans. 

JOSEPH A. CASSEL, residing on a 
well unproved farm of 140 acres, which be- 
longs jointly to himself and wife and is 
situated on the Covington-Polo turnpike 
road, and Piqua and Stillwater pike, two 
and one-half miles north of Covington, is 
one of the township's well known and re- 
spected citizens. He was born March 10, 
1849, in Hancock County, Illinois, and is 
a son of John and Lydia (Hittle) Cassel. 

The father of Mr. Cassel was a native of 
Pennsylvania and his mother of Newton 
Township, Miami County, Ohio. About 
1848 John Cassel bought a farm in Han- 
cock County, Illinois, and died there, Jo- 
seph Cassel being then an infant. After 
this bereavement, the latter 's mother re- 
turned to Ohio and settled near Greenville, 
in Darke County, where she lived until her 
death. 

Joseph Cassel had few educational op- 
portunities in his boyhood. The death of 
his father left his mother with many cares 
and responsibilities and she was obliged to 
find homes for her children when she could 
no longer take care of them herself. Jo- 
seph was nine years old when he was taken 
into the family of his half-brother, Michael 
Cassel, with whom' he remained until he 
was twelve years old, and being by that 
time able to be useful, found a home for 
some years with his other half-brothers. 
His boyhood and youth are recalled as sea- 
sons of much toil and few periods of 



recreation. After starting out independ- 
ently, he worked for twenty-seven years 
as a farm hand and during this time he 
saved money and made many friends 
through the agricultural districts, friends 
he has kept to the present day. 

On October 21, 1876, Mr. CasseP was 
married to Miss Nancy Mohler, who was 
born and reared one and one-half miles 
south of Greenville Falls, in Newton 
Township. Her parents were Henry and 
Hannah (Deeter) Mohler. Mr. and ]klrs. 
Cassel have four children, namely: Han- 
nah May, who is the wife of Frank Eb- 
berts, residing in Newberry Township, has 
three children — Leroy, RajTQond and 
Frank; iNfartha Ann, who is the wife of 
Theodore Drake, has one son, Robert ; and 
Mary Charlotte and John Henry, both of 
whom live at home. 

Mr. and Mrs. Cassel moved on their 
present farm, which was formerly owned 
by Henry Mohler, on December 19, 1S76, 
and they lived here for two years and then 
moved on a farm near Painter Creek, on 
which they resided for four years, when 
they returned to the home farm for sev- 
eral more years and then moved to Coving- 
ton, where they own a comfortable home. 
In a few years they again came back to 
the farm and now they occupy both liomes 
as they feel inclined. They are valued 
members of the German Baptist Church. 

JOHN A. ^VIRRIG, owner of ninety-one 
and one-half acres of excellent land, situ- 
ated two miles east of Piqua. was born 
in Warren County, Ohio, October 28, 1850, 
but has lived in Spring Creek Township, 
Miami County, almost all his life. 

Baltzer Wirrig, father of John A., was 
born in France and was thirty-six years 



622 



HISTOEY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of age when he came to America. For a 
time he worked as a wheelwright and car- 
penter in New York, coming then to Cin- 
cinnati, where he worked five years as 
miller and millwright for the Shakers, in 
Warren County, Ohio. He made a trip 
that covered two years to the mining- 
regions of California, but in September, 

1868, bought the farm now owned by his 
son, John A., and moved on it in March, 

1869. He died on this farm June 12, 1872. 
He married Margaretha Graf, a native of 
Bavaria, Germany, who was living in Cin- 
cinnati at that time. They had nine chil- 
dren and the four survivors are: Mary, 
Mrs. Knopple, residing at Dayton; John 
A. ; Casper, residing at New Albany, Indi- 
ana; and Anna, residing at Dayton. 

John A. Wiri'ig was just two years old 
when his parents came to Spring Creek 
Township, and here he attended school 
through his boyhood. For about four 
years he worked on the Northwestern 
Eailroad near Chicago and then returned 
to Miami County and followed farming at 
different points until 1893. He purchased 
the homestead in 1898, and has been en- 
gaged in its cultivation and improvement 
ever since. He has greatly imi)roved the 
place and has erected almost all of the sub- 
stantial buildings now standing. 

Mr. Wirrig was married at Chicago, 
May 19, 1874, to Miss Agnes Heuring, a 
daughter of John Heuring, of German ex- 
traction. They have had the following 
chihlren: Joseph, who married Minnie 
Weingart, has three children — Helen, 
Ealph and Hilda; George C, who lives in 
Iowa; Karl, who resides at home; Anna, 
who lives in a Western State ; Elward, who 
married Carlotta Hickey, lives in Pitts- 
burg; Minnie and August, both reside at 



home ; and William, who lives in Iowa. Mr. 
Wirrig and wife are members of the Cath- 
olic Church at Piqua. In his jjolitical 
views he is a Democrat. 

JACOB C. KATHERMAN, one of New- 
berry Township's best known citizens and 
the owner of one of its finest farms, is pro- 
prietor of the Pleasant Ridge Farm, which 
is situated on the turnpike road which 
separates Darke from Miami County, and 
one mile north of Bradford, in the latter 
county. He was born on a farm in Adams 
Township, Darke County, Ohio, three miles 
west of his present i^lace, June 21, 1867, 
and is a son of Jeremiah and x\nna (Chris- 
tian) Katherman. 

Jacob C. Katherman was reared on his 
birthplace farm, on which his parents 
liassed the whole period of their married 
life. In 1891 he moved to his farm in New- 
berry Township, making few improve- 
ments until 1903, when he started in to 
erect the substantial and appropriate farm 
buildings which do much to add to the 
value of this property and largely to its 
attractive appearance. His plans re- 
quired the expenditure of a large amount 
of money, but Mr. Katherman had full 
confidence in himself and inspired it in 
others, so that he had no difficulty in bor- 
rowing the necessary $5,000 with which 
he made the improvements that he had in 
mind. This indebtedness is all paid and 
other improvements have been made, and 
Mr. Katherman is considered one of the 
substantial as well as one of the most re- 
liable men of this section. In addition to 
carrying on a general agricultural line, 
since 1905 he has devoted a part of his 
eighty acres to pasturage, keeping twelve 
cows and carrving on dairying. He has 




DARIUS W. WEDDLE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



625 



been very active in promoting all agricul- 
tural progress in Miami County and for 
ten years served as a member of the Fair 
Board, from 1898 imtil 1908, during all 
this period working hard to make the agri- 
cultural expositions successful. His ac- 
quaintances and fi-iends are many at Troy, 
Piqua and other points. 

Mr. Katherman married Miss Ella Lox- 
ley, a daughter of B. F. and Phebe Ann 
(Kaylor) Loxley, and they have a family 
of seven children, namely: Ethel, who is 
the wife of Owen B. Smith ; and Benjamin, 
Chloe, Jeremiah, Paul, Opal and Llora. 
Mr. Katherman was reared in the Dunkard 
Church, in which his father was a 
preacher. He is a prominent member of 
the Odd Fellows at Bradford. 

CHAELES P. HOOVER, who has been 
successfully operating a stone quarry in 
Newberry Township, south of Covington, 
at the bridge that crosses the Stillwater 
Eiver, for the past six years, owns six 
acres of land in this township, of which he 
is a representative citizen. Mr. Hoover 
was born on a farm in Darke County, Ohio, 
just west of his present place. May 21, 
1851, and is a son of Absolom and Sarah 
(Patty) Hoover, and a grandson of Noah 
Hoover, who came from South Carolina. 

The father of Mr. Hoover was a farmer 
and in clearing up his land was accidental- 
ly killed by the fall of a tree. May 28, 1856. 
His widow subsequently married N. "\V. 
Furnace, and is also deceased. When 
Charles P. Hoover was eleven years old he 
was taken to the home of Alfred Iddings, 
a farmer in Concord Township, Miami 
County, with whom he lived for two years, 
and later lived two years with Clark 
Adams. His mother then contracted her 



second marriage and moved to Newberry 
Township and then Charles returned to 
her and lived at home until 1870, assisting 
his stepfather, and under him learned the 
trade of stone-cutter. Mr. Hoover has 
worked at this trade ever since he was six- 
teen years of age and started out for him- 
self at what is known as the Jackson quar- 
ries, in Newton Township. In large meas- 
ure, Mr. Hoover is a self-made man and 
what he owns he has acquired through his 
own industry and good management. 

When eighteen years of age, Mr. Hoover 
was married to Miss Sarah Curtis, who 
was born and reared at West ^lilton, the 
same place in which Mr. Hoover's father 
was born. Mrs. Hoover also lost her 
father in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover 
have three children: Mary Belle, William 
C. and Forrest R. Mary Belle is the wife 
of II. M. Williams of Covington, and they 
have four children — Helen, Lucille, 
Charles and Dwight. W. C. is in the Gov- 
ernment service, being a clerk in the post- 
office at Cincinnati. He married Edith 
Pifer of Gettysburg, Ohio, and they have 
one son, Farrin. Forrest R., residing at 
Covington, is agent and telegraph operator 
for the C, H. & D. Railroad. He married 
Tessie Wilson and they have one daughter, 
]\rar}' Margaret. ^Ir. Hoover is an Odd 
Fellow. 

DARIUS WILLIA:\I WEDDLE, whose 
splendid farm of 240 acres is situated in 
Section 17, Elizabeth Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is known as the Plain 
Yievr Farm, was born in Floyd County, 
Virginia, November 1.3, 1848. His parents 
were Rev. John B. and Louanna (Sim- 
mons) Weddle. 

Andrew Weddle, the grandfather, was 



626 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



born in Germany and came to America 
witli two brothers and settled in Floyd 
County, Virginia. He acquired some 1,500 
acres and engaged extensively in farming 
and stock-raising. As was the German 
custom, his estate was so divided that his 
sons received the land and his daughters 
were given money. He married Nancy 
Boone, who was a daughter of the Indian 
fighter and Kentucky pioneer, Daniel 
Boone, and to this union were born eleven 
children, as follows: Samuel, Benjamin, 
Levi, John B., Sarah, Isaac, Joseph, Eliza, 
Josiah, and two of whom there is no 
record. 

John B. Weddle received 179 acres of 
his father's homestead and was an inde- 
pendent farmer in Floyd County but left 
the management of his property to others 
as his duties as a minister of the German 
Baptist or Brethren Church kept him 
away from home for long seasons. He vis- 
ited the sparsely settled parts of Virginia, 
North Carolina, and Tennessee, making his 
pastoral visits on horseback. He married 
Louanna Simmons, a daughter of Kara 
and Elizabeth Simmons, the former, Kara 
Simmons, lived to the age of seventy-six 
years and the latter completing all but 
four years of a century. Their burial took 
place on their own land in Floyd County. 
The children born to John B. Weddle and 
wife were: Lorenzo D., Darius William, 
Callahill M., LaFayette, Jabez and Ellen 
Catherine. 

Darius William Weddle remembers the 
first scliool be attended, one of the sub- 
scription class, and the sessions were held 
in an old log building, in Floyd County, 
not far from his home. He was more am- 
bitious than many of his schoolmates and 
prevailed upon his father to permit him 



to attend the graded school at Jacksonville 
for a j^ear, after which he entered the Ash- 
land Agricultural College, at Ashland, the 
old home of that great statesman, Henry 
Clay, and here he was instructed along the 
lines of scientific farming. Mr. Weddle 
completed his education in the National 
Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio. Then 
followed his marriage and settlement on 
his father-in-law's farm for one year, when 
he located on his present farm in the 
northwestern corner of Elizabeth Town- 
ship. Mr. Weddle contracted at first to 
rent the place, which he did for two years, 
furnishing all his own tools, machinery, 
stock and seed, and receiving one-third of 
the crop as his share. He soon discovered 
that with his superior knowledge of agri- 
culture he could make a fine showing on 
this land and first bought 160 acres of his 
father-in-law, then bought the additional 
eighty acres, from Mr. Studebaker's heirs, 
and thus came into possession of the whole 
property. All the excellent buildings now 
standing have been erected by Mr. Weddle, 
including his handsome two-story pressed 
brick house, which contains fourteen large 
well lighted and thoroughly ventilated 
rooms, with the exception of an old house 
and barn. He has set out two orchards, 
one of ajDple and one of plum and has 
small fruits in abundance. During 1907 
and 1908 he engaged in tobacco-growing, 
in the last year devoting fifteen acres to 
the leaf, at the same time building a fine 
tobacco house. Had Mr. Weddle followed 
the methods of some of his neighbors, his 
farm would probably never have been more 
productive than theirs, for the land is nat- 
urally not very fertile. He recognized that 
he would have to build it up and also to 
drain a part of it, putting in 2,000 rods of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



627 



tile. On his place he has proven the value 
of scientific farming and the benefits that 
accrue from systematic training. 

On January 24, 1878, Mr. Weddle was 
married to Miss Anna W. Studebaker, a 
daughter of Eev. Isaac S. and Anna (War- 
ner) Studebaker, of Elizabeth Township, 
and they have had eight children, namely : 
Harvey William, Albert S., James Arthur, 
Carrie Estella, Dora Lee; Louanna; Isaac 
S. ; and Bessie Milicent. The following are 
deceased: Harvey William, James Arthur", 
Louanna. 

Mr. and Mrs. Weddle are members of 
the Brethren Church, in which he is a dea- 
con and trustee. In his political views he 
is a Eepublican but has never consented to 
accept any public office. He is a shrewd, 
capable man of business, broad minded on 
almost every question and a citizen of 
whom his township has reason to be proud. 

B. F. SIIilMONS, owner of a valuable 
farm of 240 aci'os in Brown Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, comes of one of the 
very earliest families of the county. He 
was born in Spring Creek Township July 
24, 1848, and is a son of Peter Simmons. 
The family is of English origin and in 
America dates back to the coming of the 
Pilgrim Fathers in the Mayflower. It be- 
came established in Virginia, where it 
flourished many years, then migrated 
westward to Ohio, first locating in Cincin- 
nati. The Simmonses came to Miami 
County when it was sparsely settled and 
almost wholly undeveloped, the great- 
grandfather of the subject of this sketch 
entering all the land from ITrbana Pike 
south one and a half miles and east one 
mile, including the square upon which 
Fletcher is situated; at that point he 



erected three houses. The great-grand- 
mother of B. F. Simmons died near Staun- 
ton and was buried in a walnut log which 
had been split open and hewn out. 

Peter Simmons was born in Brown 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, and there 
grew to manhood. He engaged in farm- 
ing there until 1853, then moved with his 
family to Indiana, where he became owner 
of a forty-acre farm. After his death, his 
widow and her two sons returned to a 
farm in Brown Township, Miami County, 
Ohio. 

B. F. Simmons, after his return from 
Indiana, lived with his uncle, L. R. Sim- 
mons, until his marriage, at which time he 
purchased a part of his present farm. He 
erected a house on the place and lived in 
it with his family until 1903, when he 
moved to his present place, on which he 
had erected a fine modern eight-room 
frame house. He also built a substantial 
bank barn, and made many other desirable 
improvements. He carries on general 
farming and makes a specialty of raising 
livestock, at which he has been very suc- 
cessful. 

Mr. Simmons was vmited in marriage 
with Eachel Jane Sanders, who was born 
and reared on the western part of what is 
now her husband's farm, and is a daughter 
of Elihue and Margaret Sanders of Spring 
Creek Township. The following children 
were born to them : Elmer E., who died at 
the age of fourteen years; Effie M., de- 
ceased wife of A. E. Wilson; J. W. Sim- 
mons who is in the elevator business in 
Shelby County and is the father of one 
child, ]\Iajorie Ailene ; Harry E., of Brown 
Township, who married Daisy Miller and 
has a daughter, Audrey Florence; F. W. 
Simmons, a resident of Dayton, has one 



628 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



son, Kenneth; and Charles L., who mar- 
ried Gertrude Hotter. Eeligiously, the 
family belongs to the Christian Church. 
Mr. Simmons is a Democrat in politics, is 
a member of the School Board, and also 
of the County Agricultural Board. Fra- 
ternally, he is a member of the Indepen- 
dent Oi"der of Odd Fellows, and the Junior 
Order United American Mechanics. He 
belongs also to the National Horse-Thief 
Association. 

CHARLES BOEHEINGER, a repre- 
sentative and substantial citizen of Cov- 
ington, residing in his handsome two-story 
brick residence, which he erected in 1885, 
on the northeast corner of High and 
Bridge Streets, was born in Germany, Feb- 
ruary 13, 1842, and is a son of Jacob and 
Katrina (Voght) Boehringer. 

After the death of the father of Mr. 
Boehringer, in Germany, the widow and 
ten children began to plan to emigrate to 
America. Several of the family came to 
the United States and settled at Philadel- 
phia, where George engaged in work as a 
bridge carpenter for the Pennsylvania 
Railroad Company at first, but soon came 
to Covington. Charles remained in Ger- 
many with one sister and the mother un- 
til he was nineteen years old, and then they 
came together to America and joined those 
of the family then living at Philadelphia, 
each one, with German thrift, having 
found profitable emplojonent. From Phila- 
delphia, Charles came on to Covington to 
make a visit to his brother George, and 
after reaching here decided to remain. He 
learned the carpenter trade with his 
brother and worked with him for fifteen 
years. In 1878 he went back to Philadel- 
phia, where he conducted a butcher busi- 



ness for two years, after which he returned 
to Covington and bought out the Levering 
butcher shop, and continued in the meat 
business for some eighteen years, and dur- 
ing this time was also iutei'ested in a stone 
quarry. Mr. Boehringer still retains the 
quarry and he owns also eighteen acres of 
very valuable land that is included in the 
corporate limits of Covington. He has ac- 
quired an ample fortune and all through 
the legitimate channels of business. 

In 1865, Mr. Boehringer was married to 
Miss Margaret AVagner, who was born in 
Germany and was about eight years old 
when she was brought to America by her 
parents, Peter and Rosina (Buck) Wag- 
ner. Her parents both died in Covington, 
where her father conducted a shoe store 
for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Boeh- 
ringer have five children, namely: Peter, 
who is in the restaurant business at Cov- 
ington; Rosie, who is the wife of Charles 
Koon, of Coving-ton; Edward, who follows 
a blacksmith business; Harry, who en- 
gages in tobacco growing on his father's 
land, has a family of his own. Mr. and 
Mrs. Boehringer are members of the Lu- 
theran Church. In politics he has always 
been a strong Democrat and has served 
very acceptably as a member of the city 
council, for several terms. 

A. L. CODDINGTON is a prosperous 
farmer of Brown Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and resides on the old Coddington 
home place, which comprises 280 acres of 
valuable land. He was born on the place 
where he now lives, July 5, 1873, and is a 
son of James H. and Jane (Morris) Cod- 
dington. 

James H. Coddington was born on the 
south eighty acres of his present farm. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



629 



which his father, David Coddington, pur- 
chased after his arrival in Miami County. 
He was but a cliild when the latter died. 
He attended the common schools of Brown 
Township and then went out to make his 
way in the world. He worked for a time 
for his uncle, John Hill, and some time 
later bought out the other heirs' interests 
in the eighty acres owned by his father. 
To this he added 200 acres which he pur- 
chased from Thornton and John Lucas, 
making a tine property acquired solely 
througli his own industry and enterprise 
and also acquired a ninety-six-acre tract 
in Brown Township. He is retired from 
business activity, but continues to reside 
on a part of the old place. He was mar- 
ried to Jane Morris of Champaign County, 
and they became parents of three children, 
as follows: Edward F., who lives in Co- 
lumbus and fills the chair of Mathematics 
in Ohio State University; A. L., whose 
name heads this sketch; and C. Harvey, 
who owns and conducts a farm in Cham- 
paign County, Ohio. 

A. L. Coddington attended the public 
schools of Brown Township, the village 
schools at Conover and the Lena High 
School, after which he pursued an agri- 
cultural course in the Ohio State Uni- 
versity. This was supplemented by a com- 
mercial course at Sidney, Ohio, after which 
he was for seven years employed as book- 
keeper at Cleveland. Ohio. In 1908, he re- 
turned to the home farm, of which he has 
since had charge. He farms along sci- 
entific lines with good results and is also 
quite extensively engaged in stock rais- 
ing. He is the owner of a well known stal- 
lion. Young Senator, and has other thor- 
oughbred stock. 

Mr. Coddington was united in marriage 



with Miss Lillian A. Williams, a native of 
Shelby County, Ohio, and they have had 
two daughters: Elsa Modjeska, who died 
May 4, 1909, aged seven years and six 
months; and Lillian Ethel, who was born 
October 11, 1902. Politically, Mr. Codding- 
ton is a Democrat and takes a deep interest 
in the successes of that party. 

LEWIS F. AVOLCOTT, owner of 105 
acres lying south of Conover, in Brown 
Township, has one of the best improved 
farms in that part of the county. He 
comes of an old and respected family of 
]\Iiami County, and was born on the farm 
lying on the opposite side of the road from 
his present place, January 2, 1853. He is 
a son of Benjamin L. and Jane E. (Boyd) 
"Woleott, and a grandson of John H. and 
Sarah (James) Wolcott. 

John H. Wolcott came to Miami County, 
Ohio, from Warren County, Ohio, some 
years after his marriage, and became 
prominent among the early citizens and 
farmers of Brown Township. He was one 
of the county's early surveyors and served 
for a time as county surveyor; he also was 
among the first to conduct a nursery in 
the county. His death occurred here at the 
age of eighty-two years, and liis wife, who 
was Sai-ah James in maiden life, died at 
the advanced age of ninety-three years. 
They were parents of seven children. 

Benjamin L. Wolcott was born in War- 
ren County, Ohio, and was about two years 
old when brought by his parents to Miami 
County. He was reared in Brown Town- 
ship, where he attended the public schools, 
and during his early business career en- 
gaged in carj^entering. About 1861 or 
1862, he turned his attention to farming 
on the old home place, and there continued 



630 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



without interruption until his death at the 
age of eighty-two years. He was married 
to Jane E. Boyd, who was born in Cham- 
paign County, Ohio, and died at the early 
age of thirty-nine years. The following 
children were the offspring of their mar- 
riage : William, who died young ; John G., 
who lives in Champaign County ; Lewis F. ; 
Emily Jane, who is the wife of John 
Michael and lives in Shelby County, Ohio ; 
and Jerrod, who lives on the old home 
place in Brown Township. Benjamin L. 
Wolcott was the owner of eighty acres at 
the time of his death. 

Lewis F. Wolcott attended the public 
schools . of his home community, after 
which he worked on his -father's farm. In 
1873 he i^urchased his present farm, but 
did not move on it until 1880, some two 
years after his marriage. He erected the 
splendid home which adorns the place, and 
the other substantial farm buildings, eon- 
verting it into one of the best improved 
places in the community. He has followed 
general farming and stock raising along 
modern and approved lines, and has been 
more than ordinarily successful. 

Mr. Wolcott was first married in 1878 
to Miss Bachael Evans, who died without 
issue on October 20, 1880. In 1883 he 
formed a second union with Miss Susan 
Kinsey of Montgomery County, Ohio. Re- 
ligiously they are members of the Baptist 
Church at Lena. Mr. Wolcott is a Repub- 
lican in politics, and fraternally is affili- 
ated with the Masonic lodge at Lena. 

DAVID B. LANDIS, senior member of 
the firm of D. B. & W. M. Landis, funeral 
directors, established his present business 
ip Covington, June 19, 1889, and has fol- 
lowed same continuously .since that time. 



He was born August 31, 1850, near West 
Milton, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son 
of John and Anna (Bashor) Landis. 

John Landis, father of our subject, was 
born on a farm in West Charleston, near 
Tippecanoe City, Ohio, a son of David 
Landis, who was a native of Pennsylvania. 
He was a farmer by occupation and died in 
1866, being survived by his widow, who re- 
sides four miles west of Tippecanoe City, 
Miami County. She was born in Pennsyl- 
vania August_12, 1821, and when a girl 
came to this county with her parents. 

David B. Landis was reared to maturity 
on his father's farm, remaining at home 
until about eighteen years of age, and then 
learned the carpenter's trade at Bradford. 
After leaving the parental roof, he located 
for a time near Pleasant Hill, and for the 
past forty years has followed carpenter- 
ing and general contracting in connection 
with his undertaking establishment, tak- 
ing, in 1907, his cousin, W. M. Landis, as a 
partner in the undertaking business. 

David B. Landis was united in marriage. 
May 8, 1870, to Frances Kendig, who was 
born in Pennsylvania and at the age of 
four years came to Covington with her 
parents, Reuben and Mary (Lenhart) Ken- 
dig. Her father was a farmer and butcher 
by occupation and died on October 21, 1880, 
the mother's death occurring November 21, 
1871. Two children were born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Landis : Viola, married Oscar John- 
son and has two children — Oscar M. and 
Ferrel Amanda ; and Anna Merle, who was 
first united in marriage with Charles F. 
Deeter, by whom she has one child, 
Frances. About two years after the death 
of her husband, Mrs. Deeter, while attend- 
ing school at Huntington, Pennsylvania, 
met Samuel C. Gnagey, who came to Miami 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



631 



County iu lUUG, t'rom Maryland, and whom 
she later married. They reside at West 
Milton, Ohio, and have one child, Susan 
Ruth. Mr. Landis stands high in the esti- 
mation of his fellow citizens and is one of 
the leading business men of Covington. 
He is a member of the Church of the 
Brethren. 

SAMUEL \). EOYER, representative 
citizen and retired farmer of Newberry 
Township, residing on his farm of sixty- 
two acres, which lies just east of the 
Brethren Church, north of Bradford, was 
bom on a farm in Union County, Pennsyl- 
vania, June 3, 1840, and is a son of Jacob 
and Susanna (Myers) Royer, both of 
whom died in Union County. 

Samuel D. Royer was reared in his na- 
tive place and obtained a good common 
school education. Both he and his brother, 
J. G. Royer, a prominent retired citizen 
of Mt. Morris, Illinois, engaged in teach- 
ing school after their own scliool-days were 
over. Samuel D. tauglit only four mouths 
and then came to Darke County, reaching 
here in the spring of 18G4, since which time 
until he retired he engaged in farming. J. 
G. Royer was a teacher for fifty years, fol- 
lowing that profession in Pennsylvania, 
Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and when he 
finally retired from the educational field 
he was president of Mt. Morris College at 
Mt. Morris, Illinois. Samuel D. Royer was 
married in the year following his settle- 
ment iu Ohio and located first on the old 
Jerry Katherman farm in Darke County, 
which he operated for five years, when he 
moved on the Jacob Senseman farm, south- 
west of Bradford, and lived there for two 
and one-half years. In August, 1873, he 
moved to his farm in Newberry Township 
that is now owned by his daughter and 



husband, and came from there to his pres- 
ent place, January 31, 1907. This farm he 
has greatly improved, all the substantial 
buildings having been erected by himself. 

Mr. Royer was married in Darke 
County, Ohio, in 1865, to Miss Mary Mum- 
mert, a daughter of Joseph and sister of 
John Mummert, and they have one child, 
Catherine. She married D. I. Hoover and 
they have two children: Mary Etta and 
Harley, both of whom are graduates of Mt. 
Morris College of the class of 1909. Mr. 
Hoover was a native of Darke County. He 
is a man of considerable prominence in 
this section, being one of the directors of 
the Bradford Home Telephone Company, 
a director in the Bradford National Bank 
and one of the trustees of the Brethren 
Cemetery. For twenty-four years Mr. 
Royer has been a minister in the Brethren 
Church and few men are better known or 
more highly esteemed through Miami and 
Darke Counties. 

DANIEL BOYER, owner of 108 acres 
of very valuable farming land, which is 
divided into three tracts, all situated in 
Newberry Township, Miami County, lives 
on a five-acre lot which lies about four and 
one-half miles northwest of Covington. He 
was born in York County, Pennsylvania, 
June 11, 1857, and is a son of Mannasse 
and Lavina (Luckenbaugh) Boyer. 

When Mr. Boyer was about seven years 
of age, his parents moved to Ohio and set- 
tled in Darke County, and lived on differ- 
ent farms there. The father still resides 
in Darke County. The mother died in 
January, 1903. Daniel Boyer attended the 
country schools as opportunity offered and 
grew to manhood well acquainted with 
every detail of farming. After his mar- 
riage, in 1881, Mr. Boyer rented his 



632 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



father's farm of 160 acres in Darke 
County, for six years. In 1887 he moved 
to Newberry Townshii?, Miami County, 
and has resided here ever since. One of 
his farms, containing forty acres, is the 
old homestead farm of his wife and it is 
now operated by his son, Clarence. A sec- 
ond farm he has under rental, while, al- 
though practically retired, he manages the 
home iDlace himself. Here he has done a 
large amoimt of improving. His fine frame 
residence he has equipped with a furnace 
and a light plant and it is one of the most 
modern rural residences in this section. 

In 1881 Mr. Boyer was married to Miss 
Mary Ellen Crowel, a daughter of John 
Crowel. a prominent farmer of Newberry 
Township. They have had six children, 
namely: Ira Olonzo, who is in the farm 
implement business at Gettysburg, Ohio, 
married Daisy Horner and they have one 
child, Gertrude; Clarence Homer, who op- 
erates the old Crowel farm, as mentioned 
above, married Florence Flory; Eva 
Venorah, who is the wife of Harry Chris- 
tian, of Covington, has one child, Harry 
Gerald; John Lowell and Linus Leonard, 
both of whom reside at home; and Lova 
Catherine, who died at the age of one year, 
seven months and nine days. Mr. Boyer 
and family belong to the German Baptist 
Church. 

WILLIAM GAHAGAN, soldier hero 
and pioneer of Montgomery and Miami 
Counties. Of this historical character we 
have received the following account 
throiTgh one of his descendants : 

Of good Scotch-Irish stock he had been 
reared under Presbyterian influences in 
"Western Pennsylvania, and when nineteen 
years old came down the river to join 
Wayne's army, in which he served with 



distinction through the war. In the spring 
of 1794 we find him with Benjamin Van 
Cleve in charge of a portion of a fleet of 
twelve boats under Caj^tain Hugh Wilson, 
commissary of an expedition under escort 
of a detachment of troops carrying provi- 
sions and supplies from Cincinnati to Fort 
Massac. Young Gahagau, a dashing fel- 
low, fearless and possessing a level head 
that carried him through every emergency, 
was bearer of duplicate despatches from 
General Wayne to Fort Washington to be 
forwarded to authorities in Washington 
City. While passing from Fort Loramie 
down the Miami, his horse was disabled 
by a shot from a lurking foe, who, seeing 
that he had not killed Gahagan, fled pre- 
cipitately. Gahagan, mindful of his re- 
sponsibility as a messenger, made the rest 
of the journey on foot, eighty-five miles, to 
Cincinnati; for which sr-irnce he received 
the highest commendatioi^ on his return to 
the army. With the same rifle that he 
carried on that lonely, perilous journey, he 
fought in the ranks to final victory un- 
der Wayne on the Mauniee, and it ever 
rested in a con.spicuous place in his cabin 
at Dayton, and for forty years was a war 
relic in his home near Troy. 

L'pon honorable discharge from the army 
at the close of the war Mr. Gahagan took 
service with former comrades Van Cleve 
and Mercer, as hunter for the corps of sur- 
veyors under Cai)tain John Dunlap, run- 
ning township and range lines between the 
^Vliami and Mad Rivers, and later in the 
field work west of the Miami, from Fort 
Hamilton to Fort Recovery. In the spring 
of 1796 he came with the Thompson, Van 
Cleve and McClure families, sharing pri- 
vations and perils that bound them in close 
friendship for life. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



633 



Mr. Galiagan was the jolly man of the 
party of first settlers and liis })oi)ularity 
increased with the growth of tlie settle- 
ment, he being universally liked for his 
good natured ways and readiness to lend 
a hel))ing hand whenever occasion offered 
in the ten years of his residence here and 
in the Mad River neighborhood. 

One of the conditions named to induce 
the State commissioner to make Dayton 
the county seat was that Main Street, from 
the river to Fifth Street, should be cleared 
of timber and graded. The trunks of trees 
hauled from clearing the street were rolled 
into the mud, then in i^laces three logs 
high earth was filled in and the road grad- 
ed. Mr. Gahagan became overseer of the 
work, at first free of charge, then under 
pay by contract. 

Finding that he could not push his con- 
tract to completion, Mr. Gahagan and 
family moved to Miami County, he having 
entered a section of prairie and timber 
land which came to be known as "Gaha- 
gan's Prairie," on the Miami across from 
the "Dutch Station" — Staunton, and im- 
mediately east of the site of the present 
city of Troy. This was the ground where 
ten years before his faithful horse was 
shot and from whence he started on his 
journey to Cincinnati on foot. This prairie 
had been tilled by the Indians, then begin- 
ning with the spring of 1799, by John 
Knoop, Benjamin Knoop, Henry Gerard, 
Benjamin Hamlet and John Tilden for live 
years, when Mr. Gahagan and family took 
possession in 1805. The deed to the land 
was not issued to him until four years 
later and was signed December 1, 1809, by 
James Madison, president of the United 
States. A few years later he purchased a 



large tract of land upon which the busi- 
ness portion of Troy now stands. 

The Gahagan land, being so favorably 
located, no great effort was required to 
influence the commissioners to purchase 
thirty acres at nominal price to establish 
Troy, in the center of his heavy timber as 
the seat of justice for Miami County. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gahagan decided to unite 
with others in forming a Methodist class 
and building a meeting-house in Troy, and 
they donated a lot on the corner of Main 
and Clay Streets for the purpose. 

They donated to the village for burying 
grounds the four-acre lot on which now 
stands the Fjastern Schoolhouse, the 
ground to revert to his heirs wlieu aban- 
doned as a ]ilace of burial. Wlien the time 
came for establishing a larger cemetery, 
the heirs of "William II., John Gahagan 
and Polly C-lai-k decided that the old bury- 
ing ground should remain public jyroperty 
as donated by their father. The friends of 
the deceased, who were living, removed all 
their own dead, and those unclaimed were 
removed by the city, so that the grounds 
were cleared ready for the new school 
building, and a i)layground for the chil- 
dren. The beautiful grove of forest trees 
was left undisturbed, a part of the grounds 
were filled, graded and other trees planted 
thereon. It is one of the attractive school 
grounds in the city and is known as the 
Forest School Building. 

He also assisted in establishing Rose 
Hill Cemetery, north of town, and in which 
lie his remains, the grave being marked by 
a plain limestone slab which bears his 
name, AVilliam Gahagan. Although he had 
been a member of the Presbyterian con- 
gregation at Dayton, and of the Methodist 



634 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



congregation at Troy, he did not become a 
member of either church. 

In the winter of 1803-04 he married 
Nancy Ilamer, daughter of William Ha- 
mer, the first Methodist class leader in the 
Dayton settlement. His first child, Will- 
iam Hamer Gahagan, was born March 16, 
1805, in Dayton, Montgomery County. 

Two other sons, John and Solomon, and 
one daughter, Polly, were born in Miami 
County. They lived and died on the land 
inherited from their father, who braved 
the perils of frontier life to make their 
home. 

William Hamer, the first born, married 
Hester Culbertson, whom he always called 
"Hetty Pet;" to them were born five chil- 
dren: Anna, who married David Cory, of 
New Carlisle, has two sons living, Thomas 
Harrison, and Edward Everett. Two 
other daughters, Mary and Jane, married 
two Peterson brothers, Alexander, and 
William. Jane had three children, "Hetty 
Pet," Harry Gahagan and Clarence Wil- 
son Peterson. Emma Gahagan married 
James Moorhead of New Carlisle in 1864, 
and died in Troy, 1908. The only son who 
lived to manhood was William Henry Har- 
rison Gahagan, born November 14, 1835. 
He married Hannah Smith of New Car- 
lisle. Of their three children, the oldest, 
Walter Hamer, is a civil engineer and con- 
tractor of New York City, and has twin 
sons, William Corthell and Frederick Mus- 
sen, and two daughters, Helen and Lillian. 
The oldest daughter, Mary Gahagan, mar- 
ried George Clyde, son of Judge W. J. 
Clyde of Troy, and Bessie Gahagan mar- 
ried C. W. Schaible, of Troy. The twin 
sons of Walter Hamer Gahagan are the 
only ones to perpetuate the name and 
memory of their great-great-grandfather, 



William Gahagan, pioneer, and one of the 
founders of the county seat of Miami 
County — honoi'ed hero of General Wayne's 
army. 

John Gahagan left one daughter, Clara 
Maria Gahagan, who was married to Will- A 
iam Senour, of Kentucky, in 1853, and left * 
one son, John Gahagan Senour, born July 
4, 1854, died April 21, 1904. He was for 
many years a prominent physician in the 
city of Troy. He left one living child, 
Laura Beall Senour, direct descendant of 
William Gahagan, who died in 1845. 

Solomon, third son of William and 
Nancy Hamer Gahagan, went to New Or- 
leans with a boatload of produce, loading 
the boat on the Great Miami River on their 
own ground. He never was heard from 
afterwards. A diligent search by William 
failed to find any trace of his movements 
after he pushed off from shore at their own 
landing. It was generally supposed he had 
been robbed and murdered by some of the 
numerous pirates who infested the rivers 
and preyed upon the shippers. 

THE PIQUA HANDLE & MANUFAC- 
TURING COMPANY, of Piqua, Ohio, 
manufacturers of all kinds of Farming 
Tool Handles, including Long and D Han- 
dles — Lawn Mower Handles — Carpet 
Sweeper Handles — Wood Turnings, etc., 
is one of the leading industries of Miami 
County and the largest manufactory of 
wood turnery and specialties in the world. 
It has three plants — at Piqua, Ohio, 
Thompsonville, Mich., and Osceola, Ark., 
and offices in New York City, the main 
plant and home office being at Piqua, Ohio. 

The business was established in 1880 in 
a small building on River Street. In 1886 
the company removed to its present loca- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



635 



tion, which has been greatlj^ enlarged and 
improved since then, the buildings and 
yards covering an entire city block. In 
1903 branch plants were established in 
Thompsonville, Mich., and Osceola, Ark., 
owing to the scarcity of raw material. 
Hence their raw material at the present 
time is drawn from Ohio, Indiana, Michi- 
gan and Arkansas. In the three plants 
from 300 to 500 men are emjiloyed. Their 
product is shipped to all parts of the 
world. "Piqua" Handles are known 
everywhere; excellent quality and high 
class workmanship have won for them a 
place on the market second to none. 

The expansion of the factories, the in- 
creased volume of business, and the results 
attained each year speak well for the 
strong and able management of the offi- 
cers, who are as follows : William Cook 
Rogers, president and general manager; 
A. M. Leonard, vice-president; J. F. 
Stewart, second vice-president ; C. H. Bar- 
nett, secretary; and R. L. Douglas, treas- 
urer. 

DAVID MANSON, an honored and 
highly esteemed citizen of Spring Creek 
Township, residing on a fine farm of eighty 
acres, located four miles east of Piqua, 
was born June 11, 1823, near Fletcher, Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, and is a son of Martin 
and Catherine (Smith) Manson. 

Martin Manson was reared about one 
and a half miles east of Fletcher and was 
there engaged in agricultural pursuits 
throughout his entire life. He married 
Catherine Smith and they reared a family 
of five sons and three daughters, of whom 
three sons and one daughter reside in 
Kansas. 

David Manson, the subject of this rec- 
ord, grew to maturity on his father's farm 



near Fletcher, and attended the district 
schools of the township, also assisting his 
father with the work on the farm. He 
then located for a period of five years 
on a farm in Spring Creek Township, re- 
turning to the home place after the death 
of his parents. Later he purchased his 
present farm of eighty acres in Spring 
Creek Townsliip, where he has since con- 
tinued to reside. He has always followed 
general farming and stock buying, and has 
one of the best improved farms in the 
township, his fine brick residence, and that 
of Mr. Millhouse, being the only two mod- 
ern brick dwellings in this section of the 
county. 

Mr. Manson was united in marriage with 
Elizabeth Covault, a daughter of Thomas 
Covault, of Miami County, and to them 
were born the following children: James 
Lewis, deceased; John H. ; Harley; Mem- 
ory; Catherine; Belle, deceased; Isa; and 
Rillie. Mrs. Manson died February 5, 
1909. Mr. Manson is a Democrat in poli- 
tics and served for thirteen years as trus- 
tee of Spring Creek Township. 

FRED B. MAGILL, proprietor of the 
Piqua Egg Farm, is conducting an enter- 
prise which he has developed from a small 
beginning to one of very large propor- 
tions, and now owns the largest poultry 
plant in Miami County. He was born at 
Avondale, near Cincinnati. 

After graduating from Deveaux College, 
New York, in 1886, Mr. Magill returned to 
Cincinnati and became identified with a 
scientific body for which he traveled for 
some time, collecting specimens of insects 
and of large game. In 1890 he went west, 
living for some time at Omaha and later 
on a ranch, and for a year and a half lived 
in a house-boat. This he launched at Des 



636 



HISTORY OF illAMI COUNTY 



Moines, Iowa, and in it traversed the Mis- 
sissippi and the Missouri Eivers and went 
as far south as Arkansas, making a great 
collection of insects, birds and Indian rel- 
ics. He is a born naturalist and the years 
he has spent in scientific work have been 
delightful ones to him and have added very 
largely to the general kuowledge of the 
country on these subjects. His travels 
have led him all over the United States, 
and there are few important scientific 
bodies in which his name is not held in 
high esteem. He has a remarkable collec- 
tion and permits students to visit it, im- 
parting information which is never found 
in text books. In 1901 Mr. Magill came 
to Piqua, buying five acres of land at that 
time, on which he started his poiiltry busi- 
ness. He breeds the AVhite Wyandotte 
birds, having a building for the same which 
is 500 feet long, and here raises from 2,000 
to 3,000 broods a year. Mr. Magill is a 
member of the Episcopal Church and was 
confirmed by Bishop Cox, of the Western 
Diocese of New York. 

JOHN H. COON, one of Newton Town- 
ship's most larominent citizens, the owner 
of a valuable farm of sixty-eight acres situ- 
ated in Sections 19 and 30, is also proprietor 
of the famous artesian well, which is on his 
farm and is located two and one-half miles 
south of Pleasant Hill and one mile west 
of the Dayton, Covington and Piqna trac- 
tion line. Mr. Coon was born October 4, 
1851, in Bethel Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, and is a son of William Harrison 
and Elizabeth (Hawn) Coon. 

William Harrison Coon was born in Vir- 
ginia. After marriage he moved to Allen 
County, Ohio, where he worked as a black- 
smith imtil he enlisted for service in the 



Civil W^ar, going out as a member of Com- 
pany E, Thirteenth 0. Vol. Inf., and con- 
tinued in the service for four years. He 
survived all the dangers and hardships of 
war, meeting with but one injury, in one 
battle having the point of his ear shot off. 
He returned to Ohio and settled in Bethel 
Township, Miami County, near New Car- 
lisle, following farming to some extent and 
also working at his trade. He then moved 
to a place southwest of Troy, where he 
worked as a blacksmith for three years, 
moving then to within one mile west of 
Troy, remaining there for three years, 
when he sold out and bought the fai"m lo- 
cated one and one-half miles east of his 
son's farm, on which he lived for the seven 
years preceding- his death. In politics he 
was a Democrat, and fraternally he was a 
Mason. He belonged also to the local 
Grange and was a consistent member of 
the Christian Church. He married Eliza- 
beth Hawn, a daughter of Jonathan Hawn, 
and they had five children, John H., Mary, 
Cieorge, William and Rebecca. Both pa- 
rents were buried in the Riverside Ceme- 
tery at Troy. 

John H. Coon was educated in the coun- 
try schools, after which, with the help of 
his brothers, he did a large part of the 
work on his father's farm, the latter being 
engaged at his trade. In farmiug, haul- 
ing wood and attending to stock, Mr. Coon 
worked at home until he was twenty-two 
years of age, after which he worked as a 
farm hand for about foiir years. After 
his marriage he resided for one year on his 
father-in-law's farm, three miles west of 
Troy, moving from there to a rented farm 
on the edge of Bradford, and one year later 
moved to a farm in Union Township. Two 
vears afterward he moved on the Harter 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



637 



farm, situated one and one-half miles west 
of Troy, and in 1907 he purchased a sixty- 
acre farm in Newton Township and oper- 
ated it for two years. Mr. Coon then 
moved to Pleasant Hill, and during the 
two years he lived there was engaged in 
a plumbing business, and then moved back 
to his present farm. He cleared about 
twenty acres and put in 300 rods of tile, 
which gives the land excellent drainage. 
Later he purchased eight acres additional, 
and on this tract is situated the notable 
artesian spring mentioned above. The im- 
provements on the farm Mr. Coon has 
l)Iaced here. He is not actively interested 
in farming, having a tenant who is a prac- 
tical agriculturist, thus relieving Mr. Coon 
and giving him time to perfect his plans in 
connection with the artesian well. 

Two miles southwest of Pleasant Hill 
was once located an Indian fort, and the 
almost i^erpendicular bank of the Still- 
water River on the east and the deep, nar- 
row gully on the north, made it an ideal 
spot for such a structure. A few rods 
above the fort, in the bottom of the gully 
is a small island, and in the center of this 
little tract is the medicated spring, now 
the property of Mr. Coon. The curative 
effects of this water have long been known 
in this section, but its value has not been 
exploited to any extent until recently. In 
November, 1907, Mr. Coon, with commend- 
able business enterprise, drilled a well 
near the spring and later had the water 
analyzed by a leading chemist. The value 
of this water in the cure of many of the 
most distressing diseases was proved by 
this anaylsis. With this encouragement, 
Mr. Coon is making preparations to make 
heav^' investments, and if his plans are 
perfected, all this section will profit by the 



presence of visitors who will come from 
every point. It is confidently believed 
that those who come sick will return home 
well, and Mr. Coon intends to provide com- 
fortai)le accommodations for these guests. 
Nature has done much to make such an en- 
terprise here successful, the well being sit- 
uated in the picturesque Miami Valley, 
famed in song and story. 

Mr. Coon was married to Miss Rachel 
Correy, a daughter of Robert and Rebecca 
Correy, and they have five children : Rob- 
ert, who is engaged in business at Chicago, 
Illinois; Jennie, who resides at Piqua; 
Mary and Goldie, both of whom reside at 
home ; and Lillie, who is a member of the 
class of 1913, in the High School at Pleas- 
ant Hill. Mr. Coon and family are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
at Pleasant Hill, of which he has been a 
trustee for a number of years. He is a 
Democrat in politics. 

J. A. KERR, who is a leading member 
of the Miami County bar — senior member 
of the law firm of Kerr iS: Kerr — is one of 
the representative citizens of Tippecanoe 
City. He was born at Chambersburg, 
^Montgomery County, Ohio, July 7. 1853, 
son of Jonathan T. and Matilda (West- 
lake) Kerr. 

The Kerr family originated in Ireland, 
and the great-grandfather of the subject 
of this sketch was George Kerr, who was 
born in County Kerrj% near the famous 
Lakes of Killarney. Prior to crossing the 
Atlantic Ocean he married Martha Newel 
and they reached the American colonies 
just before the Revolutionary War. He 
joined the patriot army, and after peace 
was declared moved to the Western Re- 
serve, becoming one of the earliest settlers 



638 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



at Marietta. From there, in 1814, lie moved 
to Lebanon, Ohio. Those were still dan- 
gerous times on the border for pioneers, 
and Mr. Kerr had to witness the cruel mas- 
sacre of liis aged father, who had accom- 
panied him from Ireland. 

Jonathan T. Kerr, father of J. A., was 
a son of James and a grandson of George 
Kerr. He was born in Miami County, 
Ohio, March 11, 1828, and in 1851 he mar- 
ried Matilda Westlake, who was a daugh- 
ter of Colonel Westlake, one of the early 
settlers iu this section. J. A. Kerr was 
the second-born in their family of five 
sons and one daughter. 

Mr. Kerr's boyhood was passed on the 
home farm and he grew up with all the 
advantages accruing from plenty of phys- 
ical exercise and strict parental discipline. 
When he was about sixteen years of age 
he entered the National Normal School at 
Lebanon, Ohio, where he passed one win- 
ter, during this period learning the science 
of surveying and the art of stenography, 
which he put to practical use later on. 

He first began the study of law in 1872 
and in 1875 he was admitted to practice 
in the State of Ohio, and later to the 
United States courts. In that year also . 
he established his residence at Tippecanoe 
City, where he has since remained. The 
other member of the firm of Kerr & Kerr 
is his son Floyd, who was graduated from 
the United States University in 1904. 
Since its organization the firm has gained 
well deserved recognition, having success- 
fully handled some important litigation. 
Mr. Kerr's achievements along profes- 
sional lines are the more creditable as they 
are the result of hard work and persever- 
ance. Although since early manhood he 
has been in close sympathy with the pur- 



poses and leading principles of the Demo- 
cratic party, he has taken an active part 
in politics but has never sought office. 

In 1874 Mr; Kerr was married to Eliza- 
beth Jane Coats, a daughter of Lemuel and 
Eosa (Pearson) Coats, of an old pioneer 
family. In 1881 and 1882 he was owner of 
the Troy Democrat, a daily paper of Mi- 
ami County, and later was interested in 
the same and acted as editor for two years, 
with George Long, M. K. Gantz and C. M. 
Davis. He was also manager of the Piqua 
Daily Dispatch and Weekly Journal, and 
at one time owned and edited the Troy 
Chronicle and Daily, at Troy, Ohio. 

J. C. WHITE, a general farmer and 
well known citizen of Spring Creek Town- 
ship, resides on his farm, which is situated 
three and one-half miles northeast of Pi- 
qua, and was ))orn June 19, 1844, in Frank- 
lin County, Ohio, ten miles east of Colum- 
bus. His parents were Jeremiah and Eliz- 
abeth (Childs) White. 

Jeremiah White was a man of education 
and talent. He was born in Defiance Coun- 
ty, and after the death of his father, came 
to Franklin County, teaching school, fann- 
ing, studjdng and practicing law and serv- 
ing as justice of the peace. For fifteen 
years he was minister in the Christian 
Union Church. In 1855 he moved from 
Franklin to Auglaize County, and died 
there when aged seventy-five years. He 
married a daughter of John Childs, in 
Franklin County, and they had nine chil- 
dren, the survivors being: J. C, Mrs. 
Elizabeth McAdams, Mrs. Hannah Arm- . 
strong, and George W. 

J. C. White was eleven years old when 
his parents moved to Auglaize County, 
where he completed his school attendance. 




E. E. PEARSON 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



641 



and lie assisted ou tbe home farm until 
he was twenty-five years of age. lie then 
came to Spring Creek Township, and has 
been ou his present farm for a quarter of 
a century. Mr. ^^'hite was married first 
to a Miss Coon, who left six children. His 
second marriage was to Miss Elizabeth 
Demuan, a daughter of Oilman and Ee- 
becca Denman, and six children were born 
to this union, the respective names of all 
the children being as follows: Gertrude, 
Stephen, "Wilson, James, Jeremiah, Ferdi- 
nand, Goldie, Myrtle, William, Vernon, 
Charles and Forrest, all of whom survive 
except James and AVilliam. Mr. White 
and family are members of the United 
Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a 
Democrat. 

E. E. PEARSON, auditor of Miami 
County, Ohio, and a representative citizen 
of Troy, which has been his home for a 
quarter of a century, was born in July, 
1864, in Union Townshii?, Miami County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Horatio Pearson. 
Few of the older citizens of Miami County 
are better known than is the venerable 
father of Mr. Pearson, who lives retired 
on his farm in Union Township, where he 
was born in 1836. For seven years he was 
auditor of Miami County and for many 
years was a successful teacher. In many 
sections he was the pioneer teacher and 
all over the county may be found those 
who, in their youth, were instructed by 
him and still recall him with feelings of 
respect. 

E. E. Pearson remained on the home 
farm until he was nineteen years of age 
and then came to Troy, becoming at that 
age deputy auditor and serving continu- 
ously in that capacity for nineteen years. 



In November, 1901, he was first elected 
county auditor; he was reelected in 1904, 
and his present term expires in October, 
1909. He is interested in various business 
enterprises in the county and ever since 
reaching manhood, has taken an active 
part in politics. He is one of the most 
popular officials that Miami County has 
ever had. 

In March, 1885, Mr. Pearson was mar- 
ried to Miss Coquese Wilmington, of Terre 
Haute, Indiana, and they have one daugh- 
ter, Euth, who resides at home. Mr. Pear- 
son is a member of the Knights of Pythias, 
the Elks and the Troy Club. 

CALVIN SHAEP, a well known farmer 
and tobacco raiser of Union Township, Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, is the owner of a farm 
of forty-nine acres located on the corpora- 
tion line of Potsdam. He was born in 
Darke County, Ohio, January 25, 1853, and 
is a son of Levi and Elizabeth (Neighley) 
Sharp. His paternal grandfather moved 
from North Carolina to Darke County. 
Ohio, where he was among the pioneer set- 
tlers. 

Levi Sharp was born near Gordon, in 
Darke County, Ohio, and was about four 
years of age when his parents moved to 
the vicinity of Arcanum, where he grew to 
maturity and lived the remainder of his 
life, dying at the age of seventy-two years. 
He always followed farming and was the 
owner of the farm which is now in the pos- 
session of his widow. His marriage with 
Elizabeth Neighley was blessed with ten 
children. 

Calvin Sharp attended the public schools 
of Darke County, and after leaving school 
followed farming on the home place for a 
time. He continued to farm in Darke 



642 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



County until 1872, when he moved to Union 
Township, Miami County. For tifteen 
years he farmed the place opposite his 
present home, which he purchased in 1900 
and moved upon in 1901. He has made 
many improvements on the place, includ- 
ing the erection of tobacco sheds. He has 
about eight acres in tobacco, and in addi- 
tion to raising that product, follows gen- 
eral farming. 

Mr. Sharp was united in marriage with 
Miss Liza Jane Harshbarger, and they 
have three children, as follows: Ida May, 
married Parker John, and has three chil- 
dren, Cletus, Edgar and John Dale ; Oliver 
Oral, who resides on the farm across the 
road from his parents, married Bessie 
"Warner, and has two children, Ruth and 
Delmar; Elizabeth Imo lives at home. 
Daniel B. Warner, a cousin of ]\Ir. Sharp, 
has lived with him since he was twelve 
years old. Politically the subject of this 
sketch is a Eepublican. 

D. M. MILES, who carries on general 
farming on the Manson farm, which is lo- 
cated about four miles east of Piqua, is 
a native of Miami County and was born 
January 12, 1873, near Casstown, Ohio, 
and is a son of Morris and Sarah (Jones) 
Miles. 

Morris Miles was born in Perry County, 
Pennsylvania, and when quite small came 
to Ohio with his father, Jonathan Miles, a 
wagon maker by trade, who located at 
Tippecanoe City. Here he was reared and 
educated and subsequently engaged in the 
nursery business for several years. At 
the beginning of the Civil War he enlisted 
in Company E, Forty-fourth Ohio Vol. 
Inf., and after three years' service re- 
enlisted in the cavalry, serving in all a 



period of four years. He participated in 
many of the leading battles and was for a 
time confined in Libby Prison. Upon re- 
turning home from the war he married 
Sarah Jones, a daughter of A. Jones, who 
was a well known farmer of this section 
of Miami County. He then located on a 
farm owned by his wife, about three miles 
from Casstown, where he engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits the remainder of his life. 
He died at the age of sixty-nine and his 
wife died at Troy, aged sixty-eight years. 
They were the parents of the following 
children: Julia A., married E. C. McMil- 
len and resides at Troy; Ella May, mar- 
ried W. Smithley, a farmer of Miami 
Coimty; D. H., married Mildred Otoums, 
of Portland, Oregon; D. M., subject of this 
record ; and Homer, who died in infancy. 

D. M. Miles, our subject, obtained his 
educational training in the district schools 
of the county, afterwards working on the 
home place until the time of his marriage 
at the age of twenty-five years with Rillie 
M. Manson, when he removed to his pres- 
ent farm, where he has since carried on 
farming in a general way and makes a 
specialty of buying and shipping hay and 
straw. Mr. and Mrs. Miles are the par- 
ents of three children: Offa A., Leila B. 
and John A. Mr. Miles is politically iden- 
tified with the Republican party, and has 
served in various township offices. He is 
fraternally a member of the I. 0. 0. F. 

J. R. ECHELBARGER, M. D., a well- 
established physician in active practice at 
Fletcher, Ohio, was born near Jerry City, 
Wood County, Ohio, October 12, 1874, and 
is a son of John F. and Sarah Jane (Fred- 
erick) Echelbarger. The parents of Dr. 
Echelbarger were prominent farming peo- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



643 



pie in Wood County for mauy years and 
the mother still occupies the old home- 
stead. The father was a highly respected 
citizen near Jerry City and the family 
received general sympathy when he was 
killed by a stroke of lightning ou ]\Iay 29, 
1908. The family consists of six sons and 
two daughters, all of whom survive. 

Dr. Echelbarger attended school in 
Wood County until he was eighteen years 
of age, after which he engaged there in 
teaching school for ten years, in the mean- 
while completing his own education at the 
Ohio Normal University at Ada, where he 
was graduated in the literary course in 
1897. He was also at times a student at 
Lebanon, Ohio, and Valparaiso, and while 
preparing for his medical course engaged 
in an insurance business and had other in- 
terests prior to entering Starling Medical 
College, where he was graduated in 1906. 
He located first at Jeffersonville, Ohio, 
where he practiced for five months and 
came to Fletcher on December 10, 1906, 
where he divides the practice with Dr. 
Kiser. He is identified with medical or- 
ganizations and keeps fully abreast of tlie 
times in the progress made by his science. 
Dr. Echelbarger was married to Miss Rae 
Bennett, of Noble County, Ohio, and they 
have one daughter, Pauline. In politics he 
is a Democrat. Fraternally he belongs to 
the Odd Fellows and the Junior Order of 
American Mechanics. 

W. W. SANDO, owner and proprietor 
of the W. W. Sando Tile Works and saw- 
mill, at Bloomer, enjoys the distinction of 
being the pioneer business man at this 
point and his was the first family to estab- 
lish a home in what is now a flourishing 
town. The Sando familv has been identi- 



fied with almost every enterprise and pub- 
lic movement that has been useful in the 
develojjment of this section. W. W. Sando 
was born April 6, 1857, on a farm in Darke 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel and 
Celia D. (Hill) Sando. 

Samuel Sando was born in Darke Coun- 
ty, Ohio, on the small farm of his father, 
Joseph Sando, who had come from Lan- 
caster County, Pennsylvania, to Darke 
County in early manhood. Joseph Sando 
was a carpenter by trade. Samuel Sando 
began to operate a sawmill in Darke 
County in 1857, and continued in that busi- 
ness until his operations were transferred 
to Bloomer. He survived until April 18, 
1909, at the age of seventy-five years. His 
widow and five of his ten children are liv- 
ing. 

In Noveml)er, 1880. several months after 
W. AV. Sando moved to Bloomer, the C, H. 
& D. Railroad put in connection with the 
village. For a number of years there had 
been a country post-office established a lit- 
tle south of the present town and it was 
known as Bloomertown and for several 
years after it was transferred to the point 
around which the business of the place 
centered it was still called by the old name 
which later was lawfully shortened to 
Bloomer. In July. 1880, W. W. Sando 
moved his sawmill to this place and one 
week later his father followed and they 
conducted a partnership business until 
1894, when the younger Sando bought the 
older 's entire intei-est. In February, 1881, 
the i^artners opened up a store in a build- 
ing they had put up and conducted it un- 
til the latter part of 1882, when it was sold 
to ^lartin A. Peterseim, who continues in 
the l)usiness. In 1883 the two progressive 
Sandos began the manufacture of tile, 



644 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



which has been developed into one of the 
main enterprises of the place. In 1906 
Mr. Sando remodeled his kiln and factory 
and gives constant emplojTuent to a con- 
siderable force. Mr. Sando has been very 
active in all public matters and on account 
of his enterprise and reliability has fre- 
quently been elected to local ofiSces, serv- 
ing as the first postmaster of Bloomer, for 
four different times receiving the majority 
of votes as assessor of Newberry Town- 
ship, and since 1881 he has been superin- 
tendent of the turnpikes. His comfortable 
residence was built in 1884, it being the 
second house in the hamlet. Mr. Sando 
has little time to devote to agriculture, but 
he owns a farm of twenty-five acres ad- 
joining his tile works. 

On December 31, 1877, Mr. Sando was 
married to Miss Lucinda Hebb, a daugh- 
ter of Jaeol) Hebb, of Darke County, and 
they have had three children : Orville, Iva 
and Maud. Orville died at the age of 
eighteen months. Iva married Frank R. 
Greer and they have two children : Zelma 
and Ro swell. Maud was married (first) 
to Walter E. Heffner, who was accidental- 
ly killed in the railroad yards at Bradford, 
May .31, 1905. He left three children: 
Margaret, Ruth and Lawson. Her second 
marriage was to Judson Derr and they 
have one child, Una. _ Mr. Sando is a mem- 
ber of the Mennonite Church. 

GEORGE OWEN MURPHY, a repre- 
sentative farmer of Brown Township, 
Miami County, residing on a valuable 
property consisting of eighty acres of well 
improved land, situated one and one-half 
miles northeast of Fletcher, owns a second 
farm, of fifty-five acres, located north of 
Fletcher. He was born in Greene County, 



Ohio, May 5, 1858, and is a son of J. C. and 
Mercy Muri:)hy. The father of Mr. Mur- 
phy was born in New Jersey and came 
early to Ohio, settling in Greene County, 
where he married Mercy Sackett. They 
had two sons and three daughters. Mr. 
Murphy followed farming all his active 
life, for many years in Greene County and 
later in Miami County, near Fletcher. 
There he died when aged eighty-six years. 
George Owen Murphy has been engaged 
in agricultural pursuits ever since he left 
school. He assisted his father, being the 
youngest of the sons, and remained at 
home until his marriage and then came to 
his present place, on which he has made 
all the excellent improvements. He car- 
ries on a general farming line, raising 
grain, potatoes, hay and stock. Mr. Mur- 
phy married Miss Sarah Serrilda Berry- 
hill, a daughter of Aaron Berry hill, of 
JMiami County,, and they have one daugh- 
ter, Ferna May, who resides at home. Mr. 
Murphy is a Democrat in his political 
views. He is a member of the Odd Fel- 
lows, at Fletcher. 

WILLIAM M. DE BRA, one of New- 
berry Township's best known educators, 
residing on his improved farm of eighteen 
acres, which is situated on the Covington- 
Polo turnpike road, about one and one-half 
miles north of Covington, was born on a 
farm near Pleasant Hill, Miatni County, 
Ohio, September 30, 1859, and is a son of 
David and Elizabeth (Burns) De Bra. 

The De Bra family is of French extrac- 
tion. The great-grandfather, Jacob De 
Bra, was born in Alsace-Lorraine, came to 
America, located in Maryland, where he 
died. He had married a thrifty German 
and when she was left a widow she came 



AOT) REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



645 



to Miami County with her children and 
entered a large tract of land in the vicin- 
ity of Pleasant Hill. Samuel De Bra, the 
grandfather, was born in Maryland, and 
after coming to Miami County lived in 
Newton Township. He was a carpenter 
by trade and his son David, father of Will- 
iam M. De Bra, learned the same trade. 
David De Bra married Elizabeth Burns, 
who was born near Pleasant Hill, Miami 
County, and was a daughter of William 
Burns, a native of Wales. William Burns 
was a sailor in his early life, but later be- 
came a farmer in Miami County. David 
De Bra and his wife had four children : 
Margaret, who is the wife of Stephen Ben- 
ning, of Piqua, Ohio ; Angeline, who is the 
wife of James Shoe, of Piqua; Ina, and 
William M., the last named being the eld- 
est. David De Bra and wife are among 
the venerable residents of Newberry 
Township, to which they moved in 1866. 

William M. De Bra attended the New- 
berry Township schools, the Covington 
High School and the Ohio Normal Uni- 
versity, at Ada, attending the latter insti- 
tution's summer terms. In 1883 Mr. De 
Bra began to teach school and he has 
taught continuously in Newberry Town- 
ship up to the present time, with the ex- 
ception of the year 1901, when he taught 
in Staunton Township. He now has charge 
of District School No. 13, at Polo. In de- 
voting himself to this work for so many 
years, Mr. De Bra has done a great serv- 
ice to his section, raising the standard of 
education and inspiring a feeling of emu- 
lation among his pupils that has borne rich 
fruit. Many of the young people who have 
been under his care during the past quar- 
ter of a century are proving, in responsi- 
ble positions, that the instruction he has 



imparted has been thoroughly practical. It 
is said of Mr. De Bra that he takes an in- 
dividual interest in every pupil and under- 
stands each so well that he is thus able to 
arouse each mind to its fullest capacity. 
Many teachers are never able to do this. 

On July 4, 1887, Mr. De Bra was mar^ 
ried to Miss Nellie Printz, a daughter of 
James K. Polk and Lavina (Babylon) 
Printz. Mrs. De Bra was born in Darke 
Count}', Ohio, but was reared in Miami 
County. Her parents now reside in Shelby 
County. Mr. and Mrs. De Bra have three 
children: Dorothy, Euth and Paul. The 
family belong to the Christian Church. 
Fraternally, he is identified with the Odd 
Fellows. He has never been active in poli- 
tics, but has always been ready to perform 
his whole duty as a public-spirited citizen. 

JAMES MOTT, deceased, formerly one 
of Newberry Township's prominent citi- 
zens and highly respected men, was born 
on a farm in Darke County, Ohio, and died 
on his farm in Newberry Township, Miami 
County, in 1895. His parents were Zacha- 
riah and Mary Mott. 

The late James Mott was left mother- 
less when he was but a babe and he was 
cared for a short time in the home of 
Samuel Wise, near Bradford, Miami 
County, after which he made his home un- 
til manhood with his brother Abraham. 
He learned to work hard in boyhood and 
was always a busy man, following farm- 
ing as his main occupation, coming into 
possession of the fine old Elmore farm of 
160 acres. He was a good farmer and took 
pride in this property and the splendid 
residence, now occupied by his only daugh- 
ter and husband, he put up during his ac- 
tive years. He was a stanch Democrat in 
his political views, but when he was elected 



l\ 



646 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



to township offices he served entirely with- 
out bias and there are those who assert 
that no more able or honest trustee ever 
was elected in Newberry Township than 
was James Mott. He married Anna El- 
more, who survived him but two years. 
She was a daughter of Joseph Elmore and 
was born on the farm on which she and 
husband lived and which is now the proiJ- 
erty of J. F. Etter and wife. Two chil- 
dren only were born to them, the one sur- 
vivor being- Nannie, who is the wife of J. 
F. Etter. 

Mr. Etter was born at Dayton, Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, and came to Miami 
County when eleven years old, with his 
parents, James and Susanna Etter. Mr. 
Etter manages the farm on which he and 
wife reside, but does not cultiA^ate it, hav- 
ing it rented. Mr. and Mrs. Etter have 
two children : Mae, who is the wife of Ed- 
win Grove; and James, who is in the em- 
ploy of the Government as railway clerk 
running between Indianapolis and Pitts- 
burg. He married Lo DoUinger and has 
four children — Francis, Lois, Eobert and 
Euth. Mrs. Etter was reared in the 
Christian Church, her father being a con- 
sistent member and for years a trustee of 
the Greenville Creek Church. 

J. CLYDE HILLIARD, residing on the 
old Hilliard farm of 170 acres in Spring 
Creek Township, comes of one of the most 
prominent and oldest established families 
in Miami County. He was born January 
31, 1870, on his present farm and is a son 
of James and Adelaide (Gill) Hilliard, and 
a grandson of Joseph and Sarah (Reid) 
Hilliard. 

John and Elizabeth Hilliard, the great- 
grandparents of our subject, were one of 



the first families to locate in Miami 
County, coming here in 1797 under the di- 
rection of Col. Simms. They entered the 
land on which our subject lives, and it is 
the oldest tract of land in the county which 
has been continuously in the name of one 
family. In about 1816 the house in which 
J. Clyde Hilliard was born was erected, it 
being considered quite a mansion at that 
time, and with the exception of one cabin, 
which was a trading post, was the only 
house Ijetween here and Dayton. Here Jo- 
seph Hilliard engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits and he reared a family of seven chil- 
dren: Nancy, Mary, Susan, Jerusha, John 
R., Amanda, and James G., father of our 
subject, all of whom are now deceased. 

James G. Hilliard was reared on the 
home farm, obtained his educational train- 
ing in the district schools and at ]\Ic- 
Murdy's Academy, after which he en- 
gaged in farming on the home place, where 
he died July 14, 1906, at the age of eighty- 
three years. After losing his sight, in 
1852, he dealt extensively in horses and 
cattle, and became one of the best known 
stockmen in this section of the county. He 
was united in marriage with Adelaide Gill, 
who was born near INIilford Center, Union 
County, Ohio, a daughter of David and 
Eleanor Gill, residents and farmers of 
Union County. Mrs. Hilliard was one of 
a family of six children, the others being 
as follows : William, Maskel, Reuben, 
Robert, and Jennie. She was seventy-six 
years of age on May 30, 1909, and makes 
her home with her son, the subject of this 
record. James G. Hilliard was identified 
with the Republican party in politics. For 
fifty-four years he was a member of the 
order of Odd Fellows and his religious 
membership was with the Baptist Church. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



G47 



J. Clyde Hilliard was reared and has 
always lived on his present farm. He at- 
tended the schools of this district and at 
Piqua, subsequently going to the West for 
some time, and upon his return home as- 
sumed the management of the home place, 
where he carries on farming in a general 
way, but owing to ill health rents out a 
portion of the land. He was united in 
marriage with Josephine Lawrence, who 
is a daughter of Col. Lawrence, who was 
a prominent attorney of Marysville and 
a veteran of the Civil War, who entered 
the army as captain of Company A., 121st 
Eegiment, and returned as its colonel. 

In politics, Mr. Hilliard is an adherent 
of the Republican party. Fraternally, he 
is a member of the J. 0. A. M. and the 
Elks. 

CHAELES A. FESSLEE, of Newberry 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, with his 
wife, is the owner of 100 acres of land lo- 
cated two and one-half miles north of Cov- 
ington, on the northeast corner of the in- 
tersection of the Covington and Stillwater 
Pikes. He was born on a farm in Shelby 
County, Ohio, July 26, 1868, and is a son 
of John Martin and Catherine Elizabeth 
(Peterseim) Fessler. 

John M. Fessler was born in Germany 
and was about eleven years of age when 
he accompanied his mother to the United 
States, his father having died previous to 
that time. They located on a farm in 
Shelby County, where the father of the 
subject of this record has since lived. He 
married Catherine Elizabeth Peterseim, 
who was born in Shelby County, but was 
reared in Newberry Township, ]\Iiami 
County, just north of Bloomer. 

Charles A. Fessler was reared on tlie 



home farm where his parents still reside, 
and has always followed agricultural pur- 
suits. After his marriage in 1895, they 
set up housekeeping on the farm adjoin- 
ing his present place on the northeast, in 
Newberry Townshiji. They rented that 
proi)erty until 1906, when he purchased 
what is known as the old Drake farm, on 
which he has since lived. There is a large 
brick house and a good set of farm build- 
ings on the place, and he has made many 
other important improvements, among 
other things fencing the entire place. He 
follows general farming and stock raising. 
October 6, 1895, Mr. Fessler was united in 
marriage with Miss Jennie A. Rhoades, a 
daughter of Uriah V. and Dorothy Ann 
(Eoutson) Rhoades, and they have two 
children, Treva Esther and Zelma Ii-en& 
Eeligiously, they are members of the Lu- 
theran Church at Bloomer. 

MAETIN A. PETEESEIM, postmaster 
at Bloomer, Miami County, is one of the 
enterprising and representative busi- 
ness men of this section, being pro- 
prietor of a general store which sup- 
plies the needs of a large territory and 
with A. C. Ehoades, under the firm name 
of Peterseim & Ehoades, operates an ele- 
vator. Mr. Peterseim was born on a farm 
in Shelby County, Ohio, one-half mile dis- 
tant from Bloomer, September 8, 1844, and 
is a son of John Adam and Elizabeth 
(Fett) Peterseim. Both pai-ents of Mr. 
Peterseim were born in Germany. They 
were married there and immediately aft- 
erward came to America and to Shelby 
County. "When their son, Martin A., was 
six years old they moved on a farm of 
ninety acres, which adjoins Bloomer on 
the north, and both died there. 



648 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



I 



Martin A. Peter seim has lived on the 
above mentioned farm almost since he was 
an infant and he also owns a second farm, 
which is situated one-half mile south of 
Bloomer and contains twenty-five acres. 
For twenty-two years he has been a lead- 
ing factor in business at this point, being 
interested for that length of time in both 
store and elevator, and for the same length 
of time has been postmaster. He has 
served one term as township trustee, being 
elected on the Democratic ticket, but his 
business interests have been so many that 
he has never sought political favor to any 
great degree. Mr. Peterseim married Miss 
Mary Catherine Keiser, a daughter of 
William Keiser, and they have five chil- 
dren, namely: Ellen, who is the widow of 
Judson Sando ; Edith, who is the wife of 
A. C. Rhoades; Walter, who is in the em- 
ploy of his father at Bloomer; and Stella 
and Florence. Mr. Peterseim is a member 
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in 
which he has been an official almost the 
entire period of his mature life. 

SAMUEL HART, one of Bradford's 
most active business men, oecupjing qiiar- 
ters in the busiest part of the town, on the 
Darke County side of Main Street, deals 
extensively in flour, feed, grain, baled hay, 
straw, and coal. He was born in Wayne 
<!!!ounty, Indiana, January 17, 1866, and is n 
son of Isaac and Mary (jMohler) Hart. 
The late Isaac Hart was a well known 
farmer in Newton Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, where he settled in 1873. He re- 
sided on that farm until the close of his 
life. His widow still survives. 

Samuel Hart was reared on the home 
farm in Newton Township from the age 
of seven years and remained there until 



he came to Bradford in 190-i and em- 
barked in his present business. Through 
energy and enterprise he has advanced 
himself to a leading position among the 
business men of this section of the county, 
and likewise in the eastern portion of 
Dai'ke and the southern part of Shelby 
Counties. Mr. Hart was married to Miss 
Lizzie Caldwell, who is now deceased, and 
is survived by two children, Ethel and 
Charles. Mr. Hart is identified with both 
the Masons and Odd Fellows and is favor- 
ably known in fraternal circles, taking a 
hearty interest in lodge work. He has 
never taken a very active part in political 
life. 

JOHN W. BROWN, a well known agri- 
culturist of Brown Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, is engaged in farming the home 
place of fifty-five acres and an additional 
tract of fifty acres, located about one mile 
west of his home, and he owns both farms. 
He was born in Shelby County, Ohio, and 
is a son of Augustus S. and Catherine C. 
(Wilson) Brown. 

Augustus S. Brown was born in Ken- 
tucky, in 1814, and when young came to 
Miami County, Ohio. He lived with an 
uncle for a time and subsequenth' moved 
to Shelby County, where he lived until two 
years after the birth of the subject of this 
record. He then returned to ]\[iami Coun- 
ty and located upon the farm in Brown 
Townsliip, where he lived until his death 
in 1855. He married Catherine C. Wilson, 
whose father lived at Troy and served 
some years on the Bench. They had the 
following children : Letitia, deceased ; Eliz- 
abeth; William Perry, deceased; Thomas, 
deceased; Martha, deceased; Lucinda; 
Lydia; Caroline; Virginia; and John W. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



649 



Jolm \\'. Browu was two years of age 
when his parents moved from Shelby 
Coimty to the farm on which he now lives, 
and with the exception of two years spent 
on a farm northeast of here, has since 
lived on this place. He iattended the dis- 
trict schools and early in life turned his 
attention to farming. He bought out the 
other heirs to the home place and in 1907 
purchased his farm of fifty acres, located 
one mile west. He erected the residence 
in which he lives, and the good barn which 
was on the place, he later moved to its 
present location, and has made many 
other important improvements. He is a 
substantial and progressive citizen, and is 
held in high esteem by his fellow men. 
Mr. Brown was united in marriage with 
Mary S. Duer, a daughter of William H. 
Duer, of Miami County. Eeligiously, they 
are members of the Baptist Church at 
Lena. He is a Democrat in politics, and 
is deeply interested in the success of the 
principles of that party. 

CHARLES B. JilAIER, who is engaged 
in the carriage, buggy, harness and horse 
supply business at Covington, is a leading 
citizen of Newberry Township, of which 
he is one of the trustees. He was born on 
a farm in Newberry Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, October 20, 1862, and is a 
son of Eberhart and Louisa Maier. 

The parents of Mr. INTaier were both 
born in Germany but their marriage took 
place in America. In 1864 they moved 
from Newberry to Newton Township, 
where the father died four years later, 
leaving, his widow wath a family of little 
children. This devoted mother gave all 
her energies to the keeping of her family 
together and remained on the home farm 



until each one was grown. This estima- 
ble woman, now in her eighty-third year, 
resides at Springfield, Ohio, where she has 
many friends. 

Charles B. Maier was six years old when 
his father died. His capable mother 
reared him carefully, teaching him habits 
of thrift and encouraging Jiim both at 
school and in the performance of his farm 
duties. For a number of years he followed 
farming, acquiring the home place of 129 
acres, all but forty-five acres in Newberry 
Township, lying in Newton Township. His 
wife owns a farm of twenty acres adjoin- 
ing. His farai land is now rented, his 
business interests at Covington requiring 
his presence in the city, which has been 
his home since 1907. On January 5, 1904, 
Mr. Maier and family went to California 
and spent a whole year in that State but 
came back to Ohio better satisfied with 
their native place than ever. Mr. Maier 
has been engaged in his present business 
since October, 1906, having bought out J. 
G. "Wetzel. Mr. Maier married Miss 
Emma Price, a daughter of Isaac Price, 
and they have two children : Arthur J. and 
Walter L. 

]\lr. Maier has always been an active 
citizen, taking an interest in both town- 
ship and city affairs. In the fall of 1907 
he was elected on the Democratic ticket, a 
trustee of Newberry Township, with a 
majority of 214 votes, although it is nor- 
mally Republican. He assimied tlie duties 
of the office on January 1, 1908, the other 
members of the board being Harry Fox 
and John AVeheman. Mr. Maier is identi-- 
fied with the order of Odd Fellows. 

S. FRANK YATES, jiroiirietor of one 
of tlie largest and best general stores in 



650 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Miami County, located iu the village of 
Lena, is a substantial and progressive citi- 
zen. He was born in Brown Township, 
Miami Coimty, in 1864, and comes of an 
old family of the community. He is a son 
of Samuel and Phoebe (Shanks) Yates, 
and a grandson of Ebenezer Yates. 

Ebenezer Yates came from New Jersey 
at an early date and located upon a farm 
in Lost Creek Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, where he passed the remainder of 
his days. Samuel Yates was born in Miami 
County and here passed a life of great 
usefulness. He was a prosperous farmer 
and was the owner of two good properties 
in Brown Township. He married Phoebe 
Shanks and they became parents of the 
following children : Alice J., wife of George 
W. Brecount; Florence, who died at the 
age of seventeen years; Mary Ann, wife 
of Joseph Woleott; S. Frank, whose name 
heads this record; Clai-a B., who was first 
married to James Buckles, and after his 
demise to I. M. "VVolcott; and Earl A., who 
married Mattie Denman, a daughter of Dr. 
Denman, of Lena. 

S. Frank Yates was reared in Brown 
Township and received a good common 
school education. He engaged in fanning 
on the home place and in 1893 embarked in 
the poultry business, in which he met with 
success, and was at that time a member of 
the firm of "White & Yates and was en- 
gaged in the general mercantile business 
at Lena for many years. Upon selling out 
that business, Mr. Yates moved to Troy, 
where for fifteen months he engaged in 
clerking. At the end of that time, in 1908, 
he again purchased the store at Lena, 
where he now continues. He carries a com- 
prehensive line of general merchandise 
and groceries, and enjoys the liberal pat- 



ronage of the community. In 1901, he 
erected one of the finest store buildings in 
^liami County, aside from those to be 
found in the two principal cities. He has 
taken an active interest in the affairs of 
the place, and for a period of sixteen years 
has sei'ved efficiently as a member of the 
Board of Education. 

Mr. Yates was united in marriage with 
Miss Wilda M. White, a daughter of James 
AMiite of Champaign Coimty, Ohio, and 
they have two children : Ethel M. and Flor- 
ence A. Eeligiously, they are meml)ers of 
the Baptist Church. Politically, he is in- 
clined to be independent, casting his ballot 
always for the man best fitted for the of- 
fice. He is a member of the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows, the Masons, and 
the Knights of the Golden Eagle. 

OSCAR FRANKLIN FURROW, whose 
fine farm containing 170 acres, is situated 
in the northeastern part of Lost Creek 
Township, was born on the old McNeal 
farm in Elizabeth Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, August 6, 185-1-, and is a son of 
Captain John Kennedy and Margaret 
(Nickles) Furrow. The Furrow family 
is of Scotch-Irish extraction and was 
founded in Ohio by Tyson Furrow, the 
grandfather, who settled in the deep woods 
which in his day covered the country near 
what is now Miami City. His children 
bore the following names : Margaret, 
Elizabeth, Martha, Mary, Samuel, Elijah 
and John Kennedy. 

John Kennedy Furrow was the eldest of 
the above family and he was born in the 
old log cabin standing on the Furrow place 
near Miami City, in August, 1831. His 
young strength was given in helping his 
father clear off the farm and he remained 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



653 



after the father's death and liis own mar- 
riage, to care for his widowed mother 
and sisters. Wlien the Civil "War broke 
out, John K. Furrow was one of the earn- 
est, thoughtful men who, from a sense of 
duty, put aside every personal considera- 
tion, and in 1861 hastened to enroll for the 
defense of the Union. He enlisted in Com- 
pany A, Forty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry, contracting for three 
years and after serving through that pe- 
riod, reenlisted, with the rank of captain, 
to which he had been promoted, in the 
Eighth Ohio ^"olunteer Cavalry, and in 
this he served until almost the close of 
the war, when he was relieved on account 
of disability, having twice suffered the un- 
speakable hardships of incarceration in 
Libby Prison. He is one of the prominent 
members of the Grand Army Post at St. 
Paris. For twenty years after the close 
of his military service, he conducted a gro- 
cery business in that village and then re- 
tired to Conover, where both he and wife 
live, in great comfort. He is a Knight 
Templar Mason and a leading Republican 
in his section. Captain Furrow was mar- 
ried in 1853, to Miss Margaret Nickles 
and they have had the following children : 
Oscar Franklin ; Laura, who is the wife of 
C. K. Heisey ; Effie, who is the wife of Dr. 
C. F. Johnson ; Edgar 0., who is a physi- 
cian at Troy; Albert D. ; John; and Jona- 
than, who died young. 

Oscar Franklin Furrow, or Frank, as he 
is familiarly called by his many friends, 
spent his boyhood in Elizabeth Township, 
being seven years old when his father went 
into the army. After his long and honor- 
able service terminated, Captain Furrow 
moved his family to St. Paris, and there 
Frank Furrow became a bright student 



and subsequently graduated from the Iligii 
School. After that he became a clerk in 
his father's grocery store and remained 
until he reached his majority and then 
started out for himself. He served an ap- 
prenticeship of five years to the watch- 
making trade and followed it for twenty 
years, during this ])eriod traveling over a 
large part of the South and Indiana. When 
he returned he purchased a jewelry store 
at St. Paris and conducted it for ten years, 
when failing health made it necessary for 
him to enter into an occupation which 
would keep him more or less in the open 
air. This life he found in farming, in the 
far West, and he spent nine years in Wash- 
ington and six years in Oregon before com- 
ing back to Ohio. In December, 1900, he 
bought his i^resent farm in Lost Creek 
Township, from Michael Wilgus. The 
place was in fair condition, the buildings 
all standing, but he has done considerable 
improving, nevertheless, and has a very 
fine place. He devotes his land to the 
growing of corn, wheat, oats and hay and 
raises enough stock for his own use. 

On November 8, 1879, Mr. Furrow was 
married (first) to Miss Louisa M. Hill, a 
daughter of George Hill. She died May 7, 
1888, leaving three children : Eva M., who 
is the wife of Ora Super and has one child, 
Mary E. ; Rex F. ; and John K., deceased. 
Mr. Furrow was married (second) ^larch 
10, 1889, to Miss Mary E. Sills, a daughter 
of Samuel Sills of Champaign County, 
Ohio. For twenty-eight years Mr. Furrow 
has been identitied with tlie Masonic fra- 
ternity and belongs to the Commandery at 
Troy. He is a stanch Republican but has 
never acceyited any office otlier than that of 
township trustee. 



654 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



AUGUST PETERS, owner of a valu- 
able farm of fifty-three and one-half acres 
located about two miles west of Piqua on 
what is knowTtt as the Jimtown Pike, is a 
well-known and progressive citizen of 
Washington Township, Miami County, 
Ohio. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, 
July 20, 1857, and is a son of John Henry 
and Catherine (Snyder) Peters. 

The parents of August Peters were bom 
in Germany, but were married at Cincin- 
nati in 1849. John Henry Peters learned 
the trade of a nailsmith in his native land 
and for a time followed it in Cincinnati; 
about the year 1860 he moved to Shelby 
County, Ohio, and followed farming many 
years. Upon the death of his wife, Novem- 
ber 20, 1904, lie came to Miami County and 
made his home with the subject of this 
sketch until his death on February 18, 
1906. Both lie buried at Newport, Shelby 
County, Ohio. 

August Peters was about three years of 
age when his parents moved to Shelby 
Coimty, Ohio, and there he was reared and 
educated. He was there manied and con- 
tinued to reside until 1891, when they 
moved to Miami County. He located on 
the Freeman Skinner farm at Eldean and 
lived there ten years, at the end of which 
time he purchased a farm of eighty-one 
acres in Shelby County, Ohio, but decided 
not to move there, instead locating on the 
old Dr. Coleman fann in Staunton Town- 
ship, where they lived four years. In the 
spring of 1905 they sold the Shelby County 
farm and purchased what is known as the 
old Hattie Grey farm in Washington 
Township, where they now live. Mr. Pe- 
ters has always followed general farming 
and has achieved a high degree of success. 
All that he has was earned by his own ef- 



forts, with the assistance of his wife, and 
he can look with jjride upon the advance- 
ment he has made. 

September 8, 1885, Mr. Peters was mar- 
ried in Turtle Creek Township, Shelby 
County, Ohio, to Miss Sarah J. Ike, who 
was born and reared in that township. She 
is a daughter of John and Esther (Kruse) 
Ike, both now deceased. Her father died" 
in Shelby County, July 22, 1893, and her 
mother on March 28, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. 
Peters became parents of four children, 
as follows: Leota May, who was gradu- 
ated from Piqua High School in June, 
1908, and is now a teacher at the Chil- 
dren's Home in Miami County; Harry Clif- 
ford; William Warren and Mary Esther. 
Religiously the family belongs to the Grace 
Methodist Episcopal Church at Piqua. 

GEORGE W. HOOPES, who has at- 
tained a high degree of success in farming 
and dairying, resides on a fann of 157 
acres which he owns, located about one 
mile north of Covington, in Newberry 
Township, Miami County, Ohio. He also 
owns a farm of seventy-eight acres in the 
same township, located north of Polo, on 
the Miami and Shelby County line, which 
is farmed by his sou, Harley. 

ilr. Hoopes was born in Chester County, 
Penn., Aug-ust 14, 1861, and was about 
twelve years old when his parents moved 
to Shelby County, Ohio. About one year 
later, in 1874, he accompanied them to 
Miami County, where they purchased a 
farm of forty acres. The father, Elwood 
Hoopes, died on that place in July, 1907, 
and his widow, who in maiden life was 
Mary Ann Cai'pcnter, still lives at Clayton 
with a daughter, Cordelia Hoopes. 

George W. Hoopes was reared on the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



655 



farm and received a coiiimon scliool educa- 
tiou. lie continued to live at Clayton for 
one year after his marriage, then moved to 
Shelby County, where he rented a farm 
for three years. At the end of that time 
he moved to the farm adjoining his present 
one on the east, and farmed it as a renter 
for six years. He then purchased the tract 
of seventy-eight acres located north of 
Polo, which he farmed and resided upon 
for twelve years. At the end of that time, 
or on ]\Iarch 4, 1907, he rented his present 
home place of A. F. Mikesell, and in the 
fall of 190S purchased it. fie is engaged 
in general farming and dairying, and runs 
a milk wagon. Mrs. Ilooi^es for a period 
of twenty-two years has attended the 
Piqua Market, where she has a stall. They 
have one of the best improved faniis in the 
township and reside in a large yellow brick 
house wliich sets about 100 yards back 
from the road. Between the house and the 
road is a well-kept lawn, beautifully shaded 
by trees. A round barn, large in size and 
of good arrangement, and other substan- 
tial buildings, are in keeping with tlie gen- 
eral fine appearance of the farm. 

Mr. Hoopes was united in marriage with 
Miss Annoh Hay, who was born and reared 
in Newberry towTiship, and is a daughter 
of Daniel and Sarah Jane Hay. both of 
whom are deceased. Three childivn were 
born to them, namely: Harley, who mar- 
ried Delmar Fulker and lives on the farm 
north of Polo; Eoy, who lives with his par- 
ents; and Mearl, who is also at home. 
Harle.v Hoopes and his wife are parents 
of two children, Ilene and Imo. 

T\^LLIAM T. SHANKS, residing on a" 
farm one and a half miles east of Fletcher, 
in Brown Township, comes of an old and 



respected family of .Miami County. He 
was born in the southern part of Brown 
Township, September 16, 1849, and is a 
sou of Daniel and Jane (Vates) Shanks. 

Peter Shanks, grandfather of William 
T., was the fir.st of the family to come to 
Miami County; he came from Pennsylva- 
nia and entered the tract in the southern 
part of Brown Township which has since 
been known as the old Shanks homestead. 
He also entered the eighty acres to the west 
of it, but was ol)liged to give it up. He 
continued to live on that farm until his 
death at the advanced age of ninety-three 
years. His trade was that of a cooper. His 
wife died on that place at an early age. 

Daniel Shanks, father of the subject of 
this record, was born on the home i)lace in 
Brown Township, and continued to reside 
there throughout life, dying at the age of 
sixty-two years. His first marriage was 
with Jane Yates, who died at the age of 
forty-five years. They were parents of the 
following children: Lear, who died at the 
age of five years; William T. ; Seymour, 
who lives in South Dakota; Jo.sephine, who 
lives on the home place and is the wife of 
George Pence; Sarah Jane, deceased wife 
of H. Lane; and one who did not survive 
birth. Mr. Shanks formed a second mari- 
tal union with Miss Charlotte Gaskell, by 
whom he had the following issue: Clara, 
Frank, Effie. Claude. Blanche, George, and 
Lilly. 

William T. Shanks was educated in the 
common schools of Brown Township and 
worked on the home farm until his mar- 
riage in 1872. He then rented various 
places in the township until 1891, when he 
])urcliased his present farm of fifty-five 
and one-half acres. In 1901, he erected a 
modern residence, which is complete in all 



656 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



its appointments and is finished in five 
kinds of natural wood. It is one of the best 
houses in this section. He carries on gen- 
eral farming and toliacco raising, and is 
rated among the well-to-do and progres- 
sive citizens of the township. 

November 14, 1872, Mr. Shanks was mar- 
ried to Miss Elizabeth Lane, a daughter of 
Isaac Lane of Brown Township, and they 
have one son, Lawrence Earl, who attended 
business college at Piqua and is at present 
bookkeeper for the Stewart «& Brown Com- 
pany of that city. Politically, Mr. Shanks 
is a Democrat and has served six years as 
township treasurer and ten years as mem- 
ber of the School Board. He is a member 
of the Order of Odd Fellows, its auxiliary 
lodge, the Eebeccas, the Encampment, 
I. 0. 0. F.; and the Knights of Pythias. 
Religiously, he is a member of the Bap- 
tist Church at Fletcher. 

GEORGE C. RHOADES comes of an 
old and respected family of Newberry 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, and lives 
on the farm on which he was born, located 
about six miles northwest of Covington, 
on the Piqua and Versailles pike. He was 
born May 15, 1867, and is a son of John 
and Elizabeth (Schneck) Rhoades. 

John Rhoades was born in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, and lived there until after 
his first marriage; he then came to New- 
berry Township, Miami County, and en- 
tered 180 acres of land, of which the farm 
of George C. Rhoades was a part. He was 
twice married, the mother of the subject 
of this sketch being his second wife. As a 
result of these unions, he became the 
father of fourteen children, of whom but 
five are now living. He died on the home 
fami in November, 1889, and was survived 



by his widow, whose death occurred Sep- 
tember 22, 1906. 

George C. Rhoades was reared on the 
farm and attended the district schools. He 
has always followed farming and is the 
owner of ninety acres of the old home 
place, which formerly consisted of about 
170 acres, the remainder being owned by 
his brother, Charles D. Rhoades. In 1892 
he Iniilt a large and commodious frame 
house, in which he now lives, and in 1893, 
completed the big barn. The other build- 
ings and most of the improvements have 
been made by him, and his place is one of 
the best kept in this section of the county. 

Mr. Rhoades was united in marriage 
with Laura P. Grunert, who was born in 
Fletcher, Miami County, Ohio, but was 
reared in Slielby County, and is a daughter 
of Frederick Grunert. They have two chil- 
dren: Emory A., who married Glenna 
Routson; and 0. Fern, who teaches school 
in District No. 15, Newberry Township. 
Religiously, they are members of the Lu- 
theran Church, of which he is a trustee. 

CAPT. SAMUEL D. PALMER, for- 
merly mayor of Covington, Ohio, and since 
1904 in the Government service in connec- 
tion with the Rural Free Delivery system 
here, is a veteran of the Civil War and 
since boyhood has been identified with mili- 
tary affairs. He was born April 19, 1848, 
in Franklin County, Penna., a son of 
Michael and Elizabeth (Rowe) Palmer. 
The parents of Capt. Palmer were born, 
reared and married in ^laryland. They 
later settled on a farm in Franklin Coimty, 
Penna., and their subsequent life passed 
there. 

Samuel D. Palmer attended the public 
schools in Franklin County until he was 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



G57 



thirteen years of age, wlieu lie joined two 
l)rother.s, Daniel and George, at Gettys- 
burg, Darke County, Ohio. From there, 
February 18, 1864, he entered the Federal 
Army, although he was only fourteen 
years of age, enlisting in Company K, 
Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, in which he served until the close 
of the war, being mustered out July 26, 
1865. On February 14-, 1865, his regiment 
was consolidated with the Thirty-sixth 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the two regi- 
ments being consolidated while he was a 
l)risoner. Although a boy in years, the 
young soldier displayed the courage of a 
man, participating in thirty-four battles 
and skirmishes and often for weeks being 
in hourly danger of death. Only on one 
occasion was he injured and that not very 
seriously, being felled by an exploding 
shell, but on January 11, 1865, he was cap- 
tured Ity the Confederates, at Beverly, Vir- 
ginia, and he was contined in the terrible 
Libby Prison until April, 1865, rejoining 
his regiment as soon as exchanged. His 
record is one of which he is justly proud. 
After he returned to Gettysburg, his in- 
terest in military matters continiied and 
for twenty-seven years he was an officer in 
the Ohio National Guards, now being on 
the retired list, with the rank of captain. 
For tive years he served as second lieii- 
tenant of Company G, Thii-d Regiment, for 
one year as lieutenant, for eleven years as 
captain and for ten years was captain of 
Company A. 

From 1865 until 1880, Captain Palmer 
resided at Gettysburg or on a farm of 120 
acres belonging to Andrew Weaver, in 
Adams Township, Darke County. His mil- 
itary duties frequently required his pres- 
ence at other points and much of his atten- 



tion. The farm of twenty acres in Concord 
Township that he owns now he never lived 
on. He is a member of Langston Post, G. 
A. R., of which he has been adjutant for 
fourteen years and for several years was 
conunander, and he was also on the staff of 
General Mumford, with the rank of colonel, 
when that officer wfls at the head of the 
Ohio organization. In 1880 he came to 
Covington and soon became a man to whom 
the citizens looked for advice and public 
help, electing him to the city council for 
two years and in 1894 making him mayor. 
He served in that responsil)le office for 
three full terms, up to 1900, and during 
that time Covington made many lea] is for- 
ward, adding to her public utilities and her 
commercial importance. 

Capt. Palmer was married to Miss Belle 
Hill and they have two children: Maud, 
who is the wife of Samuel N. Arnie; and 
Loretta Pearl, who mai-ried Dr. W. B. 
Carey. Dr. Carey and wife have one son, 
Palmer Benord Carey, and they reside at 
Brooklyn, New York. Capt. Palmer and 
famil.v are members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, in which he has been a stew- 
ard since 1880. In jiolitics he is a Reiiub- 
lican. He is identitied fraternally with the 
Masons and Knights of Pythias. 

JOHN DIJER, the owner of farming 
land in Shelby County, Ohio, and 145 acres 
of well improved land in Brown Township, 
Miami County, on which he resides, is a 
substantial and representative man of this 
section. He was born December 1, 1845, 
in Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of 
Joshua A. and Sarah (Fry back) Duer. 

John Duer can claim Revolutionary an- 
cestry, his great-grandfather, William An- 
derson, serving under General Washing- 



658 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



I 



ton, with the rank of eoloneh The paternal 
grandfather, William Duer, was born in 
Pennsylvania and died there, but his widow 
accompanied her son to Ohio and died in 
Fletcher, Miami County, when aged eighty- 
six years. 

Joshua A. Duer was bom in Bucks 
County, Penna., and Came to Warren 
County, Ohio, in 1830, one year later mov- 
ing to Fletcher, Miami County, later to 
South Charleston, Ohio, after which he re- 
turned to Fletcher, and in 1837 bought the 
farm now owned by his son, John Duer. 
He was a blacksmith and followed this 
trade for some twenty-five years, and he 
was also a famier and the remainder of 
his life was passed either on the farm or 
in Fletcher. He died on the farm at the 
age of eightj^ years and three months. He 
married Sarah Frj'back, who lived to be 
eightj^-four years old. They had ten chil- 
dren bom to them, as follows: Samuel, 
who died at the • age of thirteen years ; 
George W., deceased; William A., who 
lives in Indiana; Susannah and Charlotte, 
both deceased; John; E. F., who lives in 
Cleveland; James T., who lives in Miami 
County; Frank, and an infant, the former 
of whom died when aged nineteen years 
and the latter at birth. 

John Duer was four weeks old when his 
parents moved from Clark County to 
Fletcher, Miami County, and he was edu- 
cated in the Brown Township schools and 
at New Hope, up to the age of seventeen 
years, and then attended the Piqua High 
School for three months during the winters 
of 1863-4 and 3865. During the winters of 
1865-6 and 1867 he taught school, but after 
that he devoted about all of his attention 
to agricultural pursuits, beginning on the 
old home farm, from which he moved later 



just across the road, and two and one-half 
years afterward, to his farm in Shelby 
County, on wliich he resided for thirty- 
three years. On December 13, 1906, he 
came back to the homestead. He had im- 
proved his Shelby County property with 
excellent buildings and in 1906 erected a 
comfortable residence on his Brown Town- 
ship place and is making preparations to 
do more building. A part of Mr. Duer's 
farm possesses great historic interest. It 
was formerly owned by Colonel Munsel 
and countj" annals tell of the notable gath- 
ering of men, around the old spring, on 
this farm, to discuss the acquisition of the 
Northwest Territory, the final decision of 
which brought about such momentous re- 
sults. The old spring still bubbles up its 
clear, sweet cold water, never, in all these 
years, having failed. 

On June 18, 1868, Mr. Duer was married 
to Miss Mary E. Worthington, a daughter 
of George M. Worthington, and they have 
two children: Walter and Clyde. The 
former resides at Troy, married Helen 
Cook, of Piqua, and they have two chil- 
dren: Elsie and John C. Clyde resides on 
his father's farm of eighty acres, in Shelby 
County. He married Sarah AVilgus, daugh- 
ter of E. J. Wilgus, and they have one 
daughter, Dorothy. Mr. and Mrs. Duer are 
members of the Christian Church, of which 
he has been clerk for twenty-three years. 
Politically he is a Prohibitionist, and while 
living in Greene Township, Shelby County, 
served six years as clerk and one year as 
trustee. 

W. W. BOSSERAIAN, one of the leading 
business men of Bradford, Ohio, j^roprie- 
tor of a general store, is one of the town's 
best known citizens, having been a resident 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



659 



since lie was sixteen years of age. Mr. 
Bosserman was born on a farm in New- 
berry Township, near Clayton, Miami 
County, Ohio, December 2, 1862, and is a 
son of Solomon and Elizabeth (Pink) Bos- 
serman, the former of whom died in 1868. 

W. W. Bosserman grew to the age of 
sixteen years on the home farm and at- 
tended the eountrj' schools. He then came 
to Bradford and for twenty years was in 
the employ of his uncle, Philip Fink, who 
conducted a general store. In this connec- 
tion Mr. Bosserman had the very training 
essential to him in starting and maintain- 
ing a similar business of his own, which he 
embarked in in 1903. He has one of the 
largest general stores in Bradford and car- 
ries a carefully selected stock of groceries, 
dry goods, shoes, etc.. and has a trade that 
makes him need the sendees of three 
clerks. Mr. Bosserman is niuubered with 
the most enterprising business men of the 
place. 

Mr. Bosserman married Miss Almeda 
Zerbe, a daughter of Abraham Zerbe, and 
tliey have three children, Elsie, Mildred 
and AVilbur. Mr. Bossennan is not very 
active in politics, but is ever ready to sup- 
port movements for good government and 
to advance efforts to further the prosper- 
ity of his town. He is identified with the 
Masons and the Kuights of Pythias. 

HARRY M. WHITMORE, owner of 
seventy and one-half acres of the old Wliit- 
more farm situated just north of Fletcher, 
in Brown Township, ^liami County, was 
born June 5. 1861, in Lost Creek Town- 
ship, ^liami County. Ohio, and is a son of 
David J. and a grandson of Henry "Whit- 
more. 

Henry Whitmore was one of the pioneer 



settlers in Miami County and owned 187 
acres of laud in the vicinity of Casstown, 
all of which he cleared with the exception 
of four acres. He was one of the sturdy 
men of early times and the founder of a 
family Avhich has ever since been one of 
l)rominence in this section. 

David J. Whitmore was born on his 
father's farm near Casstown and attended 
the district schools and was given advan- 
tages at Wittenberg. He returned to tiie 
homestead and cultivated it imtil lie was 
about sixty years of age, when he moved 
from there to a farm of less dimensions, 
but failing health caused his retirement to 
Cassto\\Ti and there lie died of paralysis, 
when sixty-eight years of age. He married 
(first) ^lary Odaffer, of Miami County, 
and they had two children, Harry M. and 
Johu, the mother dying when her sons were 
small. Mr. Whitmore was married (sec- 
ond) to Cassie Lewis, who died May 24, 
1909, and three children were bom to this 
union : Mary, Edmond and Estella, all of 
whom survive. 

Harry M. Whitmore obtained his educa- 
tion in the schools of Lost Creek Township, 
after which he engaged in farming on the 
home place until 1900, when he purchased 
liis present property. He carries on a gen- 
eral agricultural line, making no specialty 
of any one product but making his land 
produce to its fullest capacity in every 
])art. He grows grain, hay and stock and 
has productive orciuirds. 

Mr. Whitmore married Miss Jennie 
Smith, a daughter of Martin and Nancy J. 
Smith, the fonner of whom died November 
11, 1906. The mother of Mrs. Whitmore 
makes her home with Mr. Whitmore. The 
Smith family has lieen of Miami County 
since 1853. Mr. and Mrs. Wliitmore have 



660 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



one son, David Martin, who is a bright 
l)upil in the public school. Mr. Whitmore 
and wife are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church of Fletcher. He is not 
identified politically with either of the 
great pai'ties, but he is a good citizen, one 
who lives iip to his responsibilities, but 
does his own thinking and votes as his 
judgment suggests. 

WILLIAM E. SHELLABARGER, a 
venerable citizen of Covington, Miami 
County, Ohio, who is now living in retire- 
ment, was engaged in agricultural pur- 
suits throughout his active career. He was 
born in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, No- 
vember 30, 1827, and is a son of David and 
Elizabeth (Randels) Shellabarger. 

David Shellabarger, father of the sub- 
ject of this record, was a fai'mer in Juni- 
ata County and resided there until his 
death. His widow later moved to Miami 
County. Ohio, and there formed a second 
marital union with a man bearing the same 
name as her first husband, David Shella- 
barger. She continued to reside there im- 
til her death. 

William E. Shellabarger preceded his 
mother to Miami County l)y several years, 
coming west in 1851. His first year here 
he worked in Covington at his trade as a 
millwright, then for three years worked 
at sawmilling. He continued this until 
his marriage, when he became a farmer. 
Two years later he purchased a farm of 
seventy-nine acres in Newton Township, 
which he improved and lived upon for a 
period of thirty years. He was a man of 
great energy and keen business judgment, 
and he added to his property until he was 
possessed of 172 acres. In the fall of 1886, 
he moved with his wife to Covington, and 



there has a fine brick residence and three 
lots on South High Street. He retained 
his farm in Newton Township until April. 
1909, when he sold out to good advantage. 
February 9, 1854, Mr. Shellabarger was 
united in marriage with Miss Susan Moh- 
ler, who was born in Cumberland County, 
Pennsylvania, July 21, 183-1:, and is a 
daughter of Rudolph and Elizabeth (Mil- 
ler) Mohler. She was about eight years 
of age when she accompanied her parents, 
on May 2, 1842, to Miami County, Ohio, 
settling on a farm at Sugar Grove which 
her father had previously bought. They 
moved in wagons, the trip taking nearly 
three weeks. They had three vehicles, a 
wagon pulled by four horses, a one-horse 
wagon and a carriage. Both her i^arents 
died on the farm in this county and were 
buried at Sugar Grove. The subject of 
this record and his wife became parents 
of the following children: Mary, wife of 
George Saylor; Reuben, who died at the 
age of five years ; Elias, who died at three 
years; Grace, who died when one month 
old; Rudolph, who died at the age of forty- 
three years ; Sarah, wife of Granvill Min- 
nich, who has charge of the Old Folks 
Home at Greenville, Ohio; Roland Ellis, 
who lives on a farm in Newton Township ; 
Levi, a bookkeeper who was for eight 
years in the i:)Ostoffice at Manila, P. I., but 
is now a resident of Washington, D. C; 
and Anna, who is the wife of John Good- 
enbarger, of Akron, Ohio. Reuben and 
Elias were stricken with diphtheria and 
died within one day of each other. Ru- 
dolph Shellabarger died in 1905 of lock- 
jaw, resulting from a fractured limb. Mr. 
Shellabarger has long been an active mem- 
ber of the Church of the Brethren, of 
which he is a deacon. He was for many 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



661 



years and until recently a member of the 
board of trustees of tliat ehurcli. 

B. P. LOXLEY, Sr., one of Newberry 
Township's most substantial citizens, who 
resides in a fine residence which he erect- 
ed on a well improved lot of two and one- 
fourth acres, just north of Bradford, still 
retains possession of one fami of 240 
acres and has probably given away more 
land to his children than three-fourths of 
his fellow citizens ever owned. Mr. Loxley 
was born on Wolf Creek, near Dayton, in 
Montgomery County, Ohio, April 18, 1834, 
and is a son of Samuel and Magdalena 
(Keener) Loxley. 

AVhen Mr. Loxley was six weeks old his 
parents moved to Preble County, where 
they died and where he lived until ma- 
turity, in 1859 marrying, and continuing 
to engage in farming in Preble County un- 
til 1867. In that year he moved to Miami 
County and bought 120 acres on the Kling- 
er and Searer turnpike road, and to this 
land kept adding parcel after parcel until 
it aggregated 700 acres, making him one 
of the largest landowners in the county. 
He also bought land in Darke County, 
Ohio, and in Kansas and still retains an 
interest in a large plantation in New Mex- 
ico. Mr. Loxley has been exceedingly 
kind to his children, setting them up in life 
and not only advising them but giving 
practical help whenever needed. In addi- 
tion to the farms that he has distributed, 
he has given no less than $12,000 in money. 

On December 8, 1859, ]\Ir. Loxley was 
married (first) to Miss Phebe Ann Kaylor, 
who died after they moved to Miami Coun- 
ty. They had seven children, as follows: 
]\rrs. Ida Martin; Charles E., who died 
from an accidental shooting; Mrs. Ella 



Katherman; .Mrs. Luciuda Ehoades; Mrs 
Amanda Apple; Mrs. Ermina Bosserman; 
and Benjamin F. Mr. Loxley was mar- 
ried (second) to Miss Sallie Miller, who 
was born at Bradford, Ohio, and when 
three months old was taken to Newberry 
Township, one mile uortii of Bradford, 
and was reared on the old homestead farm 
of her maternal grandfatiier, Jacob Wise, 
who had entered that land from the Gov- 
ernment. Her parents were Michael and 
Molly (Wise) Miller. Her father was 
born in Montgomery County, Ohio, a son 
of Jacob Miller. He died on the old Wise 
farm in 1884 and was survived by his 
widow until 1890. They were fervent 
members of the German Bai)tist Church, 
most worthy people in every way. To the 
second marriage of Mr. Loxley, nine chil- 
dren were born, one of whom died in in- 
fancy, the others being as follows: Sam- 
uel M., Mrs. Nora Kepner, Jesse Albert, 
Jacob Edward, Isaiah R., Jennie M., Jonas 
^L, and Jeremiah M. The second born, 
Aaron, died a bal)e. 'Sir. Loxley and wife 
are leading members of the Church of the 
Brethren. 

WILLIAM B. MOON, a progressive and 
])ublic-spirited citizen of Brown Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of a 
fine farm of 125 acres, located about ten 
miles northeast of Piqua. He was born 
in Green Township, Shelby County, Ohio, 
April 14, 1862, and is a son of James and 
Harriet (Dorsey) Moon. 

James Moon was born in Bucks County, 
Pennsylvania, and was four years of age 
when his parents moved to Ohio. His 
father, Mahlon ^foon, was a Quaker, as 
was his wife, who in maiden life was Sarah 
Wharton. He moved west to Greene 



662 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



County, Ohio, in 1829, and shortly after- 
ward moved to Shelby County, where he 
passed away. James Moon passed nearly 
all his life in Shelby County, Ohio, where 
he owned a farm of eighty acres ; his death 
occurred at the age of seventy-five years. 
He married Harriet Dorsey, who came of 
a Miami County family, and they became 
parents of the following children: Sarah 
E., wife of C. A. Mahan of Miami County ; 
Mary, wife of W. H. Anderson of Shelby 
County ; Hannah A., wife of J. W. Apple- 
gate of Shelby County; "William B., sub- 
ject of this sketch; ]\Iattie J., deceased 
wife of Martin Bennett ; Clara B., wife of 
E. M. Baker of Shelby Coiinty; and Lo- 
dema C, wife of F. I. Moore of Brown 
Township. 

William B. Moon was reared in his na- 
tive county and there attended the public 
schools. He lived in Shelby County until 
his marriage in 1883, then moved to his 
present farm in Brown Township, Miami 
County. He has followed general farm- 
ing in a most successful manner. In 1906, 
he erected one of the best homes in the 
township, a modern structure with splen- 
did arrangement and equipment. His barn 
was built in 1890, but was later moved 
to its present location. Mr. Moon has 
been a member of the board of education 
almost continuously since his arrival in 
the township, has served twelve years as 
township trustee and was assessor two 
terms. He is a Democrat in politics. Mr. 
Moon was united in marriage with Miss 
Luella Mathers and they are parents of 
three children : J. Oscar, of Miami County, 
who married Jennie "Wiley and has two 
sons, Harrold W. and Louis R. ; A. Foster, 
who lives at home; and Elsie H. Reli- 
giously, they are members of the Chris- 



tian Church, of which he has been a dea- 
con for a period of eighteen years. 

HON. RICHARD M. ALBERY, for- 
merly mayor of Covington, Ohio, and pro- 
prietor of the Albery Sawmill Company, 
has his plant located about one mile south 
of Covington, on the Dayton turnpike, and 
is one of Miami County's most enterpris- 
ing and substantial citizens. He owns the 
Falls Electric Light Plant and the Cov- 
ington Electric Light plant, and the forty- 
four acres of valuable land in Newberry 
Township, on which he resides. He was 
born on a farm in Jefferson Township. 
Franklin County, Ohio, ten miles east of 
the city of Columbus, on August 26, 1840. 
His parents were John M. and Sarah 
(Baldwin) Albery, who were farming peo- 
ple in Franklin County. 

Richard M. Albery was reared on the 
home farm and in early manhood learned 
the carpenter trade. He also worked in a 
sawmill and when he went to California, in 
1863, it was with the intention of running 
a sawmill there. This industry he carried 
on in the far West for two years and has 
been identified with the sawmill business 
for forty years. In 1872 he came to Cov- 
ington and in November of that year start- 
ed the business which has developed into 
the Albery Sawmill Company, a very im- 
portant lumbering enterprise of this sec- 
tion, which has been located at the same 
point for thirty-seven years. His other 
interests have been equally well conducted. 

Mr. Albery married Miss Hannah Isa- 
belle Fowler, a daughter of Ezekiel Fow- 
ler. She was reared near Union City, In- 
diana. They have had six children : Mar- 
tin S., Morris W., Richard F., Esther G., 
Mabel Ruth and Mamie. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



663 



He has one surviving child, Richard. 
E. M. Albery has a handsome brick resi- 
dence on his place, which he erected in 
1878. The name of Albery is well known 
all through this section, both father and 
son having been prominently identified 
with both business and political affairs, 
and they have done much to add to the 
good name and prosperity of Covington 
and vicinity. 

WILLIAM JONES is a prominent 
farmer and dairyman of Spring Creek 
Township. INIiami Coimty, Ohio, and con- 
ducts a milk route in the city of Piqua. 
He resides on a farm of 126 acres, owned 
by his father, wliith is considered one of 
the best improved farms in the township. 

Mr. Jones was born in Washington 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, February 
12, 1871, and is a son of John and Louisa 
(Wagner) Jones, and grandson of Josiah 
and Catherine (Olaman) Jones. His 
great-grandfather came to this country 
from Wales and settled in Delaware, where 
Josiah Jones was born. John Jones was 
born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 
and after his marriage came to Miami 
County, Ohio, where he is well known and 
is an extensive property owner. He lives 
in Washington Township. 

William Jones was reared in Washing- 
ton Township and received his educa- 
tional training in the public schools. He 
worked on the home place some fifteen 
years, and after his marriage moved to his 
present farm in Spring Creek Township. 
This property consisting of 206 acres was 
purchased by his father for $18,564 in 
cash, and soon after he erected the fine 
home on it at a cost of $2,500. William 
Jones follows general farming and dairy- 



ing, keeping an average of twenty head of 
milch cows, and is meeting with much suc- 
cess in his business. The subject of this 
sketch was united in marriage with Miss 
Maud Mellinger, a daughter of William 
Mellinger of Shelby County, and they are 
parents of the following children : Guy B., 
who assists his father on the farm ; Hazel 
]\I., who is attending High School in Piqua ; 
Margaret M.; Forrest F.; and Ralph W. 
Politically, he is a Republican. In re- 
ligious attachment, he and his family are 
members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. 

JOHN MATHEAVS, residing on a farm 
of fifty-five acres located one and a half 
miles east of Fletcher, was born in Brown 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, June 3, 
1854. He is a son of William and Frances 
S. (Yates) Mathews, both natives of Miami 
County. 

William Mathews was a lifelong resident 
of Miami County. After a public school 
course, he prepared himself for the minis- 
try and throughout nearly his entire active 
career filled the pulpit in the Baptist Church 
at Lena. He has a farm of sixty acres south 
of Lena, where he was living at his death, 
which occurred at the early age of thirty- 
four years. He married Frances S. Yates 
of Miami County, and the following chil- 
dren were born to them : John ; Nezer Y., 
a Baptist minister at St. Paris, Ohio; 
William C, who was adopted by an uncle 
named ^foore and lives in Shelby County; 
and Ora iUice, who died at the age of 
twenty-one years. 

John ^lathcws attended the public 
schools of Brown Township and has al- 
ways followed farming. After his mar- 
riage he rented and farmed until 1894, 



664 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COU^^TY 



when he purchased the old Duucau laim, 
on which his wife was born and reared. 
In 1899, he traded that property to George 
W. Brecount for the one he now owns ; he 
has made many improvements on the 
place and carries on general farming in a 
successful manner. 

Mr. Mathews was united in marriage 
with Rebecca Jane Duncan, a daughter of 
Thomas P. Duncan, who was at one time 
superintendent of the infirmary of Miami 
County. The latter died in March, 1893. 
Two children have blessed this union: 
Maude and AVilliam Thomas. Maude 
Mathews was married in September, 1902, 
to C. Earl McMilleu, a Baptist minister, 
who was born in Miami County but was 
reared at Jackson Center. They formerly 
resided at Rochester, New York, but now 
live at Cincinnati, Ohio. William Thomas 
Mathews, who lives south of Conover, was 
married to Grace M. Howell on January 
28, 1909. He is a Democrat in politics, and 
is a member of the Baptist Church at 
Fletcher. 

-John Mathews is a Democrat in his po- 
litical affiliations, and has served eight 
years as a member of the School Board. 
He has been a member of the Baptist 
Church at Fletcher for thirty-five years, 
for many years a deacon, and he is a mem- 
ber of the board of education in Brown 
Township. Fraternally, he is a member of 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He 
also is a member of the Anti-Horse Thief 
Association. 

E. B. DAVIS, M. D., one of the leading 
professional men and representative citi- 
zens of Troy, was born in 1858, in Clark 
County, Ohio, and obtained his literary 
training in the pulilic schools near his home 



and in the Normal School at Tremont 
City. While doing his preliminary med- 
ical reading, Di-. Davis engaged in teach- 
ing school and for two years taught 
through the country and at the Normal 
School. He then entered the Columbus 
Medical College, where he was graduated 
in 1886 and later also received a diploma 
from Starling Medical College. He located 
for practice at North Hampton, Clark 
County, and remained there for fourteen 
years. After taking a thorough post-grad- 
uate course in New York, Dr. Davis then 
moved to Covington and subsequently to 
Troy and here he has been in active prac- 
tice for some six years. His standing in 
the profession is evidenced by his being a 
valued member of the Miami County and 
the Ohio State Medical Societies. 

In 1888 Dr. Davis was married to Miss 
Anna Martha Arnett, of Dialton, Clark 
County, Ohio, who died in October, 1907, 
leaving- three children, Florence Ethel, 
Elwood and Lillian Gertrude. With his 
children. Dr. Davis is a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church and belongs 
to the official board, at Troy, while at 
North Hampton he was an active worker 
in the Sunday-school and in general church 
work. He is identified with a niunber of 
fraternal organizations, belonging to the 
Odd Fellows, Knights of the Golden Eagle, 
Knights of the Modern Brotherhood of 
America and the Junior Order of Amer- 
ican Mechanics. 

OLI^^ER H. SNOWBERGER, who suc- 
cessfully carries on general farming in 
Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
resides on the old Snowberger homestead, 
a valuable tract of 160 acres, which is situ- 
ated on the Klinger turnpike road, one and 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



667 



one-half miles north of Covins>ton. He was 
born on this farm, October 7, 1873, and is a 
sou of David R. and Lydia E. (Cassel) 
Snowberger. The lirst member of the 
Snowlierger family to come from Penn- 
sylvania to Ohio, was Andrew Snowber- 
ger, grandfather of Oliver H. He came 
to Shelby and Darke Counties and after 
living in both, decided to return to Penn- 
sylvania, where he subsequently died. 

David R. Snowberger was born in Penn- 
sylvania and when twenty-four years of 
age, in 1866, he came to Darke County, 
where be lived for one year and then se- 
cured a farm in Miami County, situated 
four miles north of his present one. He 
married Lydia E. Cassel, who was born at 
Greenville Falls, where her father, Michael 
Cassel, then lived. Subsequently he moved 
to Newberry Township, ]\Iiami County, 
settling on the present farm of Oliver H. 
Snowberger, which contained 160 acres. 
David R. Snowberger and wife continued 
to reside on this farm during their active 
lives, retiring then to Covington, where 
Mrs. Snowberger still lives. David R. 
Snowberger died at Covington, April 13, 
1907. They had four diildren : Oliver H. ; 
Mary C, who is the wife of Charles Min- 
nick, resides on a half of the homestead 
farm; and Andrew and Elmer, both of 
whom died in infancy. 

Oliver H. Snowberger has spent the 
larger i)aj't of his life on his ]>resent farm, 
in fact all of it with the excejition of tliree 
years when he lived in North Dakota. lie 
obtained a district school education. For 
six years following his marriage he con- 
tinued on the old farm. l)ut in 1902 moved 
to North Dakota. Circumstances caused 
him to return to the old jjlace, in New- 
berry Township. This farm is well im- 



proved with excellent buildings, a set on 
each eighty acres, these bouses and barns 
having been built by J_)avid R. Snowiterger. 
On February 27, 189G, Mr. Snowberger 
was married to Miss \'iola Pearl Deeter, a 
daughter of Aaron H. and Sarah Angeline 
(Myers) Deeter. Her father still survives 
and resides in Newton Township, Ijut her 
mother died when she was six years old. 
^Irs. Snowberger was born in Newton 
Township, on a farm three miles southeast 
of Covington. Mr. and Mrs. Snowberger 
have two children: Glenn If. and Joyce D. 
The family belongs to the Church of the 
Brethren. 

JOIIX M. KNOUFF.who lias been a val- 
ued member of the Washington Township 
School Board since 1903, resides on his 
valuable farm of eiglity acres, which is 
situated in section 3-I-, on the coimty line 
road, five miles northwest of the Council 
House, in Piqua. He was born on a farm 
in Harrison County, Ohio, November 21, 
18.33, and is a son of George and Lettie 
Ann (McKelveen) Knoufif. 

George Knouff was a native of Penn- 
sylvania and was a son of John Knouflf, 
who brought his family to Harrison Coun- 
ty. Ohio, where George KnoutT was reared 
to manhood. He married Lettie Ann Mc- 
Kelveen, a daughter of Thomas McKel- 
veen, of Scotch-Irish extraction. In 1857, 
they moved to a farm in Newberry Town- 
ship, Maimi County, south of Covington, 
and a few years later to a farm soutii of 
Pleasant Hill, on which they lived for two 
years, and then bought eighty acres in 
AVash'">uton Township, on which farm l)otli 
George KnoutV and wife died. They had 
five cliildren, all of whom, excej)t the 
youngest, were born in Harrison County, 



668 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



his birth taking place after the family set- 
tled in Newberry Township, Miami Coun- 
ty. The children were: Jennie, who is 
the widow of Thomas L. Drake; Susan, 
who is the wife of George Mowry, residing 
in Tennessee; Mary, who is the wife of 
Matthew Hearst, living in Staunton Town- 
ship, Miami County ; John M. ; and Joseph 
C, who is a prominent farmer in Wash- 
ington Township. 

John M. Knouff was four years old 
when his parents settled in Newberry 
Township and his whole life has been 
passed on a farm and his main interests 
have been connected with agricultural 
pursuits. In 1895 he came to his present 
farm and immediately began improving 
it, erecting his fine residence, with sub- 
stantial barn and farm buildings and mak- 
ing it a very valuable property. Mr. 
Knoutf was married October 13, 1892, to 
Miss Ida Lyon, who is a daughter of Jehial 
and Nannie (Morrow) Lyon and was born 
in Spring Creek Township, ^liami County. 
They have three children: Elva, Marie 
and Lester. ~Sh\ Knouff is one of the 
township's representative citizens. 

EDWARD S. COX, postmaster and 
general merchant at Lena, in Miami 
Cou^ity, Ohio, has a large and well estab- 
lished business and comes of one of the 
oldest families of the community. He was 
born in Lena, in 1863, and is a son of Dr. 
W. S. and Nancy L. (Duncan) Cox. 

Dr. W. S. Cox was born in Brown Town- 
ship and after completing the prescribed 
course in the public schools there, entered 
-Cincinnati College of Medicine, from which 
he was graduated with the degree of M. D. 
Upon leaving that institution, he first en- 
gaged in practice at Plattsville in Shelby 



County, Ohio. From there he moved to 
Lena, where he practiced with uninter- 
rujited success for a period of forty-five 
years, his death occurring thei-e in 1898. 
He was married to Nancy L. Duncan, who 
was born near Fletcher, in Miami County, 
and they became parents of six children, as 
follows: Amanda (Brantner) of Conover; 
Lorilla (Johnston), a twin, who lives at 
Monroe, Michigan; Charles, twin of Lo- 
rilla, who died aged four years; Edward 
S. ; George S., who lives at Lena ; and Ar- 
minta (Wolcott), deceased. 

Edward S. Cox attended the public 
schools in Brown Township and the Piqua 
Pligh School, of which he is a graduate. 
After leaving that institution he clerked 
for Joseph Frazier at Conover two years, 
after which he carried on operations on his 
father's farm for five years. At the end of 
that time he bought out the store of S. G. 
Frazier at Lena, and has been in business 
there continuously for seventeen years. He 
carries a large and complete stock of gen- 
eral mex'chahdise, inchiding everything for 
which there is a demand in a small place, 
and enjoys a fair share of the patronage of 
the community. He has been postmaster 
at Lena for ten years, and has discharged 
the duties of that office with marked effi- 
ciency. 

Mr. Cox was united in marriage with 
Mary Brecount, a daughter of A. and 
Sarah Brecount of Brown Township, and 
they have a daughter, Maude, who is the 
wife of Howard Weaver of Troy. Politic- 
ally, he is a Republican. He is a prominent 
Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge at 
Lena, the Chapter at St. Paris, and the 
Council at Troy. In religious attachment 
he is a member of the Universalist Church 
at Conover. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



d69 



HENRY D. APPLE, a leading citizen 
of Newberry Townsliip, the owner of the 
tine seventy-five acre farm on whicli he 
lives and which lies one and one-half miles 
southwest of Bloomer, was born on a farm 
in Daike County, Ohio, west of Versailles, 
June 23, 1860, and is a son of Solomon and 
Eve Lavina (Gephart) Apple. 

When Mr. Apple was six years old his 
parents moved to a farm in Newberry 
Township, Mian>i County, and there he was 
reared. On August 7, 1880, lie was iiinr- 
ried to Miss Sarah A. Rhoades, a daugh- 
ter of George and Matilda (Erisman) 
Rhoades. The parents of Mrs. Apple were 
born and married in Montgomery County, 
Ohio, and prior to Mrs. Apple's birth, they 
moved to a farm in Shelby County, two 
miles north of ^tr. Apple's farm. There 
she was born and grew to womanhood, and 
there her parents still reside. The childi-en 
of George Rhoades and his wife are: Mrs. 
Elizabeth Voisard, Mrs. Laura Mosher, 
John, of Dayton; Mrs. Sarah A. Apple, 
"William, of Bloomer; George, of Preble 
County; Mrs. Mary Oda, Mrs. Lucinda 
Martin and Peter Monroe, residing at 
Bloomer. 

Mr. and Mrs. Apple went to housekeep- 
ing on the Apple home farm, where they 
lived for five years, and then moved to the 
present place. Here Mi-. Apple has done 
a large amount of improving. In 1903 he 
erected his large frame residence, one of 
great comfort, and in 1908 he built his sub- 
stantial barn, the dimensions of wliicli are 
40x80 feet, with an ell of 30x24 feet, a 
cement floor being laid all through. This 
is one of the best and most sanitar)- barns 
in the township. ]\Ir. Apple carries on 
general farming, but makes raising of fine 
stock something of a specialty. For twenty 



years he has al-o been in the threshing 
business and for the past eight years has 
owned his own outfit. He is a very thoi*- 
ough, practical business man and all his 
industries are so planned that they never 
iuterfei'e with each other. 

Mr. and Mrs. Apple have one child, Wal- 
ter Monroe, who was born September 11, 
1883, on the old Solomon Apple farm. He 
is the very capable manager of the home 
farm at the present time. He married 
Flora M. Brown, a daughter of Reuben and 
Amelia (Wagaman) Brown. Mr. Apple 
and family are menilHTs of the Ijuthei'an 
Church. 

WILLIAM B. BROWN, whose well im- 
proved farm of J 52 acres lies one mile 
north of Fletcher, in Brown Township, 
Miami County, was born in Lost Creek 
Township, Miami Coimty, Ohio, Septem- 
ber 19, 1833, the oldest child of S. K. and 
Mary (Ralston) Brown, 

The Brown family was a pioneer one in 
Miami County and one of such importance 
as to leave an impress on this section, 
giving its name to the township and to a 
number of local points. It was founded 
by the grandfather, William Brown, who 
entered the land from the Government 
which now forms the farm of his grandson 
and namesake. He was a pioneer in all the 
enterprises that went to building up this 
section and lived a long and useful life. 

S. K. Brown, father of William B., was 
bom in Clark County, Ohio, but was reared 
from childhood in Lost Creek Township. 
After marriage he moved to an adjoining 
farm, on which he lived for seven years, his 
wife dying there. In 1844 he removed to 
Paulding County, and in 1847 to Oregon, 
and lived in the far West until his death. 



670 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



He married Mary Ealston and they had 
four childreu. 

William B. Brown accompanied his 
father to Oregon, being fourteen years old 
at that time, and after reaching that Ter- 
ritory, attended school for a short time. 
In 18()6 he returned to Ohio and located on 
the old homestead but worked l)y the montli 
for some three years before he took com- 
plete charge of the farm, since which time 
he has made the excellent improvements 
which include the erecting of a comfortable 
residence and a substantial barn. He 
grows grain, liay and fruit and raises 
enough stock for his own use. Mr. Brown 
married Miss Lou Brown, who is a daugli- 
ter of Jolm M. Brown, of Miami County. 
They are members of the Presbyterian 
Church. In itolitics he is identified with 
the Democratic party. He is one of the 
reliable and representative citizens of 
Brown Township. 

JOHN JONES, a well known citizen and 
dairyman of Washington Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, resides on a farm of 191 
acres located about three miles north of 
Piqua on the Hardin pike and is an exten- 
sive laud owner in the count}'. He has 
been a resident of the township and located 
on his present farm for more than half a 
century. He is of W^elsh descent but was 
born in Dauphin County, Penna., Septem- 
ber 28. 1830. He is a son of Josiah and 
Catharine (Alaman) Jones, his father a 
native of Delaware, and is a grandson of 
James Jones, who came to this country 
from Wales. 

John Jones was reared on a farm in 
Dauphin County, Penna., and received but 
little schooling. He was very yoimg when 
it became necessarv for him to make his 



own way in the world, and with the thrift 
characteristic of the Welsh race he worked 
and saved until he became a man of afflu- 
ence. In 1858, some seven years after his 
marriage, he moved west to Miami County, 
Ohio, the earnings which he had saved up 
to that thne amounting to $2,500. He pur- 
chased ninety acres of his ])resent fann in 
Washington Township, and has added to 
it until it now consists of 191 acres. He 
and his sons own some 714 acres of land 
in the county, all well improved and under 
a high state of cultivation. A farm of 206 
acres in Spring Creek Township, probably 
the best farm in the township, he pur- 
chased for $18,584 in cash, and erected 
thereon a new house at a cost of $2,500, in 
which his son William now lives. To work 
has been a habit with him, and although 
advanced in years, he would be discon- 
tented if his time was not employed to ad- 
vantage. For the past twent3'-five years 
he has conducted a dairy route in Piqua, 
and has the unicpie record of missing but 
one day on the route in eleven years. He 
has been prominently identified with the 
progress and development of Washington 
Township, and for seventeen years served 
as a member of the School Board. 

When twenty years of age, John Jones 
was married to Louisa Wagner, whom he 
survives, her death occurring December 
.1L 1893. They became parents of the fol- 
lowing children: Elizabeth, wife of Josiah 
Wilkinson, of Picjua; Henry, who lives in 
Shelby County, about one mile north of 
the home of his father; Mary, wife of John 
Thompson of Shell)y County; William, who 
lives on the farm before mentioned in 
Spring Creek Township; Laura, who lives 
at home; Josiah, who died leaving a wife 
and children; John, deceased, who was a 



AKD REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



671 



prominent farmer of Washington Town- 
sliip; Ennna. wlio died in childliooj ; and 
Louisa, who also died in childhood. He- 
ligiously, Mr. Jones is a consistent member 
of the Methodist Episcopal C'luircli. 

GEORGE L. DU BOIS, a representative 
citizen and general farmer of Washington 
To\\nsiiii), residing on a valuable farm of 
eighty-seven acies, which is owned by his 
mother. Mrs. Laura Ann (Howe) I)u Bois, 
was liorn in Spring Creek Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, November 5, 1872, 
and is a son of AVilliam T. and Laura Ann 
(Howe) J)u Bois. 

William T. J)u Bois was born near 
Franklin, Ohio, and died at Piqi;a, Feb- 
ruary 26, 1902. He was a son of William 
l)u Bois. who bought a farm in Washing- 
ton Townsliip, on the Clayton turnpike, on 
which he died. William T. Du Bois spent 
his life in Miami County. He married 
Laura Ann Howe, a daughter of Alexander 
Howe, who was a farmer and also at one 
time captain of a canal boat. Mrs. Du Bois 
was born at Piqua, where she still resides. 
They had three children, namely: William, 
residing at Piqua, where he is assistant 
ca.'^hier of the Piqua Savings Bank; and 
Alexander and George L.. both of Wash- 
ington Township. In the hitter's boyhood, 
William T. Du Bois and wife moved to 
Washington Township, where he owned 
three farms aggregating 217 acres and was 
one of the leading men for a nundter of 
years. In June, 11)01, lie retired from 
active life and moved to Piqua, where he 
resided until his death in the following 
February. 

George L. Du Bcjis was reared and edu- 
cated mainly in Washington Township and 
has devoted his entire mature life to agri- 



cultural pursuits. The farm on which he 
resides is situated four miles west of 
Pi(|ua, on the old Pi(|ua-Carriugton road. 
It is a valuable tract of land and under the 
careful management of ^Ir. Du Boi.s pro- 
duces abundajdly. After marriage he set- 
tled on the homestead with his parents. In 
189;") Mr. Du Bois married Miss Annie 
AVetzel, who is a sister of the wife of his 
brother Alexander and a daughter of John 
and Caroline (Thoma) Wetzel. The par- 
ents of Mrs. Du Bois were both boi-n and 
reared in Germany and came to America 
on the same steamer, being married a year 
later. Mr. Wetzel still survives and re- 
sides in Washington Township, but his 
wife died October 18, 1886. Tliey had 
seven children as follows: Charles, who 
died when aged one year; Frances, who is 
the wife of George Bausman, of Washing- 
ton Townshi)); Mary, who is the wife of 
Ilarley Moweiy, of Piqua; Lewis, who re- 
sides in Washington Township; Lena, who 
is the wife of Alexander Du Bois, and 
Charles, a twin brother, who lives in Wash- 
ington Township; and Annie, who is the 
wife of George L. Du Bois. Mr. and Mrs. 
Du Bois have one son, Stanley Edgar. 
They are members of the Christian Church. 
He belongs to the order of Knights of 
Pythias, having jiassed all the chairs in 
Stillwater Lodge at Covington. Ohio. 

IX C. JOHNSON, a substantial citizen 
of Newberry Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, owns and resides u|)on a fann of 180 
acres located on the Troy Pike, about one 
mile southeast of Covington, lie has lived 
on this farm since Sei)tember 2, isr)6, hav- 
ing at that time moved from Wayne Town- 
shii>, :\Iontgomery County, Ohio, where he 
Avas bom. The date of his birth is Feb- 



672 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ruary 26, 1831, and he is a sou of Joseph 
and Mary J. (Stoker) Johnson. His 
father was a native of Virginia and became 
a iDrominent farmer of Wayne Township, 
Montgomery County, whither he moved in 
his early days. 

D. C. Johnson was tlie youngest of thir- 
teen children and was but two years old 
when his father died and thirteen at his 
mother's death. He went to live witli 
Squire Thomas Crook, father of General 
George Crook, who attained distinction in 
the Union Army during the Civil War. He 
and General Crook were reared to man- 
hood together, and he continued to live at 
the Crook home until his marriage in 1852. 
He and his wife set uj) housekeeping on a 
farm of seventy-five acres in Wayne Town- 
ship, which he owned, but in December of 
the same year moved to a farm one mile 
east of his present farm in Newberry 
Township, where he bought eighty acres. 
After three years he moved back to Wayne 
Township, Montgomery County, where he 
remained one summer. He then purchased 
160 acres of his present farm, to which he 
later added twenty acres; a brick house 
had been erected on the place in 1852, 
which he has since more than doubled in 
size and improved in every way. He has 
other good substantial buildings on the 
place aud one encounters few farms so well 
improved. He and his wife own a sixty- 
acre farm about a mile east of their home, 
whicli is farmed by their son, Henry John- 
son. 

On March 18, 1852, Mr. Johnson was 
joined in marriage with Mary Jane Bren- 
ner, who was born about seven miles north 
of the court-house in Dayton, in Wajoie 
Township, Montgomery County, and is a 
daughter of Jacob and Sarah Ann (Ma- 



thews) Brenner. The following children 
were born to them: Sarah Ann, who died 
December 31, 1856, aged two years, ten 
months and twenty days; Henry, who was 
first married to Emma Kaufman (de- 
ceased), and second to Mary Dick; Jacob, 
a blacksmith of Co\dngton, who married 
Lucy Dickey and has a daughter, Mary; 
William Clement, who married Henrietta 
Kruse, by whom he had a daughter, Clara, 
now deceased; and Oscar, who married 
Viola Landis and has two children living, 
Oscar Millison and Ferril Amanda. Mr. 
and Mrs. Johnson have had fifty-seven 
years of married happiness, and are living 
in the enjoyment of comparative good 
health. 

ROBERT F. GRAHAM, who has been 
a resident of Washington Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, since his early boy- 
hood, with the exception of three years 
spent in the Union Army, is a farmer by 
occupation and has been active in the af- 
fairs of the community. He has been esj^e- 
cially prominent in advancing the cause of 
education, and has been on the School 
Board for more than thirty years. 

Mr. Graham was born about seven miles 
north of Enniskillen, in the north of Ire- 
land, on the Sabbath Day, January 20, 
1833, and although of Irish birth is of 
Scotch and English parentage. He is a 
son of William and Jane (Johnston) Gra- 
ham, and was about six years of age when 
his parents, in 1839, emigrated to the 
United States. They first located at Pitts- 
burg, Penna., for the winter, and in the 
spring of 1840 moved west to Shelby 
County, Ohio. Two years later they set- 
tled in Washington Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, where William Graham be- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



673 



came the owner of a farm of eighty-five 
acres on the Covington Pike. 

Robert F. Graham was reared on the 
home farm and early turned his hand to 
farming pursuits. lie remained at home 
until he answered his adopted country's 
call to arms, enlisting September 8, 1861, 
for three years' service as a member of 
Company K, First Regiment, Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry. lie was in all of the engage- 
ments of his company, and although he saw 
much hard fighting, was never wounded nor 
captured. He was honorably discharged 
at Chattanooga, Tenn., September 8, 1864. 
He then returned home and resumed farm- 
ing operations, at which he has since con- 
tinued. Ife has been located ou his present 
farm since 1876 and has a well improved 
property. He is a man of sterling ability 
and has a host of friends and acquaint- 
ances throughout this section of the 
country. 

October 13, 1864, Mr. Graham was 
imited in marriage with Miss Martha Jane 
West, a daughter of James and Jane (Mc- 
-Coi'kel) AVest, and they became parents of 
eight children, as follows: William J., 
who died in 1888, leaving a wife and one 
daughter, Ruth ; John J., who lives with his 
father; Robert A., who is married and has 
two children; Nellie Jane, who died at the 
age of three years ; Lulu B., who is the wife 
of Isaac Stanley and has a son, John R. ; 
Jennie, who is the wife of Henry Scheafer 
of Bradford and has four children; Alice, 
wife of Arthur Toon, by whom she has two 
children, Helen and Ralph; and ^NlartTia E. 
^Irs. Graham was called to her final rest, 
A]iril 4. 1887. Religiously, Mr. Graham is 
a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church of Covington. He is a member of 
Alexander Mitchell Post. G. A. R. 



I. A. CORWIN, one of Covington's well 
known citizens, who is agent for the Miami 
Valley Gas and Fuel Company, at this 
point, was born at Urbana, Champaign 
County, Ohio, Februarj' 29, 1836, and is a 
son of John R. and Sarah (Miller) Corwin. 

In his infancy, the parents of Mr. Cor- 
win moved from Urbana to Addison, where 
he grew to manhood and learned the car- 
penter trade with his father. "WTien nine- 
teen years old he accepted a position as 
clerk in a dry goods store at Urbana, where 
he worked for four years, and then came to 
Covington as manager of a brancli store 
for the firm of Brown & Price, of Urbana. 
His management of the Covington branch 
was entirely satisfactory, but within a 
year the firm got into difficulties and made 
an assignment. The call for troops when 
the Rebellion broke out found the young 
clerk one of the fii'st patriots to respond, 
his enlistment taking place on April 19, 
1861, as a member of Company K, Thir- 
teenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
four days after the call was mafle. He 
served a little over three months and then 
returned to Covington, but re-enlisted on 
]\Iarch 1, 1862, entering Company I, Sixty- 
first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
and served a little less than two years 
when he was discharged for disability, and 
came home to recuperate. On ^[ay 10, 
1864, Mr. Corwin again entered the Fed- 
eral sel•^'ice," becoming second lieutenant oT 
Company I, 147th Regiment, Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry, serving 100 days and receiv- 
ing his third honorable discharge. One of 
his most highly prized po-ssessions is a cer- 
tificate of honorable military service which 
bears the signature of the revered Abra- 
ham Lincoln. Mr. Corwin has been active 



67-1 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



in Grand Army circles and was a charter 
member of Langston Post, No. 299. 

Mr. Corwin has been a continuous resi- 
dent of Covington since the close of his 
military life. He entered into partnersliip 
with E. I). Simes, in the cari)enter business, 
and this association lasted for thirteen 
years, and after the firm was dissolved he 
continued individual work for another 
thirteen years. Mr. Corwin can i)oint out 
many substantial specimens of his con- 
struction work during- the tweuty-six years 
that he labored as a cariienter at Coving- 
ton, his skill being very generally recog- 
nized by Ids fellow citizens. 

Mr. Corwin was married to Miss Mar- 
garet E. Orr, a daughter of Josiah Orr and 
a sister of Col. Orr. of Piqua. Four chil- 
dren were born to this marriage, namely: 
John Sherman, who resides at Covington; 
tSybil, who died in 1874, was the wife of 
Walter Hill; Olive, who died in 187:]; and 
William P., who is engaged in the gas busi- 
ness at South Charlestcm, Ohio. ]\Ir. and 
Mrs. Corwin are members of the Christian 
Church. He has been identified with the 
Masonic fraternity for forty-four years 
and is a trustee of Covington Lodge, in 
which he has taken all the degrees. Being- 
one of the older residents of Covington, he 
has been a witness of its remarkable de- 
velopment and, in as far as he has been 
able, he has furthered the good work. lie 
is still actively engaged in business and 
has an unusually wide circle of perscmal 
friends. 

MOSES F>. WISE, a general fanner and 
representative citizen of Newberry Town- 
ship, residing on his well improved farm 
of fifty-five acres, which is. situated two 
miles southwest of Bloomer, was born on 
the old Moses Wise farm north of Bi-ad- 



ford, Ohio, September 24, 1858. Plis par- 
ents were Moses and Elizabeth (Burkett) 
Wise. 

The elder Moses Wise was born near 
Lebanon, Ohio, and died on his old home 
farm near Bradford, in November, 1897. 
He was twice nuirried, his first wife, Eliza- 
beth Burkett, Ijeing a native of Darke 
County, Oliio. She died April 8, 1860, 
when Moses B., the youngest of her thir- 
teen children, was a babe of eighteen 
months. Moses Wise was married subse- 
quently, to Mrs. Elizabeth (Sword) Ullery, 
and four children were born to that union. 

Moses B. Wise was reared by his step- 
mother and remained on the home farm 
imtil his own marriage. This took place 
December 16, 1883, to Miss Anna Miller, 
who was born in Newberry Township, 
Miami County, on the farm lying south of 
the present Wise home. She is a daugh- 
ter of Joseph and Anna B. (Bashore) 
]\Iiller and when she was six months old, 
her jiarents moved into Darke County, 
where she was reared. The late Joseph 
Miller, who died March 22, 1909, at the 
age of eighty-four years, was born on the 
same farm as his daughter, November 25, 
1824, and at the time of his death, was the 
oldest native-born resident of the town- 
ship. 

He was the last one of a family of ten 
children. His long life had covered a very 
important period of history in this section 
and he could recall the time when the whole 
extent of fertile, improved farming land 
which makes this section one of the garden 
spots of the State, was covered by a dense 
forest growth. He could remember when 
his )>arents and the neighbors had to make 
the long trip to Cincinnati in order to ob- 
tain the provisions necessarv for subsist- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



675 



euce. Ou DecembtT 4, 1S51, he married 
Anua Bashore, a daughter of Jacob and 
Sarah Bashore, aud tliey had six dauyli- 
ters and one son born to them. He is sur- 
vived by his widow, four daughters aud 
one son, and twenty-eight grandchildren, 
and ten great-grandchildren, and a large 
circle of friends who long had lived under 
the kindly influence of his beneficent life. 
He was spared pain and suffering and 
seemed simply to pass away in the fullness 
of years. In the spring of 185-1-, he aud 
wife were baptized in the Church of the 
Brethren and the Christian profession he 
then made he faithfully lived up to. He 
will be sadly missed from his accustomed 
place in the church. 

After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Wise went 
to housekeeping on a farm of eighty acres, 
situated just across the road from Wise 
homestead, in Darke County, living there 
for four and one-half years and then 
moved to a farm in Newberry Township, 
residing there for five and one-half years, 
on March 8, 1894, settling on the present 
place. Mr. Wise here carries on a general 
farming line and devotes four acres to to- 
bacco and a part of his acreage to pas- 
turage for his stock. In addition to culti- 
vating his own land, he operates 1311 o 
acres, which he rents from John Mummert. 
On June 2, 1897, Mr. Wise met with the 
misfortune of having his house burn down, 
but he immediately replaced it by the pres- 
ent large frame residence which has the 
appearance of comfort and stability. Tie 
also has imiiroved his i)lace by the erection 
of a substantial barn with dimensions of 
36x76 feet and a tobacco shed, 24x50 feet 
in dimension. Mr. Wise is a man with 
very practical ideas and carries on his 
work systematicallv and successfully. 



Mr. and Mrs. Wise have seven children, 
namely: Cora, Jes.se, Joseph, Cliarles, 
Homer, Ella and Israel. .Mr. Wise is a 
member of the Church of the Brethren. 
He takes no active part in politics, but he 
and family have always belonged to that 
class of citizens who uphold the law and 
through their quiet, exemplary lives, exert 
a strong influence for good in their com- 
munity. 

FRANK L. WHITMAN is a i)rosperous 
farmer of Newton Township, :Mianii Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is the owner of a good farm 
of eighty acres in Section 22, range 5. He 
was born in Washington Township, Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, October 31, 1859, 
and is a son of Edward and Mary (Waltz) 
Whitman. 

Pxlward ^Vhitman, father of the sub,ject 
of this sketch, was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and was a small 
boy when he accomjianied his ]iarents to 
Washington Townshij), ^lontgomery 
County, Ohio. There he attended the dis- 
trict schools and was reared to maturity, 
living ou the home farm with his father 
for a ]Tieriod of twenty-eight years. Farm- 
ing has always been his principal occupa- 
tion and he still lives in AVashingtou Town- 
ship at an advanced age. His wife died 
in 1887 and was buried near Miamisburg, 
Ohio. Her maiden name was Mary Waltz 
and she was a daughter of Jacob and 
Mary J. Waltz. The following children 
were born to them : G. A.. Missouri, Frank 
L., Florence, Anna (deceased), Idella, 
George, Jacob, Lulu, Edna, Warren (de- 
ceased), Alvin, and Irwin. Religiously, 
Edward Whitman is a member of the Lu- 
theran Church. IJo is a Democrat in 
politics. 



676 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Frank L. Whitman attended the district 
schools in his native township, but his 
schooling was very limited, he sometimes 
being able to attend but two weeks in a 
year. He was brought up to hard work 
and has always been industrious and en- 
terprising. He lived in A\'ashington Town- 
ship until about a year after his marriage, 
then moved to Miami County, Ohio, where 
for a period-of £pur years he engaged in 
farming and tobacco raising for Samuel 
Smith. He then began farming his pres- 
ent place of eighty acres in Newton Town- 
ship, wliich he purchased in July, 1899. 
He cleared eight acres of this tract, there 
being some timber still standing, has laid 
considerable tile for drainage and has 
made other important improvements, in- 
eluding the erection of a fine tobacco shed. 
He has successfully engaged in general 
farming and tobacco raising, devoting 
about seven acres to the growing of that 
product each year. 

December 20, 1883, Mr. Whitman was 
united in marriage with Miss Cora L. 
Smith, a daughter of Samuel and Kather- 
ine (Sherritt) Smith, and they became 
parents of the following children: Delia, 
who married Jesse Shuman; Nora, who 
died at the age of two years; Homer and 
Minnie, twins, both now deceased; Ray- 
mond; John; and Carl. Religiously, they 
are members of the Lutheran Church. He 
is a Democrat in politics, but has no 
political aspirations. 

JOSEPHUS THO^IPSON, owner of 
one of the most valuable and best improved 
farms in Newberry Township, consisting 
of 280 acres of adjoining land, lying just 
south of Covington, on the Covington and 
Dayton turnpike road, was born on this 



place on January 10, 1840, on the site of 
the modern brick residence which he erect- 
ed in 1888. His parents were Samuel 
and Hannah (Rench) Thompson. 

Samuel Thompson was born in North 
Carolina and was a son of Sylvester 
Thompson, who settled near Pleasant Hill, 
in Miami County, when he came to Ohio, 
about 1804. Later he entered the land i 
from the Government which his descend- 
ants own in Newberry Township and on 
Greenville Creek. He engaged in the cul- 
tivation of his land during his active years 
and in old age died in a comfortable home 
which he had built where he had found a 
dense forest. Samuel Thomj^son was two 
years old when his father came to Miami 
County and his whole mature life was 
spent in agricultural pursuits. He mar- 
ried ll;innah Rench, who was born in 
Pennsylvania and was brought to Newton 
Township, Miami County, when a child of 
two years, by her father, Peter Rench. 
Samuel Thompson and wife had eleven 
children, six of whom survive. 

Josephus Thompson has spent his whole 
life on the homestead farm and is sur- 
rounded with all the comforts that years 
of residence in one place make possible. 
For a long period he was the active culti- 
vator of his broad acres, but it is no longer 
necessary for him to bear heavy burdens, 
his capable sons having relieved him of re- 
sponsibility. They carry on general farm- 
ing along modern lines, making use of the 
best farming machinery and securing most 
satisfactory results. 

Mr. Thompson was married January 31, 
1861, to Miss Amanda Rench, a daughter 
of Otho and Margaret (Elliott) Rench. 
She was born at Piqua, Ohio, and her 
mother also was bom in Ohio, but her 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



677 



father came from Pennsylvania prior to 
his marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson 
have had nine children, namely: Maggie, 
who married Isaac Bazill, a farmer of 
Newberry Township, has two children — 
Eoscoe and Charles; Clement, who mar- 
ried Mina Ingle, has four children— Harry, 
Erla, James and Ruth, and they live on a 
IDart of the home farm; George, who re- 
sides with his parents, married Cora 
Brown, and they have had two children— 
Josephus, living, and Mellie, deceased; 
Dottie M., who married Levi Warner, of 
Covington, has two children — Clarence 
and Reva; William, who married Daisy 
Hill, resides on the home farm and they 
have two children — Judson and Leonard; 
Emma, who is the wife of E. A. Brant, of 
Covington, has three children — Hubert, 
Glenn and Helen; and Edwin, Minnie and 
an infant, all deceased. Mr. Thompson 
and family are leading members of the 
Christian Church. He is a good and will- 
ing citizen but has never cared for public 
office and has accepted none but that of 
school director. 

CHARLES D. RHOADES, residing on 
his valuable farm of ninety acres, which 
is the old Rhoades homestead, situated 
about sis miles northwest of Covington, on 
the Piqua- Versailles turnpike, in New- 
berry Township, is one of the representa- 
tive citizens of this section and a member 
of one of its finest old families. He was 
born on this farm. August 24. 1871, and is 
a son of John and Elizabeth fSneck) 
Rlioades. 

The Rhoades family belonged in Penn- 
sylvania prior to being established in Mi- 
ami County, Ohio. John Rhoades was 
born in that State but spent the greater 



part of his life in Ohio. He died in 1887. 
His farm contained 180 acres and it was 
divided between Charles D. and his broth- 
er, George C. Rhoades, the former taking 
the old home place and the latter the ninety 
acres to the east. John Rhoades was mar- 
ried twice, (first) to Barbara Apple, and 
the children of this marriage were : Eliza- 
beth, who died in infancy; Uriah V., de- 
ceased ; Noah, who was killed by lightning; 
John, Matilda and Suvilla, all of whom 
died from typhoid fever; Jacob, who was 
accidentally killed on the home fai-m, by a 
threshing machine; Henry, who died dur- 
ing the Civil War, a victim of the cruel 
treatment received while he was a prisoner 
in Libby Prison ; and Mrs. Amanda Hittle, 
the only survivor, who is a resident of An- 
derson, Indiana. John Rhoades was mar- 
ried (second) to Elizabeth Schneck, who 
was born in Pennsylvania and died in Mi- 
ami County, September 22, 1906. There 
were five children born to this marriage, 
as follows: Emma; W. Frank, who lives 
in Shelby County, Ohio ; George C, who is 
a prominent farmer and citizen of New- 
berry Township ; Allen Jefferson, who died 
when aged eight years ; and Charles D., the 
youngest of his father's fourteen children. 
Charles D. Rhoades was reared on the 
home farm and attended the country 
schools. His business through life has 
been farming and this he has carried on 
in a systematic manner that has produced 
very practical results. He has made many 
improvements on his place. The barn, 
which was built by his father, in 1865, is 
yet a very substantial structure, and the 
brick house, when first built, was one of 
the most imposing in this section. In 
1901, however, Mr. Rhoades renovated it 
entirely, making changes in its appearance 



678 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



and adding to its comforts and conven- 
iences. 

On Thanksgiving Day, 1893, :Mr. 
Khoades was married to Miss Amanda 
Apple, a daughter of Solomon and a sister 
of Uriah S. Apple; prominent people in 
Newberry Township. They have three 
children: Fii'mau Zeno, Viola and Irma. 
Mr. and Mrs. Ehoades are members of the 
Lutheran ChuVeh at Bloomer, in which he 
is a deacon. 

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SMITH is 
the owner of 237 acres of land in Lost 
Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, his 
home farm consisting of 157 acres located 
about seven miles northeast of Troy at the 
intersection of a mud road and the Lost 
Creek Extension Pike. He was born on 
his father's farm in Montgomery County, 
Ohio, April 5, 1853, and is a son of Alex- 
ander and Isabella (WajTiieyer) Smith. 

Alexander Smith was born in Rock 
Bridge County, Virginia, in 1820, and was 
one of a large family of children. Although 
the father of this family was poor, he 
reared his children in the proper way and 
they all grew to be useful men and women 
in the various communities in which they 
lived. Alexander was the youngest mem- 
ber of the family, but because of his great 
size was generally referred to as the "big- 
brother." He became a skilled workman 
as a blacksmith, learning the trade in Vir- 
ginia in his youth. When a young man he 
left his native state because of his anti- 
slavery views, and later wanted the other 
members of the family to leave in order to 
afford their children better educational ad- 
vantages. He came to Ohio on horseback 
and while passing through the swamps of 
Indiana was mired, which necessitated his 



Avalkiug the remainder of the way. He 
was about twenty years old when he ar- 
rived at Dayton, Ohio, and he soon erected 
a shop at Frederick, about twelve miles 
distant from that city. He later purchased 
a farm in Butler Township, Montgomery 
County, on which he erected a shop, and in 
addition to general farming he did many 
odd jobs of blacksmithing for his neigh- 
bors. He continued there until 1862, when 
he sold his farm and purchased the present 
home farm of the subject of this sketch, in 
Lost Creek Township, Miami County. Here 
he continued to live until his death in 
March, 1889. He married Isabella Way- 
meyer, in Montgomery County, she being 
a native of that county. Her death oc- 
curred about the year 1887. The following 
children were born to them: Sarah, wife 
of Joseph Ray; Jennie, wife of John To- 
bias ; Benjamin Franklin ; James ; Wesley ; 
Harrison; and William, who died at the 
age of one year. 

Benjamin Franklin Smith, familiarly 
known as Frank, was about nine years of 
age when his parents moved to Miami 
County, and located upon his present 
farm. His education was limited and when 
quite young he began work on the home 
farm, on which he has since continued. 
Upon the death of his father he bought 
out the other heirs in this property, on 
which he has made many important im- 
in-ovements. The brick house in which he 
lives was erected in 1840. He has always 
been a hard and industrious worker, and 
all that he possesses has come through his 
individual efforts. He and his brother, 
James, purchased another tract of 160 
acres in Lost Creek Township. Mr. Smith 
has traveled extensively through the South 
and AYest, and been pretty generally over 



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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



681 



the couutrj', but he considers the Miami 
Valley the "garden spot of the universe." 
In addition to the property mentioned, he 
also is the owner of five good residence 
properties in Casstown, and a small farm 
on the Miami River in Staunton Town- 
ship. 

June 6, 1889, Mr. Smitli was married to 
Miss Anna Tobias, a daughter of Daniel 
and Elizabeth (Whip) Tobias, from near 
Dayton, both of her parents now being 
deceased. She was one of the following 
children born to them : Jonathan ; Mary 
Elizabeth, wife of J. Jackson ; Sarah, wife 
of John Barnett; Laura; Anna; Walter; 
and Daniel, who died young. Politically, 
Mr. Smith is a Republican. 

CHARLES F. ANDERSON, who has 
been a life-long resident of Miami County, 
Ohio, is the owner of a good farm of eighty 
acres, located just west of the corporation 
line of the city of Piqua, in Washington 
Township, on the Clayton i)ike. He was 
born in Spring Creek Township, two miles 
east of Piqua, November 16, 1856. and is 
a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Graham) 
Anderson. 

Robert Anderson was born in Kentucky 
and was a son of Robert Anderson, who 
came from Kentucky to j\Iiami County, 
Ohio. The latter settled on a farm in 
Spring Creek Township, about three miles 
east of Piqua, but later sold out and bought 
a farm on the St. Mary's pike, three miles 
north of Piqua. He lived there several 
years, then retired from business and 
spent the final years of his life in Piqua. 
]iol)ert Anderson, Jr., was about twenty 
years of age when his parents moved to 
this county from Kentucky. He became 
a farmer of considerable importance and 



Uvea on a good farai in Spring Creek 
Township, on which he resided until his 
death in 1904. His widow makes her home 
in Piqua. She was born in that city and 
is a daughter of John Graham, who owned 
a grist mill south of Piqua. The marriage 
of Robert Anderson and Elizabeth Gra- 
ham resulted in the birth of four children, 
namely: John P., superintendent of the 
l)aper mills at Piqua; Margaret, wife of 
Louis Koester; Charles F. ; and Harriet, 
who lives with her mother. 

Charles F. Anderson was reared on the 
farm in Spring Creek Township, and re- 
ceived a good common school education. 
He has always engaged in agricultural 
pursuits, and for thirteen years rented the 
farm across the road from the property he 
now owns in ^\ ashington Township. He 
purchased his farm in 1906 and has con- 
verted it into one of the best improved 
jilaces in the vicinity. He erected a fine 
frame house, which he has equipped with 
a furnace and other modern improvements 
which tend to add comfort to rural life. 
]\Ir. Anderson was united in marriage with 
]^Iiss Ella Blood, who was born and reared 
in Piqua and is a daughter of Jeremiah 
Blood. They liave three children, namely: 
Carrie May, a graduate of Piqua High 
School and a teacher in the public schools 
of that city; Walter F.; and Frances L. 
Religiously, they are members of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. 

UZAL E. IHLL, owner of a well im- 
proved farm of 160 acres located about six 
miles northeast of Piqua, in Spring Creek 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, has lived 
in that community nearly all his life and is 
widely known among its citizens. He was 
born on his present farm. December 16, 



682 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



1844, and is a son of Samuel and Eliza 
(Edwards) Hill. 

Samuel Hill was born iu Hamilton 
County, Ohio, where he was educated in the 
common schools and took up the occupa- 
tion of a farmer. In 1839, some time after 
his marriage, he moved to Miami County, 
Ohio, and settled in Spring Creek Town- 
ship, on the farm now owned by his son, 
Uzal E. He cleared all but ten acres of 
his farm and erected the residence which 
now stands on the property. He was mar- 
ried to Miss Eliza Edwards of Butler 
County, Ohio, where her father was a 
farmer, and they became parents of the 
following children: One who died in in- 
fancy; Mary J., who lives in Miami 
County ; Uzal E. ; W. S., who lives one-half 
mile west of the old home, in Spring Creek 
To-miship; and Charles C, who resides in 
Dayton. 

Uzal E. Hill was educated in the public 
schools of his home district and has always 
engaged in agricultural pursuits. He has 
lived all his life on the home place, except 
for a period of eleven years, five years of 
that time being located on an adjoining 
farm and six years on a farm in Shelby 
County. He follows general farming and 
has one of the best improved places in his 
vicinity. The farm is located on the Snod- 
grass Pike. 

Mr. Hill was united in marriage with 
Miss Sarah J. Sanders, who died March 
13, 1909, a daughter of Abraham and Eliz- 
abeth Sanders of Spring Creek Township, 
where her father followed carpentering and 
farming. Six children were born of their 
union, namely: George W., who died at 
the age of four years ; C. Frank, who oper- 
ates the home farm; Farran B., who died 
at the age of seventeen years; Walter E., 



who lives on forty acres of the home farm 
in Spring Creek Township; Letha G., who 
died at the age of twenty years ; and James 
B., who lives near Piqua. The last named 
married Oda Slack and they have a son, 
Harrold. C. Frank Hill married Chirinda 
A. Valentine, a daughter of Samuel and 
Nancy Valentine of Shelby County, Ohio, 
and they have a son, Lester. Walter E. 
Hill married Alma Duncan of Piqua, and 
they have three children — Uzal, Leona and 
Arthur. Politically, Uzal E. Hill is a 
Democrat and has taken a deep interest in 
the success of the princijiles of that party. 
Eeligiously he is a member of the Baptist 
Church. He was township trustee for three 
years and was also road supervisor for 
several terms. 

ELI FLOEY, a representative citizen of 
Newton Township, who resides on his val- 
uable farm of 110 acres, situated in sec- 
tion 31, range 5, was born September 4, 
1860, in Newton Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, and is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth 
(Brmubaugh) Flory. The parents of Mr. 
Flor.y came to Miami County from Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, and lived in Newton 
Township until they retired to West Mil- 
ton, where the father died July 7, 1904. 
His burial was in the Pleasant Hill Ceme- 
tery. The family consisted of seven (^liil- 
dren — Emanuel, Eli, Davis and Emma 
(twins), Frank, Wesley and Charles. The 
mother sumnves and resides at Pleasant 
Hill. 

Eli Flory obtained his education in the 
Pike and Ashland schools in Newton 
Township. From youth he has taken an 
interest in agricultural pursuits and be- 
fore purchasing his present farm, he 
rented farms for some years, in Newton 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



683 



Township, and is very familiar with the 
couditiou and natural fertility of different 
properties; this knowledge he utilized when 
the time came for him to buy a farm of his 
own. He found about ten acres yet remain- 
ing to be cleared and this he soon had in a 
proper state for cultivation. The old build- 
ings were torn down and new ones, of a 
substantial character, took their places 
and he has now a finely improved property, 
the result of hard work and good manage- 
ment. 

On March 9, 1880, Mr. Flory was mar- 
ried to Miss Margaret Stichter, a daughter 
of Jacob and Louisa Stichter, and they 
have four children, namely: Frank, who 
married Lulu Harshbarger, and has one 
child, Elizabeth; and Joseph, Truda, and 
Louisa, all residing at home. Mr. Flory 
and family attend the Dunkard Church. In 
politics he is a Republican and has served 
most acceptably in several township offices, 
particularly as road supervisor and as 
turnpike superintendent. 

CHAELES S. McMACKEN, one of 
Covington's representative citizens, resid- 
ing on North High Sti'eet, a member of the 
Town Council and engaged in a dairy busi- 
ness, was born March 27, 1871, on a farm 
in Newberry Township, ]\riami County, 
Ohio. His parents were John and ^ilartha 
(Ullery) ]\[cMacken. 

The grandfather, also John McMacken, 
removed from Pennsylvania to Butler 
County, Ohio, residing there for a number 
of years. He came to Miami County, Ohio, 
when his son John, who was born in Butler 
Coimty, Ohio, was fifteen years old, set- 
tling on a farm three miles noi'theast of 
Covington. There the latter grew to man- 
hood. His first marriage was to Margaret 



Rike and to which were bom three chil- 
dren, namely : Jennie, who is the widow of 
William Hackendorn and resides in Piqua; 
James H., who lives in Logansport, In- 
diana; and John Lewis, also a resident of 
Logansport. John Jr.'s second marriage 
was to Martha Ullery, who was born in 
Newberry Township, a daughter of John 
Ullery, and three children were born to 
this union: Forrest Lee, residing at 
Piqua; Charles S. ; and Emma, wife of 
D. E. Longanecker. John McMacken, Jr., 
died April 6, 1905, his wife having passed 
away July 3, 1898. 

Charles S. McMacken was born and 
reared on the farm. He attended the pub- 
lic schools in his home neighborhood and 
later graduated at the Covington High 
School in 1890, following which he gradu- 
ated at C. E. Beck's Business College, at 
Piqua, Ohio. For a year he was a rural 
mail carrier and for six months was en- 
gaged as a railway mail clerk, between 
Pittsburg and Indianapolis, but failing 
health caused him to resign the latter posi- 
tion, and in Februarj', 1908, he came to 
Covington, where he has since carried on 
a dairy business, as already mentioned. 

Mr. Mc]\racken married Miss ^linnie 
Boggs, who was born at Nevada City, Mis- 
souri, and brought to Newberry Township, 
]\Iiami County, in infancy, by her parents, 
Alden and Margaret (Atchison) Boggs. 
j\fr. and Mrs. McMacken have six children, 
namely: Chalmer Lynn, Tracy B., Martha 
Margaret, Lucile Irene, John Alden and 
Hubert Lamar. Mr. McIMacken is a mem= 
her of the Presbyterian Church, where he 
is an usher, while his wife belongs to the 
Christian Church. Fraternally, he is asso- 
ciated with the Odd Fellows and Knights 
of Pvthias, and is also a member of the 



684 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Dramatic Order of Knights of Khorasan. 
He has been an active citizen and served as 
a school director in Newberry Township 
for two years and for the past two years 
has been a member of the Covington 
Council. 

WILL H. HOLFINGER. who has been 
in the railway mail service for the past five 
years and now is connected with the Pan- 
handle Railroad branch between Indianap- 
olis and Pittsburg, was born on a farm 
near Covington, Ohio, July 15, 1877, and 
is a son of George and, Christina (Flam- 
mer) Holfinger. George Holfinger was 
born in Germany and came to America 
with his father, Barnhart, when five years 
old. He married Christina Flammer, wlio 
was also born in Germany, and they be- 
came farming people in Miami County. 

Will H. Holfinger grew up on the home 
farm and attended the country schools, 
graduating from the Bradford High School 
in 1896. The following four years were 
spent teaching in the country schools of 
Newberrj' and Newton Townships. In 1901 
he completed the scientific course in the 
Ohio Northern University at Ada. Ohio. 
He then became principal of the Bradford 
High School, a position he filled for two 
years prior to successfully taking the civil 
service examinations. The railway mail 
sei'vice entails many hardships and the 
position of a mail clerk is an exacting one 
and can only be efficiently filled by a man 
of trained faculties and comprehensive 
education. 

In 1905 Mr. Holfinger was married to 
Miss Alma Catherine Roeth, a daughter of 
Carl and Catherine (Wagner) Roeth, and 
they have two children, Carroll De Witt 
and Kathryn Christina. Mr. Holfinger and 



wife are members of the Lutheran Church. 
The family home is a fine brick residence 
which Mr. Holfinger erected at Covington 
in 1907. 

J. D. WEA^'ER, general foreman of 
the Pennsylvania Railroad shops at Brad- 
ford, Ohio, has occupied this responsible 
position for the past twelve years, and has 
l)een identified with this gi'eat corporation 
since March 25, 1880. He was born No- 
vember 22, 1855, in Jay County, Indiana, 
and is a son of J. W. and Sarah Ann 
Weaver. 

Mr. Weaver comes of farming people 
and he lived on a farm until he went into 
railroad work. From 1880 until 1897 he 
was in the employ of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad at Indianapolis, Indiana, and was 
then transferred to Bradford, where he has 
become a valued and respected citizen. He 
is no politician and wants no office, but he 
is always ready to help along any public 
movement that promises to benefit the 
town in which he has his pleasant home and 
many friends. 

In Indiana Mr. Weaver was married to 
Miss Mary J. Williams, and they have had 
six children, namely: Sarah Ann, who is 
the wife of Thomas Williams ; Isabella, who 
is the wife of Ralph Reed and has one 
child, Ralph; John Edward, who is de- 
ceased; William H., who is employed in 
the Pennsylvania Railroad shops at Brad- 
ford; and Jessie Lovina and Edna. ]\Ir. 
Weaver is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias and of the Modern Woodmen of 
America. 

ISREAL ROUTSON, one of the highly 
esteemed citizens of Newberry Township, 
who is now living practically retired at his 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



685 



home two miles southwest of Bloomer, is 
the owner of two fine fanns of seventy-five 
and twenty acres, respectively. He was 
horn Octoher 8, 1835, on the old Kontson 
homestead, two miles southeast of Bloom- 
er, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of 
George and Nancy (Able) Routson, na- 
tives of the State of Maryland. 

Mr. Routson was reared on the home 
farm, and when eighteen years of age 
started to learn the trade of mason, being 
for five years engaged in plastering and 
brick-laying at Piqua, after wliich he en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits, and for 
thirty-five years continued therein on his 
farm in Newberry Townsliip, erecting all 
the buildings on the property and making 
other improvements. In hitter years he 
lias lived ])racticaily retired, and his pro})- 
erty is l)eing operated by tenants. Mr. 
Routson was married to Eliza Swank, who 
was born and reared near the Lutlieran 
Churcli in Newberry Townsliip. Both are 
meml)ers of the German Baptist Churcli. 

CHARLES W. BAUSMAN, M. D., pliy- 
sician and surgeon, at Bradford, Ohio, 
where he has shown a good citizen's inter- 
est during his five years of residence, was 
born on a farm in Washington Townshiji, 
Maimi County, OJiio, and is a son of Eman- 
uel and Anna (Ingle) Bausnuin, now both 
deceased. 

Dr. Bausman was reared on the home 
farm and obtained liis early education in 
the counti-y schools. After completing a 
course at the Lebanon Normal School he 
was ]uepared to teach, but from boyhood 
he had cherished the ambition of becom- 
ing a i)hysician, and in 1000 he entered 
the medical dejiartment of the I'niversity 
of Cincinnati. Tic was graduated there 



May 125, 1905, and in the following July he 
established himself at Bradford, where 
his medical knowledge and surgical .skill 
soon brought him a satisfactory practice, 
while his personal qualities made him 
friends. Dr. Bausman married Miss Ar- 
mina Schilling, a daughter of Richard 
Schilling. He keeps in clo.se touch with all 
matters ])ertaining to his profession, being 
a member of the Miami County, the State 
and the American ^ledical Associations. 
He belongs also to the Masons and the 
Maccabees. 

ARTIIIH C. RHOADES, one of 
Bloomer's representative business men, 
jimior member of the finn of Peterseim & 
Rhoades. operating a grain elevator at this 
point, and proprietor of a bicycle, repair 
sho)), is also secretary of the Bloomer 
Jldiiie Telephone Company. He has been 
a resident of Bloomer since 18ii;> and was 
born on a farm in Newberry Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, one mile east of 
Bloomer, December 3, 1871. He is a son 
of .John and Mary (Shaetfer) Rhoades. 
.lohii KMioades was also born in Xewbeny 
Townshi)) and bore his father's name. He 
carried on farming all his mature life, in 
Newberry Township, where he died about 
1875. His widow survives, being now the 
wife of George Shearer. 

Arthur C. Rhoades is the only child of 
his ]iarents living. He was reared in New-, 
berry Township and there obtained his 
education and engaged in farming until he 
came to Bloomer. He still owns a farm of 
sixty-nine and one-half acres, wliich lie 
rents out. He entered into ))artnersliip 
with his father-in-law. in the grain elevator 
Inisiness, when he came to Bloomer, and 
several vears later started his repair shop. 



686 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



i 



Mr. Rlioades married Miss Edith Peter- 
seim, a daughter of Martin A. and Mary 
Peterseim, and they have one son, Leslie. 
Mr. Rhoades built the fine frame residence 
in which he resides. He is a leading mem- 
ber of the Lutheran Church. 

EBEEHAET W. MAIER, probate judge 
of Miami County, to which office he was 
first elected in 1905, was born in Coving- 
ton, Miami County, Ohio, January 14, 
1861, son of Michael and Mary (Neth) 
Maier. He is of German parentage, his 
father, Michael Maier, having been born in 
Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1835, his moth- 
er being also a native of the same place, 
and a daughter of George Neth. Michael 
Maier was a wagon-maker by trade, and 
after coming to the United States in 1853, 
foitnd employment at this industry at 
Hartford, Connecticut, where he remained 
for four years. He came to Covington, 
Ohio, in 1857, and for some years con- 
ducted business in a small shop on the 
Troy turnpike. Afterwards, during the 
Civil War, he purchased the shop of C. M. 
Gross and carried on his trade for many 
years, retiring on account of an injury, 
in April, 1905. His shop was a well known 
landmark for many years. Mr. and Mrs. 
Michael Maier had six children — George 
E., Eberhart W., John, Michael, Charles 
A., Anna, and Catherine. George E. died 
in 1903, aged forty-eight years. He was 
twice married ; first to Miss Mina Pearson, 
of which union there was one child, Har- 
ley, who is now a resident of Troy. John 
Maier left home at the age of sixteen 
years and subsequently took up a land 
claim in Nebraska. He married at the age 
of thirty-one and had six children. Mich- 
ael F. Maier, who is a commercial traveler. 



has his residence at Covington. He mar- 
ried Mollie Goehering and they have two 
children. Charles A., who resides in 
Piqua, married Mary Eeed, and they also 
have two children. Anna Maier married 
Clark Reed of Piqua. Catherine became 
the wife of Barney Smith, who came from 
Wurtemberg, Germany. 

Eberhart W. Maier, the direct subject 
of this sketch, began his education in the 
public schools of Covington, and on com- 
pleting the usual course, entered the High 
School. Here, however, he remained but 
until the end of his freshman year on ac- 
count of an accident to his father being 
compelled to leave school. He accord- 
ingly worked for a year and a half at car- 
riage blacksmithing, but not liking it he 
gave it up at the end of that time to enter 
a paint shop, where he remained for three 
years. He then went to Cincinnati and 
learned ornamental and fresco painting. 
Finding, however, that painting did not 
agree with his health, he found himself 
obliged to give it up in turn, and under 
Cleveland's first administration he entered 
the railway mail service, running between 
Indianapolis and Pittsburg, and also for 
a time, between Indianapolis and St. Louis. 

He followed this occupation for about 
three years and at the end of that time 
entered the employ of the Troy Buggy 
Works as a traveling salesman, also work- 
ing for them as draughtsman for ten 
years. During his last six years on the 
road he studied law, carrying his books 
with him, and studying late at night, early 
in the morning, and on Sundays. As the 
result of his arduous application, he was 
admitted to the bar in December, 1900, 
and in the same month of the following 
year began the practice of his profession 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



687 



in Troy. He was first elected to the office 
of probate judge in 1905, taking the oath 
of office February 9, 1906. Although a 
Democrat and the county being usually 
Eepublican by about 1,500, Mr. Maier was 
elected judge by 545 majority on this occa- 
sion. In the fall of 1908 he was re-elected 
by a* majority of 1,644 — evidence conclu- 
sive that his administration of the office 
had been pre-eminently satisfactory. 

Judge Maier was married in 1887, Octo- 
ber 9th, to Anna M. Henne, a daughter of 
John and Margaret A. Henne. They have 
one son, William Henne Maier, who was 
graduated from the Troy High School in 
1909. Judge Maier is the only Democrat 
on the Troy Board of Education, on which 
he has served four years, being now presi- 
dent of the Board. He is also judge of 
the Juvenile Court of Miami County, and 
was one of the five members of the com- 
mission which met at Columbus and at 
Springfield and drafted the new Juvenile 
Court law of Ohio, which was passed April 
23, 1908. He has been an Odd Fellow 
twenty- five years, is also an Elk, a member 
of the Junior Order of American Mechan- 
ics, and a member of the Ancient and Hon- 
ored Order of Gobblers, of Covington, 
Ohio. 

ALEXANDEE HOWE DU BOIS, a 
representative citizen of Washington 
Township and for the past five years a 
member of its School Board, resides on 
the farm of eighty acres which still belongs 
to his mother, and which has been his home 
since he was seven years old. He was born 
in Spring Creek Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, April 12, 1870, and is a son of AVill- 
iam T. and Laura Ann (Howe) Du Bois. 

The late William T. Du Bois was born 



at Franklin, Ohio, and was a son of Will- 
liam D. Du Bois, who came to Washington 
Township when William T. was young. 
The latter grew up here and subsequently 
married Laura Ann Howe, who is a daugh- 
ter of Alexander Howe, who once owned 
a farm here and also a canal boat. She 
was born at Piqua, Ohio, where she now 
resides. After marriage, William T. Du 
Bois and wife moved to Spring Creek 
Township and later to Washington Town- 
sliip, where they owned three farms. Prior 
to the death of Mr. Du Bois they settled 
at Piqua and there he died February 23, 
1902. 

Alexander H. Du Bois was reared and 
educated in Washington Township and 
has been manager of the present farm 
since attaining his majority. He carries 
on a general line of agricultural work, 
raises excellent crops and some fine stock. 
Mr. Du Bois married Miss Lena Wetzel, 
who was born and reared in Washington 
Township, a daughter of John and Caro- 
line (Thoma) Wetzel. 'Mr. and Mrs. Du 
Bois have two children, Grace L. and 
Gwendolyn 0. Mr. Du Bois is a member 
of the Christian Church. He takes the 
interest of a good citizen in politics and is 
ever mindful of the public needs of his 
neighborhood. He has shown his interest 
in educational matters by consenting to 
serve so long on the School Board. 

FRED DURE, who conducts an under- 
taking and upholstering business at Brad- 
ford, Ohio, is one of the town's active and 
enterprising business men. Mr. Durr was 
born on a farm in Adams Township, Darke 
County, Ohio, August 30, 1882, and is a 
son of John and Christina (Hatter) Durr. 
The Durr family has been known in Darke 



688 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



County for many years. The mother of 
Mr. Durr died there iu February, 1900. 
The father engaged iu farming through all 
his active years and now lives retired in 
Eichhuid Township, Darke County. 

Fred Durr was reared on the home farm 
and obtained his education in the country 
schools and the high school at Gettysburg, 
Ohio. "When nineteen years old he began 
to learn the undertaking business with 
I. B. ]\Iiller, of Gettysburg, with whom he 
remained for three years, after which he 
went to Harrison, Ohio, and there em- 
barked in business. Two years later he 
came to Bradford and opened his present 
establishment on November 7, 1907. He 
does considerable business iu the uphol- 
stering line and has every necessary equiii- 
ment for the decent and proper direction 
of funerals. Mr. Durr married Miss Etta 
Eohr, a daughter of IMatthew Bohr. They 
are memliers of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. . Fraternally he is identified with 
the Masons and the Odd Fellows. 

DAVID WARNER owns a fine farm of 
105 acres in Newberry Township, about 
two and one-half miles north of Covington, 
but has been a resident of that village for 
some eighteen years. He was born at 
Union, Montgomery County, Ohio, Febru- 
ary 23, 1828, and is a son of Jacob and 
Susan (Brumliaugh) "Warner, both natives 
of Pennsylvania. 

Jacob Warner died in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, about the year 1835. His 
wife was married four times, her first 
imion being with a Mr. Seas. She after- 
ward married Andrew AVarner, then Jacob 
Warner (brother of Andrew and father of 
our subject), and fourthly Isaac Hoover, 
whom she survived mauv vears. 



David Warner was about seven years 
old at his father's death, and was about 
fourteen, when after his mother's mar- 
riage to Mr. Hoover, they moved to New- 
berry Township, Miami County, Ohio, first 
locating near Harris Creek. There he 
grew to maturity with the usual experi- 
ences of the farm youth of that jJeriod, 
early turning his attention to the farm 
work. After his marriage he and his wife 
set up housekeeping on the farm he now 
owns and they lived there for almost forty 
years. He cleared the land and made all 
the improvements, including the erection 
of a substantial residence and a good set 
of farm buildings. He moved with his 
wife to Covington in 1891, and is one of 
the best known residents of the place. 
After fifty-six years of happy married 
life, he was dej^rived of his wife's compan- 
ionship by death, the date of which was 
August IS, 1908. She was Hetty ^Miller in 
maiden life and was born in Darke County, 
Ohio, March 31, 1833, being a daughter of 
Jacob Miller. The following children 
were born to them : Jacob, deceased ; Su- 
san, deceased ; John, who lives iu Greene- 
ville. Ohio ; Martin, of Covington ; Mary 
(Mohler); Cassie (Kindell), deceased; 
Levi; David, deceased; Hetty (Murray), 
deceased; and James Frauklin, deceased. 
Levi AVarner was joined in marriage with 
Miss Dottie Thompson and they have two 
children : Clarence Edward and Reva 
Marie. They reside at Covington with 
their grandfather, Mr. Warner. David 
Warner is a devout member of the Church 
of the Brethren, in which he has been a 
deacon for more than forty years. 

The following is a list of Mr. Warner's 
grandchildren and great-grandchildren: 

Gi'audchildreu — Mamie I. Warner, For- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



689 



est A. Warner, Levi F. Warner, Maurice 
S. AVarner, Frank ,J. Warner, Clifford 
Warner, Luther R. Warner, Lucy M. War- 
ner, Millard F. Warner, Carl G. Wai-ner, 
Clarence Moliler, Alice Moliler, Lueffie 
Mohler, Edna Kindell, Mary Kindell, Wal- 
ter Kindell, Hettie Kindell, Elsie Kindell, 
Grace Kindell, Lucretia Warner, Roxie 
Warner, David 0. AVarner, Clarence E. 
Warner and Reva M. AVarner. 

' Great-grandchildren — Chester A. Hock- 
er, Mary A. AVarner, Herschel U. AVarner, 
Maud Mohler, Joseph Mohler, Grace Aloh- 
ler, Helen Mohler, Evelyn Filburn, Glenna 
May Filbrun,- Roy Dale Alorris, Alinor 
Clarance Morris, John Lee Alorris, Helen 
L. Ratchford, Arthur E. Ratchford, Thau- 
ette Myers, Ralph Myers, Russell Eber- 
wine, Seipio Eberwine, Luther Rolibins, 
Mary Alexander and Alma Alexander. 

ALEXANDER ROBT80N, deceased, for 
many years was one of the representative 
men and substantial farmers of Spring 
Creek Township. He was born in Hamil- 
ton County, Ohio, near Cincinnati, August 
7, 1827, and died on his farm of l200 acres, 
in Spring Creek Townshi]), Aliami County, 
November 27, 1884. His iiarents were 
John and Alargaret (Rogers) Robison. 

John Robison, father of the late Alex- 
ander, was also a native of Hamilton 
County, born there August 10, 1876, and 
came to Miami County in 1839. where be 
died March 27, 1840. John Robison was a 
son of Alexander and Nancy (Patterson) 
Robison, natives of Ohio, who had the f"l- 
lowing children: Alary, Sarah, AViHii.m. 
James, Alexander. Nancy, John, Jennie, 
Thomas, Alattie and Betsy, and at that 
time the family name was s])oIied Robeison. 
This familv has alwavs been nn ai;ricul- 



tural one and at different times has owned 
large estates in Oiiio. John Robison mar- 
ried Alargaret Rogers, who was born July 
2!». 180.S, ;ind died ])i'ceml)er 18, 1887. Their 
children were the following: Afarv, born 
November 16, 1825, died Septeniber 5, 
1829; Alexander, born August 7, 1827, died 
Novemlier 27, 1884; John. l)oi-n April 26, 
18.31, died June [», 18()6; Jane, born Decem- 
ber .3, 1833; Alartha, born October 13, 1835, 
died June 31, 18,54; Alargaret, born Sep- 
teml)er 20, 1837; and Andrew, l)orn August 
21, 1839. Andrew Robison is a veteran of- 
ficer of the Civil AVar. 

Alexander Robison was twelve years old 
when his father came into .Miami County 
and settled with his family in Spring Creek 
Townshi]), on the tarm on which I)oth 
father and son lived and died. Air. Robi- 
son was a man of excellent business capac- 
ity, was a man of sterling traits of charac- 
ter and was one who, in life, was respected 
by all who knew him and whose death 
caused his fellow citizens to feel that the 
community had .experienced a distinct loss. 

On October 19, 1852, Alexander Rol)ison 
was married to Aliss Alaria Lyon, who was 
born September 7, 1828, and is a daughter 
of Samuel and Margaret (Pendry) Lyon. 
Airs. Robison 's father was a native of New 
.Fersey, and her mother, of Alaryland. To 
Air. and Airs. Robison were born seven 
children, namely: David, born August 25, 
1853, died June 25, 1889; William, born 
June 7, 1857, died Alarch 24. 1860; Jennie, 
who married ^^'illiam Aleeker, of Shelby 
County, has four sons, Clarence Earl, How- 
ard Robison, Harry Alexander and John 
Edwin; Charles A., who married Laura 
Denman, resides in Texas; Lydia, who 
lives with her mother; Frank, who married 
Ida Williams, resides at Lyie. Washington, 



690 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



and has bad four children, Willard An- 
drew, Margaret Marie, Mary Helen, and 
Frances Irene, the second and third being 
deceased; and Edwin A., who married 
Laura Jones, lives at Portland, Oregon. 
Mrs. Robison is a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 

GEORGE W. PECKHAM, a represent- 
ative business citizen of Troy, vice-presi- 
dent of the Peckham Coal and Ice Com- 
pany, and doing business both at Troy and 
at Piqua, was born in Huron County, Ohio, 
March 20, 1835, where he attended school 
until he was fifteen years old. 

From Huron County, Mr. Peckham went 
to Darke County ; he later lived at Sidney, 
Piqua, Springfield, going from the latter 
place to Illinois. When he returned to 
Ohio he came to Troy, in June, 1863. In 
the spring of 1864 he enlisted in Company 
H., Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but received 
his discharge the same year and this coun- 
ty has since remained his chosen home. 
For a few months he was with the sash and 
door factory and then, in partnership with 
his brother, AV. C. Peckham, he engaged in 
the marble business for about four years, 
after which he resumed work as a car- 
penter, a trade he had learned in early 
manhood. Some four years later he bought 
a farm west of Troy, on which he resided 
for twenty-two years and then returned 
to the city, where he. conducted the old 
Peckham Hotel for one year. Later he 
bought out the coal and ice business of 
Evan Makepeace, which he conducted for 
several years before organizing the Peck- 
ham Coal and Ice Company and develop- 
ing the present very large enterprise. The 
company has built a modern ice plant, of 
twenty-tons capacity, at Troy and a sixty- 



ton plant is almost completed at Piqua, in 
order to handle the business at that point. 
The company is made up of Mr. Peckham 
and his four sons, P. J. Peckham being 
president, and Charles Peckham secretary. 
In 1866 Mr. Peckham was married to 
Miss Lovina J. Shilling, and they have six 
children: David H., who is cashier of the 
Peckham Coal and Ice Company ; George, 
who is engaged in the automobile business 
at Dayton; F. J.; Charles; Daisy, and 
Jennie. Mr. Peckham and family are 
members of the Baptist Church at Troy. 

SAMUEL A. MOUL, manager of the 
Daniel Moul Lumber Company, at Pleasant 
Hill, Ohio, which has a branch yard at Get- 
tysburg, Darke County, was born in the 
latter place, September 6, 1886, and is a 
son of Daniel and Martha (Am) Moul. 

Daniel Moul, father of Samuel A., is 
president and manager of The Daniel Moul 
Lumber Company, dealers in lumber, build- 
ers' hardware, glass and paint, and he is 
manager of the branch yard at Gettysburg, 
while his son manages the business at the 
main yards at Pleasant Hill. The officers 
of the company are: Daniel Moul, presi- 
dent and manager; Samuel Berger, vice 
president; John M. Moul, secretary and 
treasurer; and Samuel A. Moul, manager 
as above stated. Daniel Moul was bom at 
York, Penna., September 13, 1854. He 
married Martha Arn, daughter of Ernest 
and Martha Am, and to them were bom 
the following children: Charles, now de- 
ceased; John, who married Carrie Moore, 
a daughter of John and Alfaretta Moore, 
has one son, Charles; Daniel, who married 
Meda Clark, a daughter of Milton and 
Amanda Clark, has one son, Daniel Clark; 
Stella and Samuel A., twins, the fonner of 




MR. AND MRS. GEORGE W. PECKHAM 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



693 



whom married Clarence Miller, of Gettys- 
burg, Ohio, has three children, Homer, 
Imogene and Ethylen; and Elizabeth A., 
who is bookkeeper and stenograi)her at 
Pleasant Hill, for the Daniel Moul Lmnber 
Company. Daniel Moul and wife are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
In politics he is a Democrat and in former 
years took quite an active interest in pub- 
lic matters. He is a thirty-second degree 
Mason and belongs to the Blue Lodge at 
Gettysburg. 

Samuel A. Moul was liberally educated 
and after completing the High School 
course at Gettysburg, took a commercial 
course at Poughkeepsie, New York, after 
which he filled the position of bookkeeper 
for the Ohio Lumber Compaiay at Ironton, 
Ohio, for one year and then came to Pleas- 
ant Hill as manager of this plant. The 
business is a large one and employment is 
given a number of men. Mr. Moul married 
Miss Emma Ashman, a daughter of John 
and Etta Ashman. Politically he is a 
Democrat, but takes little interest beyond 
casting his vote for his party's candidates, 
his business occupjang the largest part of 
his attention. He is identified with the 
Elks at Ironton and the Odd Fellows at 
Pleasant Hill. He is recognized as one of 
the enterprising young men of this place, 
one who is able to make practical use of 
his sensible education. 

A. J. HOFFERT, who is foreman of 
the car department of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad at Bradford, Ohio, has been in 
the railroad service since 1888 and has had 
much experience. He was born at Bremen, 
Fairfield County, Ohio, May 22, 1868, and 
is a son of Philoman and Catherine Hof- 
fert. 



A. J. Hoffert resided at Bremen through 
his school days and was eighteen years of 
age when he went to Indianapolis and from 
there to Brightwood, where he learned car 
building. He worked there for two years 
for the old Bee line, was then at Denver, 
Colorado, for a year with the Union Pacific 
and for eight months for the same road 
worked at Salt Lake City, after that he 
pushed on to Portland, Oregon, and during 
the three months he remained there, he 
worked as a house carpenter. He then 
went to San Francisco and for three years 
was in the employ of the Southern Pacific. 
The great World 's Fair at Chicago led him 
eastward again, and after enjoying it he 
returned to Indianapolis, where he worked 
as a house carpenter for a year and then 
resumed railroad work with the Panhandle 
line. On April 1, 1902, he came to Brad- 
ford to accept his present position, one 
which he has most efficiently filled ever 
since. Mr. IToflfert married Miss Maria C. 
Scholl, and thej' have two children, Ruth 
and Helen. He is a member of Capital City 
Lodge, No. 97, Knights of Pythias of In- 
dianapolis; and of Yukon Tribe, No. 312, 
Improved Order of Red Men, also of In- 
dianapolis. 

ANDERSON SN"XDER, whose well im- 
proved farm of seventy acres is situated in 
Newberry Township, at the northeast cor- 
ner of the Range Line turnpike and the 
Piqua- Versailles road, about five miles 
northwest of Covington, was born in Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, February 5, 1857, 
and is a son of Emanuel Nelsoq and Hul- 
dah (Wysong) Snyder. 

When Anderson Snyder was one year 
old his parents moved to a farm situated 
in Miami County, one-half mile north of 



694 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



his present farm, and they still reside 
there. On that farm Anderson Snyder 
was reared. He went to school during 
boyhood, in Newberry Township, after 
which he helped his father and later en- 
gaged in farming for himself. His life 
has been entirely given up to agricultural 
pursuits and he continued to cultivate his 
land himself until 1908, when he retired 
from active work and rented out his farm. 
For four years after his first marriage, he 
lived in Shelby County but in 1886 he came 
to Miami County and settled on this place. 
Two comfortable dwellings, one of brick 
and the other of frame construction, were 
standing when he bought the place. 

Mr. Snyder was married (first) to Miss 
Harriet Ehoades, a daughter of John 
Rhoades. Mrs. Snyder died September 11, 
1890, the mother of three children, namely : 
Clarence Cleveland, who resides on a farm 
in Shelby County, one and one-quarter 
miles north of his father's farm, married 
Izora Fesler and they have one child, 
Mabel Marie; Marion Monroe, who died 
when aged fifteen years; and Dora Dell, 
who is the wife of Franklin Gish. Mr. 
Snyder was married (second) February 
25, 1893, to Mrs. Mina (Stiver) Gangwer, 
widow of Samuel Gangwer and daughter 
of Jonathan and Eliza Ann (Method) 
Stiver. Mrs. Snyder was born in Elkhart 
County, Indiana, and her father died on 
tlie old farm there in 1899. Her mother 
still survives. Mrs. Snyder has two sons 
born to her first marriage : James Ed- 
ward, who married Orpha Cooper, and 
Harvey C. To Mr. and Mrs. Snyder one 
son has been born, Forest Franklin. Mr. 
Snyder takes no very active part in jwli- 
tics, but votes with the Democratic party. 
Mr. and Mrs. Snyder are well known peo- 



ple in this section and they always have 
a hospitable welcome for their friends. 

LOUIS LANDMAN, proprietor of the 
Loramie Mills, in Washington Township, 
which are situated three miles northeast 
of Pifiua, is a native of Germany, where 
he was born November 30, 1841. His pai-- 
ents were Henry and Christina Landman. 

Louis Landman learned the milling busi- 
ness with his father, in Germany, and he 
was twenty-four years of age when he 
came to America. He located first at 
Greenville, Ohio, then went to Mercer 
County, where he worked for three years 
in a mill, after which he worked for a 
short time at his trade in a mill situated 
between Piqua and Troy. He next went 
to Missouri and for one year was employed 
in a mill at Hamlin and then came to Mi- 
ami Countv and worked for a vear in the 

r 

very mill he now owns. He then went 
into the lumber business in Indiana and 
remained there for twelve years but re- 
turned to Miami County in 1886 and pur- 
chased his present mill property. He put 
the machinery in the best possible condi- 
tion, made many imjirovements and his 
patronage is large. He produces flour of 
both wheat and rye, corn meal and buck- 
wheat and also feed. His specialty. Gilt 
Edge flour, has a wide sale through the 
county. 

Mr. Landman married Rachel Nusbaum, 
who was born and reared in Wayne Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and they have had fourteen chil- 
dren, the seven survivors being: Jenette; 
Reuben, married, who works for his father 
in the mill; Henry, who is a miller at 
Springfield, Ohio; George; Carrie; Will- 
iam, who is a miller at Dunkirk, Indiana; 
and Gladys, who is a student in the Piqua 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



695 



High School. Five children died in in- 
fancy; Emma died when aged fifteen 
years, and Frederi(.'k when aged eleven 
years. Mr. Landman and family are mem- 
bers of the German Methodist Episco])al 
Church of Piqua, of which he is one of the 
trustees. He is one of the reliable and re- 
spected citizens of Washington Township. 

ALBERT WARNER, who owns 100 
acres of the old Araon Warner homestead 
of 160 acres, lying on the Sears Turnpike 
Road, two miles northeast of Bradford, 
Ohio, was born on the farm which adjoins 
on the north, June 26, 1868, and is a son 
of Aaron and Charlotte (Bosserman) 
Warner. 

The Warner family may be numbered 
with the pioneer ones of Newberry Town- 
ship, the grandfather of Albert, Henry 
Warner, coming at an early day and set- 
tling on the farm on which his grandson 
now lives. His son Aaron was a boy at 
the time, having been born in Montgomei-y 
County. For many years Henry Warner 
made this farm his home, and then moved 
to a farm south of Bradford, where he 
died in advanced age. Aaron Warner 
married C'harlotte Bosserman, who was 
born in Darke County, Ohio, a daughter 
of Solomon Bosserman, an old and re- 
spected man there. To this marriage were 
born five children, namely : Lovina, who is 
the wife of Frank Martin, residing in 
Darke County; David, who lives near 
Pleasant Hill; Almira, who is the wife 
of Isaac Young, of I^arke County; Alice, 
who is the wife of John Brumbaugh, re- 
siding in Darke County; and Albert, who 
is a twin brother of Alice. Aaron Warner 
died in the fall of 1907, surviving his wife 
for one vear. 



Albert Warner was three years old when 
ills parents came to his present farm, and 
this has continued to be his home ever 
since. Only those who have grown up in 
one place and watched its development and 
had the secure home feeling that jwsses- 
sion gives can appreciate how much Mr. 
Warner, for many reasons, values this 
])lace, the home of his childhood, boyhood, 
youth and maturity. His residence is a 
comfortable brick house that was built by 
one of the early settlers, a Mr. Hoover. 
He carries on a general line of fanning, 
raising wheat, oats, corn, hay and stock, 
also tobacco. Mr. Warner married Miss 
Ida Cx'owel, a daughter of Daniel and 
Matilda (Harmon) Crowel, an old New- 
berry Township family, and they liave 
four children: Emery C, Mildred, Louis 
and Charles. Mr. Warner and family are 
members of the Church of the Brethren. 

ELBERT M. BELL, attorney-at-law 
and city solicitor of Piqua, a ])ractitioner 
in the State and Federal Courts, was born 
in 1870, in Logan County, Ohio, and from 
the local schools entered Findlay College 
at Findlay, Ohio, where he completed his 
literary education. 

After leaving college, Mr. Bell entered 
upon the study of law with Marion G. 
Bell, at Bellefontaiue, Ohio, and received 
his degree of law at the Ohio Northern 
University in 1897. In the spring of 1898 
Mr. Bell enlisted for service in the S]>an- 
ish-American War, entering Comi)any F. 
Second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- 
try, and remained with his regiment in 
cami) at Chickamagua. ]\Iacon and Knor- 
ville until December, 1898, when he was 
assigned to detached duty as clerk to Gen- 
eral Bates, who was then the military gov- 



696 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



4<* 



ernor of Santa Clara Province, Cuba, and 
he remained in that capacity in Cuba un- 
til February, 1899. After he returned to 
the United States he was mustered out at 
Macon, Georgia, and shortly afterward lo- 
cated at Piqua. For four years he was as- 
sociated in law jDractice with L. E. Drake, 
and in December, 1906, he was appointed 
city solicitor, in the fall of the following 
year being elected to the same office. His 
service has been very satisfactory and the 
office has never been better administered. 
In October, 1899, Mr. Bell was married 
to Miss Martha E. 'Eosebrook, of Big 
Springs, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Bell are 
members of the Green Street Methodist 
Ei^iscopal Church, Piqua. He takes a 
hearty interest in politics, especially in the 
public affairs of city and county, and has 
proved himself an effective party worker. 
Mr. Bell is identified with the Piqua Busi- 
ness Men's Club, is treasurer of the Young 
Men's Christian Association and belongs 
to the Spanish-American War Veterans, 
the Home Guards of America, the Golden 
Eagles and the Knights of Pythias. 

C. EOY COPPOCK is a well known cit- 
izen of Pleasant Hill, Miami County, Ohio, 
and has charge of the correspondence of 
the Jesse Beery Company, of that place. 
He was born in Bradford, Newbei-ry Town- 
ship, ]\riami County, Ohio, September 4, 
1874, and is a son of Elwood and Sarah 
(Younce) Coppock, and a grandson of 
Benjamin Copj^ock. 

Benjamin Coppock, the grandfather, 
was one of the early settlers of Miami 
County, and was located on a farm east 
of Ludlow Falls, in Union Township. He 
lived there imtil his death in 1890, and 
was buried at Union Cemetery, as was his 



wife, who survived him some years. Her ' 
maiden name was Ester Mills and they 
had three children, two of whom are liv- | 
ing, David M. and Elwood. Eeligiously 
they were members of the Society of | 
Friends. He was a Whig in politics. 

Elwood Coppock was born at Ludlow 
Falls, Miami County, where he lived until 
after his marriage, when he moved to 
Bradford and conducted a shoe store. He 
remained there four years and then car- 
ried on the same business in the state of 
Arkansas. Eeturning north, he became a 
traveling salesman, at which he has since 
continued, being first located at Goshen, 
Indiana, and then at Logansport, Indiana, 
where he now lives. He is a Eepublican 
in politics. He was married to Sarah 
Younce, a daughter of David Younce, and 
they became parents of six children, as 
follows : Minnie, Lulu, C. Eoy, Frank (de- 
ceased), Cado (deceased), and Ester (de- 
ceased). 

C. Eoy Coppock first attended school in 
Arkansas, then at Goshen, Indiana; Web- 
ster, Indiana; Fountain City, Indiana; 
Pleasant Hill, Ohio ; Eichmond, Indiana. 
In the meanwhile he learned sign painting, 
and the trade of a baker, which he followed 
for a time, and he also followed the insur- 
ance business. He engaged in selling sew- 
ing machines prior to accepting his pres- 
ent position with the Jesse Beery Com- 
pany, of Pleasant Hill. He served four 
years as city clerk at Pleasant Hill and 
proved a most efficient officer. He is a 
Eepublican in politics. October 29, 1903, 
Mr. Coppock was united in marriage with 
Miss Efifie Wliitmer, a daughter of John 
W. and Frances Bell Whitmer, and they 
have a pleasant home in Pleasant Hill. 
Fraternallv he is a member of the Ma- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



697 



sonic Lodge, the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows, and the Junior Order United 
American Mechanics. 

AVILLIAM J. RAKE is a prominent 
farmer of Washington Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, residing just west of the cor- 
poration line of Piqua, on the Clayton pike. 
He was born almost directly across the 
road from his present farm, September 10, 
1862, and is a son of Amos and Sarah 
(Keyt) Eake. 

Amos Rake was born in Clinton, New 
Jersey, and was a son of "William Rake, 
whose occupation was that of a farmer 
but who was sheriff and jailer in Clinton, 
New- Jersey, for a period of thirty years. 
Amos was reared in his native community, 
and was there married to Miss Elizabeth 
Smith. Six children were the offspring of 
this union, of whom two are now living: 
Mary, wife of Jacob Gertner, of Piqua; 
and Nancy, wife of A. J. Brotherton, of 
Delphos, Ohio. With his family, Amos 
Rake moved to Miami County, Ohio, some 
time between 1850 and 1855, settling on a 
farm on the Washington pike in Washing- 
ton Township. His first wife died within 
a few years after their coming, and on 
March 7, 1870, he formed a second union 
witli Miss Sarah Keyt, mother of the sub- 
ject of this sketch. 

The Keyt family is an old and prom- 
inent one in Washington Township, and in 
Piqua. James Keyt, father of the wife of 
Amos Rake, and his brother, John Keyt, 
were masons here in the pioneer days, and 
built many of the early brick houses. James 
Keyt was born in Elizabethtown, Essex 
County, New Jersey, and was a son of 
James Keyt, who was a carpenter and con- 
tractor in New Jersey, and met his death 



by falling from a scaffold. The father of 
the latter was also named James, and was 
of English birth; he too met a violent 
death, being thrown from a horse and 
killed. James Keyt, father of Mrs. Rake, 
was married to Elizabeth Widney, Janu- 
ary 23, 1820, and his brother John was 
married to her sister. Nine children were 
born to them, of whom two are now living: 
Mrs. Margaret Jane Lines, of Piqua; and 
Mary Widney Keyt, who owns fifty-three 
acres of the old home place and lives with 
her nephew, William J. Rake. Mrs. Keyt 
died in September, 18-48, and James Keyt 
died in January, 1849. 

Mrs. Sarah (Keyt) Rake, mother of the 
subject of this record, died in 1892. and 
was survived manj' years by her husband, 
who passed away in 1905. William J. 
Rake was reared in his native township, 
and has always followed farming. He is 
unmarried and resides with his aunt, Mary 
Widney Keyt, whose place he also farms. 
He has in his possession a Bible bought bj' 
his grandfather, James Keyt, which is said 
to have been the first Bible bought in 
Miami County. He is a man of business 
ability aud integrity, and is most highly 
esteemed by his many friends in the com- 
munity. 

• 

DAVID J. ROUTSON, a member of the 
Newberry Township School Board and a 
representative of a prominent old family 
of that township, is the owner of a fine 
farm of eighty-one acres, located where 
the C, H. & D. Railroad crosses the Piqua 
and Versailles pike. He was born on a 
farm across the road from his present 
home, February 13, 1867, and is a soai of 
Reuben and Catherine (Rhoadelieffer) 
Routson. 



698 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Reuben Routson, who has never lived 
for a day off the farm across the road 
from that of the subject of this sketch, was 
born August 5, 1833, and is a son of 
George and Nancy (Able) Routson, both 
natives of Maryland. George Routson was 
married in Maryland in the spring of 1831, 
and immediately thereafter moved with his 
wife to Newberry Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, where they settled on what has 
since been known as the Routson home 
place, located on the Piqua and Versailles 
pike, about six miles northwest of Cov- 
ington. Reuben Routson was the second 
of eight children born to his parents, of 
whom but four are now living. His father 
died at the age of fifty-two years, and his 
mother at eighty-eight. He was reared 
on the farm and learned the trade of a 
carpenter, which he followed steadily for 
twelve years. He has since followed farm- 
ing on the home place, on which he built 
all tlie buildings now standing. He has 
seventy-four acres in this place, and is 
also the owner of a farm of 110 acres 
about three miles southeast of his home. 
He is a Democrat in polities, and served 
his township as trustee and assessor. 

February 28, 1861, Reuben Routson was 
married to Kate Rhoadeheffer, who was 
born and reared in Montgomery County, 
Ohio, and when eighteen years of age ae- 
compani'^d her parents, David and Mai'- 
garet (Apple) Rhoadeheffer, to Newberry 
Township. Ten children were born to 
them, namely: George "W., who is county 
school examiner and lives at Troy; Mar- 
garet, wife of John Christian, a farmer 
of Darke County; Elizabeth, who died at 
the age of two years; David J.; Angeline 
Belle, wife of Henry Ballinger, a fai-mer 
of Darke County; ]\rary Jane, wife of 



Amos Fessler; Sarah Ann, wife of Charles 
H. Miller, of Piqua; Ida May, wife of I. 
M. Apple, a saw-mill operator, of New- 
berry Township ; Wesley S., who farms his 
father's farm north of Covington; and 
Suvilla Josephine, wife of Uriah Apple, 
a fanner of Newberry Township. 

David J. Routson was reared on the 
farm on which his father still lives, and 
received a good public school education. 
He has always followed farming, and when 
he was married, set up housekeeping on 
the farm of 110 acres owned by his father 
and located three miles north of Coving- 
ton. He lived there ten years, then came 
to his present farm of eighty-one acres. 
He has a large brick house, which was 
erected by a Mr. Shafer as early as 1864. 
He is a Democrat in politics and is now 
serving his second year as a member of 
the School Board. He has always fol- 
lowed general farming and has been uni- 
formly successful. He is vice-president 
and treasurer of the Bloomer Telephone 
Company, and is a stockholder of the Still- 
water Valley Banking Company, and also 
a stockholder in the Piqua furniture 
factory. 

Mr. Routson was imited in marriage 
with Miss Sarah A. Apple, a daughter of 
Solomon Apple, who was a prominent 
farmer of the township and who died in 
1900. Four children were born to this 
union: Meda, Inez M., Norma I., and 
^'esta E. Religiously they are members 
of the Lutheran Church, of which he has 
been secretary for twelve years. 

JOSHUA GRUBB. who resides on his 
well improved farm of 120 acres, which lies 
in Section 31, Newberry Township, one and 
one-half miles southwest of Covington, is 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



699 



one of tlie leading citizens of this part of 
Miami County. He was born October 23, 
1844, on a farm in Newberry Township, 
one mile west of Covington, and is a son of 
John and Catherine (Walmer) Grubb, 
both of whom wei-e born in Pennsylvania, 
but were married in Miami County. 

Joshua Grubb went to school and grew 
to manhood in Newberry Township. He 
was nineteen years old when he enlisted 
for service in the Civil War, entering Com- 
pany F, 147th Regt., 0. Vol. Inf., on May 
1, 1864, and was stationed in West Vir- 
ginia and at Washington, D. C, imtil his 
term of enlistment was over, September 
15th of the same year. He saw a large 
amoimt of the suffering caused by war, but 
escaped any personal injury, and after he 
returned home he resumed farming, which 
has been his main occupation. For seven 
years he was also interested in contracting, 
and built many pikes and house founda- 
tions in the county, living then at Brad- 
ford. In 1880 lie bought his farm, on which 
he has resided ever since. It is excellent 
land, and is well improved and carefully 
cultivated. 

Mr. Grubb married Miss Frances E. 
Cable, and they had two children, Bertha, 
who is the widow of Harry Bowers; and 
Audrey, who lives at home. Mr. Grubb was 
bereaved of his wife on July 24, 1908. She 
was a most estimable woman in every rela- 
tion of life. In politics Mr. Grubb is a Re- 
publican, and he has acceptably sei'ved as 
township trustee. He is identified with the 
Grand Army of the Republic and the 
Masons. 

DAVID ARNOLD, senior member of the 
well known business firm of D. Arnold & 
Son, dealers in lumber, cement, coal and 



builders' supplies, at Bradftjrd, Ohio, and 
also vice-president of tlie Bradford Bank, 
is a prominent citizen of this section, and 
is identified with its best interests of every 
kind. He was born on a farm located 
along Greenville Creek, in Newberry 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, May 8, 
1840, and is a son of John and Mary 
(Thompson) Arnold. 

John Arnold was also born in Miami 
County, and was a son of David Arnold, 
who came to this section from South Caro- 
lina and obtained a deed to the Arnold 
homestead farm in Newberry Township, 
which bears the date of 1820. His grand- 
son and namesake possesses the deed, and 
also owns uincty-si.\ acres of tiie farm. On 
this same farm the second David Arnold 
grew to manhood, leaving it for the first 
time when he enlisted in the service of his 
country on August 12, 1861. He was a 
member of Company B, Forty-fourth 0. 
Vol. Inf., during the whole of the war until 
January 5, 1865, when he re-enlisted at 
Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. The in- 
fantry regiment was disbanded on accoimt 
of having served its time out. and when it 
was reorganized it was as the Eighth Ohio 
Cavalry. He served in it until the close of 
all hostilities, and was mustei'ed out with 
the rank of quartermaster sergeant, at 
Clai'ksburg, West Virginia, in August, 
1865. During this long period Mr. Arnold 
performed every duty recjuired like a good 
soldier, and his military record is one of 
which he may be proud. 

When his military life was over, Mr. 
Arnold returned to the home farm and con- 
tinued agricultural pursuits until 1872, 
when he came to Bradford and entered into 
the lumber business. In succeeding years 
he enlarged the scope of his original inter- 



700 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



« 



ests to include other commodities, and ad- 
mitted bis son to partnership, and has a 
very large plant at present, and gives em- 
plojTiient to a number of men. Since 1892 
he has also been in partnership with Na- 
than Iddings in the grain business, and 
with Mr. Iddings organized the Bradford 
Banlv, which they own. 

In 1865 Mr. Arnold was married to Miss 
Mary Ross, a daughter of Samuel Ross, 
and they have had seven children, the three 
survivors being: Armina, who married 
Charles AVeaver and has two children, 
Myrtle and Gertrude, the former being her 
grandfather's bookkeeper; John T., junior 
member of the firm of D. Arnold & Son, 
who married Ida V. Brant and has one son, 
Lawson ; and Mary Gertrude, who married 
R. D. Hoover, a resident of Carnegie, 
Pennsylvania. 

CHARLES F. PERKINS, one of the 
prominent young business men of Pleasant 
Hill, cashier of the Pleasant Hill Banking 
Company, of which he is one of the heav- 
iest stockholders, was born July 5, 1882, in 
Owen County, Kentucky, and is a son of 
George and Martha Ellen (Payne) Per- 
kins. The parents of Mr. Perkins were na- 
tives of Kentucky, and his mother still sur- 
vives and resides at Covington. His 
father died April 20, 1891. He was a mem- 
ber of the Baptist Church. To George Per- 
kins and wife three children were born: 
Walter, who died when aged eighteen 
months; Charles F. ; and Elzie, who mar- 
ried Gertrude Smith, daughter of George 
Smith, of McHenry, Kentucky, and has one 
child, lola. 

Charles F. Perkins was educated in 
Owen County and the State University at 
Lexington. Immediately after completing 



his college course he became bookkeeper 
for a banking institution at Wheatley, Ken- 
tucky, where he remained for two years. 
From there he went into a bank at Ghent, 
Kentucky, and was assistant cashier for 
two years, and then came to Pleasant Hill, 
in March, 1907. Mr. Perkins came here a 
stranger, and opened up his bank when al- 
most unknown, but he did not long remain 
so, for his square dealing and careful, con- 
servative methods soon appealed to both 
capitalists and the people at large, and a 
hearty support soon placed this financial 
institution among the leading ones of 
Miami County. He invested in property, 
showing his intention to make this town of 
pleasant name and environment his per- 
manent home, and now owns his own hand- 
some residence, together with three town 
lots. He has shown a hearty interest in 
public affairs, and during the recent local 
option campaign against liquor gave three 
weeks of his valuable time to presenting 
this issue to the people. In politics he is a 
Democrat. 

Mr. Perkins was married November 27, 
1907, to Miss Effie Roberts, a daughter of 
W. A. Roberts, of Ghent, Kentucky. They 
are members of the Baptist Church. He is 
a member of Pleasant Hill Lodge, F. & A. 
M., of Pleasant Hill. 

GEORGE E. KINNISON, a well known 
farmer and representative citizen of New- 
ton Township, Miami Coimty, Ohio, is the 
owner of sixty acres of land in Section 26, 
Range 4, of that township. He was born 
in Washington Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, April 5, 1864, and is a son of George 
and Elizabeth (Halderman) Kinnison. 

George Kinnison was born in Virginia 
December 9, 1831, and was five years of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



701 



age whuu lie moved with liis parents to 
Jackson County, Ohio. There he grew to 
maturity and lived until he was twenty- 
eight years of age, then moved to the 
vicinity of Covington, in Miami Coimty, 
Ohio. He had a farm lying partly in New- 
berry and partly in Washington township, 
on which he lived until 1877, when he 
bought a sixty-acre tract in Newton Town- 
ship. He continued on the latter until 
190U, then moved to the place where his 
widow now lives, about one-half mile 
south of Covington. He died there on 
May 9, 1909, and was buried at Pleasant 
Hill Cemetery. Religiously, he was a 
member of the Christian Church. He was 
a Democrat in politics, and took an earnest 
interest in public affairs, but never dab- 
bled in politics. Mr. Kinnison was mar- 
ried in Jackson County, Ohio, to ^liss Eliz- 
abeth Halderman, and they were parents 
of the following children : Clara, Mary F., 
Laura, George E., Emma, Rosa, Wesley, 
Myrtle, Ella, and one who died unnamed. 
George E. Kinnison first attended what 
was known as ^Tiite's schoolhouse, one 
mile east of Covington; after six terms in 
that school, his parents having moved to 
Newton Township, he attended the Buck- 
eye school in that township. He next en- 
gaged in farming, working out by the 
month, until his marriage in 1884. when he 
moved onto a twenty-acre farm in Newton 
TowTiship. He moved from that place in 
1895 to the sixty acres on which he now 
lives, in the same township. He first lived 
in the old log house, which was built on the 
place by John Sloan at an early date, but 
more recently has occupied a fine new 
frame house which he erected. He also put 
up the other buildings on the place, and has 
made many other important improvements. 



including the laying of 1,U0U rods of tile for 
drainage. He is a Prohibitionist in poli- 
tics, and served three years as township 
trustee, as well as member of the school 
board at different times. 

In February, 1884, George E. Kinnison 
was married to Mary J. Awker, a daughter 
of. James and Malvina Awker. and they be- 
came parents of five chikhv namely : El- 
mer, who married Blanche Xiswonger, 
daughter of David and Nellie Xiswonger, 
and has a daughter named Ruth; James; 
Clyde F. ; Wilbert D., and Stephen. Relig- 
iously, they are members of the Christian 
Church, and Mr. Kinnison serves as finan- 
cial secretary of the church organization. 

M. D. MYERS, who has been identified 
with the business interests of Bradford, 
Ohio, for almost forty years, is proprietor 
of a prosperous boot and shoe house enter- 
prise here, and has been connected with 
this line of industry ever since boyhood. 
He is one of the pioneer business men of 
the place. He was bom in Lebanon County, 
Pennsylvania. July 19, 1838, and is a son 
of ]\Iichael and Feronica (Deppler) Myers. 

Wlien Mr. Myers was two years old his 
parents moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 
where the father followed his trade of 
weaving. M. D. Myers did not adopt this 
trade, but before he was twelve years of 
age was learning the trade of shoemaking, 
and before he was eighteen years old ran 
a shop of his own. He then moved to 
Pleasant Hill, Miami County, Ohio, in the 
spring of 1856, where he worked at first 
for a shoemaker and then opened a shop 
of his own. One year later his parents 
joined him, and it was in his home that his 
father died when aged ninety-four years. 
In (he spring of 1870 Mr. Myers came to 



702 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Bradford, and immediately started to erect 
the building in which he has carried on his 
business ever since. He has always been 
an active and public-spirited citizen, and 
ever ready to do his full share in advanc- 
ing the interests of Bradford, serving 
faithfully through a number of terms in 
the Town Council, and also on the School 
Board. 

Mr. Myers first firmly established him- 
self in business before returning to Leb- 
anon County, Pennsylvania, to marry Miss 
Hannah L. Gingrich, a most estimable lady 
who had a wide circle of warm friends in 
Bradford. She died in February, 1908. 
There were seven children born to them, as 
follows: Ellen Catherine, who married 
Henry Miller, residing near Oakland, 
Darke County ; Matilda Alice, who married 
John R. Shalfer, residing at Oluey. Illi- 
nois; Ulysses Grant, who resides in Iowa 
and is a shoemaker; George, a cabinet 
maker who resides at Bradford; Mary 
Olive, now deceased, who was the wife of 
Albert Klinger; Nora May, who is de- 
ceased ; and Harry, who resides at Dayton, 
Ohio. Mr. Myers is an elder in the Pres- 
byterian Church, and in this religious body 
he has reared his children and hopes to see 
his thirty-thi'ee grandchildren united in the 
same faith. He is a member of the Masonic 
fraternity. 

JACOB WIDENER, deceased, formerly 
one of Covington's representative business 
men and highly esteemed citizens, was 
born at Covington, Ohio, September 22, 
1845, and was a son of Jacob and Mai-garet 
(Fahnestock) Widener. Both the Widener 
and Fahnestock families came from Sax- 
ony, Germany, and a complete ancestral 
line, together with the old coat of aiTQS, is 



in the possession of the widow of the late 
Jacob Widener. 

The first Jacob Widener, father of 
Jacob (2), was born in Franklin County, 
Pennsylvania, April 9, 1809, his father 
having come directly from Germany. In 
his earlier years, Jacob Widener worked 
as a tanner at Strasburg, Pennsylvania. 
In October, 1834, he was married at Lau- 
disburg, Pennsylvania, to Margaret Fah- 
nestock, and in the spring of 1836, with 
their oldest child, William Fahnestock, 
they made the journey to Ohio by wagon, 
and in the fall of that year settled near 
Covington, Miami County. Jacob W^idener 
started into business first with a tin shop 
and later, after a period of official life, he 
embarked in a hardware business in which 
he continued imtil succeeded by his son. 
He was one of the charter members of the 
Christian Church which was organized at 
Covington in 1837. A Democrat, he was 
elected by that party first a justice of the 
l^eace and was later appointed postmaster 
of Covington under the administration of 
President Polk. Upon retiring from that 
office he was elected county recorder, and 
during that time lived at Troy, and in 
1850 moved from there to Versailles, 
where he was a dry goods merchant and 
also conducted a tannery. In 1866 he re-- 
turned pei'manently to Covington, found- 
ing the hardware business at that time. 
His death occurred April 12, 1882, when 
aged seventy-three years. 

Jacob Widener, the second, was reared 
in Miami County and attended school at 
Troy, Versailles and Piqua. He succeeded 
his father in the hardware business and 
conducted it until 1899, when he sold out 
and lived more or less retired from that 
time imtil his death on May 21, 1905, at 




JACOB WIDENER 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



705 



the City HosiDital, at Dajion, Ohio. He 
■was a worthy and valued member of the 
Christian Church, in which he was a mem- 
ber of the choir for many years and he 
served for a like period as treasurer of 
the Sunday-school. Personally he was a 
man of many admirable and amiable quali- 
ties and he had a wide circle of friends. 
He was identified with the order of Odd 
Fellows. 

On April 13, 1870. ^.h■. AVidener was 
married to Miss Julia J. Birely, who was 
born at Lebanon, Ohio, and is a daughter 
of Joseph and Effie (Samson) Bii-ely. To 
this marriage were born four children, 
namely: William B., born January 30, 

1871, died in February, 1872; Manley B. 
and Stanley F., twins, born February 1, 

1872, the latter living at Pomona, Cali- 
fornia, the former of whom lives at Chi- 
cago, Illinois ; and Edna Lnlu, born Sep- 
tember 24, 1879, who married William 
Conrad, a contracting and construction 
engineer. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad had one son, 
William Widener, who lived but six days. 
Manley B. Widener married Etoile Pat- 
terson. Stanley F. Widener married Min- 
nie Webb and they have one daughter, 
Catherine Lavinia. 

ALBERT E. PATTY, junior member of 
the mercantile firm of Stahl & Patty, doing 
a large and satisfactory business at Brad- 
ford, was born on a farm in Adams Town- 
ship, Darke County. Ohio. February 22, 
1877, and is a son of Finley H. and Lucinda 
(Jay) Patty. The former died in 1884, but 
the latter survives. 

Albert R. Patty grew to manhood on the 
home farm, and attended the country 
schools. Later he spent several winters 
teaching school in Newton and Franklin 



Townships, the former in Miami and the 
latter in Darke County, and then embarked 
in the mercantile busine.ss at Bradford, in 
partnership with J. W. Stahl. The firm 
began in ratlier a small way, but have grad- 
ually expanded until their stock includes 
dry goods, groceries, clothing and men's 
furnishings, and carpets, and they occupy 
a large amount of floor space and give em- 
plo\Tnent to a number of workers. ^Ir. 
Patty was married to Miss Essie Eedinger, 
and they have one son, George Finley. Mr. 
and Mrs. Patty are members of the Pres- 
byterian Church, in which he is a deacon. 
In politics he is a Republican, and at pres- 
ent is serving in the office of city treasurer. 
He belongs to the Masonic fraternity. 

W. A. MINTON, M. D., has been engaged 
in the practice of medicine at Bradford, 
Ohio, during the past twelve years, and 
lives on the Darke County side of the vil- 
lage. He is a son of Dr. W. II. H. Minton, 
who practiced medicine at this place for 
more than thirty-seven years. 

Dr. W. H. H. Minton was born in Day- 
ton, Ohio, August 13, 1837, and was a son 
of .William ^Minton. He attended the pub- 
lic schools of that city, after which he com- 
pleted a course in ^Miami University at Ox- 
ford, Ohio. He studied medicine under the 
preceptorship of Dr. Belleville at Dayton, 
and first engaged in practice at Laura, in 
Miami County, Ohio. After several years 
at that point lie moved to Bradford, where 
he continued in active practice for thirty- 
seven years. He was a man of wide ac- 
quaintance and high standing, and his 
death, which occurred May 7, 1909, was 
mourned as an irre])arable loss to the com- 
munity. He was first married to Elizabeth 
Shellenberger, by whom he had three chil- 



706 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



dren : Ellis S., Kitty, deceased, and Harry. 
He formed a second union with Miss Mar- 
garet Faulkner, and they became parents 
of four, as follows: Dr. W. A. Minton; 
Myrtle May, deceased; Paul B. Minton, 
D. D. S., who is in practice at Bradford; 
and Ida Euth, an instructor in the fourth 
grade of the Bradford schools. 

Dr. W. A. j\[inton was born in Bradford 
February 26, 1873, and was there reared 
to maturity. He attended the Bradford 
grade and high schools, graduating from 
the latter in 1891, then completed a 
preparatory course at Lebanon Normal 
School. He received his professional train- 
ing in Starling Medical College at Colum- 
bus, Ohio, and Louisville Medical College, 
receiving the degree of M. D. from the last 
named on March 6, 1894. He embarked in 
practice at LTnion City, Indiana, where he 
remained but six months, then opened an 
office in Bradford. He enjoys gi'eat popu- 
larity among the people, and has a good 
practice. He is a member of the Miami 
County Medical Society. The Doctor was 
united in marriage with Miss Jessie 
Darner, and they have a comfortable home 
in the village. 

JOHN WORLEY, who owns and culti- 
vates a very valuable farm of seventy-five 
acres, which is situated in Newberry Town- 
ship, four and one-half miles northwest of 
Covington, was .born July 9, 1857, in New- 
berry Township, Miami County, Ohio, on 
a farm three miles north of the one he 
owns. His parents were Aiken and Lydia 
(Fulker) Worley. 

Aiken Worley was born in Shelby Coun- 
ty, Ohio, just across the line from Miami, 
where his father, John "Worley, settled 
when he came very early to this section, 



from Pennsylvania. After he grew to man- 
hood and married he moved across the 
line and settled on a farm about one-half 
mile from his old home, and cleared that 
farm and spent the remainder of his life 
on it. He acquired other land, and for- 
merly owned the farm on which his son, 
John Worley, resides, but never lived on 
it. His death occurred in 1890. He mar- 
ried Lydia Fulker, who was born in New- 
berry Township, Miami County, and died 
here in 1903. 

John Worley remained at home until he 
reached manhood, during these years 
working for his father, and then went to 
work for others and engaged by the month, 
continuing to work in that way for about 
twelve years. He took possession of his 
present farm in January, 1885, and has 
carried on general farming here ever since. 
He found the place needed considerable 
improving, and in 1905 he erected his sub- 
stantial barn and also remodeled the 
house, making it both attractive and com- 
fortable. 

Mr. Worley was married (first) to Miss 
Catherine Fesler, who died in 1893. He 
was married (second) to Miss Mary Mow- 
ery, who was born in Illinois and was five 
years old when her parents moved to New- 
berry Township, Miami County. They 
were Martin and Elizabeth (Ullery) Mow- 
ery. Her father was bom in Pennsylvania 
and her mother on a farm situated one- 
half mile east of Covington. They lived 
in Miami County for several years after 
coming from Illinois, the father engaging 
in farming in Newberry Township. He 
died in 1897 and was survived by his 
widow until April, 1902. Mrs. Worley is 
a member of the Progressive Brethren 
Church. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



707 



ALLEN COPPOCK, a highly respected 
■citizen of Pleasant Hill, where he now 
lives retired from active pursuits, still re- 
tains his Newton Township farm and is 
one of the stockholders of the Pleasant 
Hill Banking Company. He was born 
March 14, 1838, in Newton Township, Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, and is a son of Joseph 
C. and a grandson of William Coppock. 
The Coppocks were among the earliest 
Quaker settlers in this section of Miami 
County, and they have always been num- 
bered with the reliable and substantial 
people. William Coppock engaged in 
teaming and his wagons were operated be- 
tween Cincinnati and the outlying settle- 
ments. His home was at Ludlow Falls. 
He married Eunice Cotchran, and they had 
three children: Joseph, Susan and May. 
William Coppock died about 1812 and his 
burial was one of the first in the East 
Union Cemetery, a Friends' burying 
ground. His widow survived for many 
years. 

Joseph C. Coppock was born in a log 
cabin which still stands near Ludlow Falls, 
Miami County, Ohio. He engaged in farm- 
ing after his first marriage, later moved to 
the old mill property near Pleasant Hill, 
after his third marriage, but in the interim 
had resided for some years with his son 
Allen. He died in June, 1896, and was in- 
terred in the East Union Cemetery. For a 
number of years he was justice of the peace. 
Joseph C. Coppock was married (first) 
to Sarah Jay, daughter of William Jay. 
She died in 1841, the mother of three chil- 
dren: William, Allen and Henry. Mr. 
Coppock was married' (second) to Sarah 
(Aldrich) Conway, a daughter of Varnum 
and Margaret Aldrich, and two children 
w^ere born to this union: Amanda and 



Frank M. His third marriage was to Bi- 
auca Barrett, a daughter of Thomas 
Barrett. 

Allen Coppock attended school until he 
was about twenty years old, first near the 
Quaker meeting-house and later the dis- 
trict schools, and completed his education 
at a well known educational institution on 
College Hill, Cincinnati. He assisted in 
operating the home farm after his return, 
until 1864, when he enlisted in Company 
A, 147th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- 
try, and served four months as a soldier. 
He escaped all injury, and after his mar- 
riage, which took place in a short time, he 
settled down to farming one mile south of 
Pleasant Hill, in Newton Township, where 
he had 144 acres, which he operated until 
1871. He then traded farms with his 
father, taking the old homestead, and there 
continued to live until 1898, when he re- 
tired to Pleasant Hill. Mr. Coppock is in 
the enjoyment of excellent health, and tak- 
ing advantage of his leisure, has done some 
traveling in recent years. On December 
18, 1908, he made a very interesting and 
enjoyable visit to California, and during 
this trip spent two months at Santiago, 
two months at Los Angeles and also saw 
the sights of San Francisco, the city rising 
from its ruins, and on the way back home 
stopped over in Colorado and Salt Lake 
City. Such a trip is not only interesting 
but educational. He reached home April 
16, 1909. 

On June 21, 1865, Mr. Coppock was mar- 
ried to Miss Maria E. Furnas, a daughter 
of Josepli and Margaret Furnas, and they 
have had the following children: Sarah, 
Joseiih, :Margaret, Fred D., Jeddie Carl- 
ton, Mary Ethel, Allen B., Harry and 
Clarence C. Sarah married L. A. Kesler. 



708 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



and has three children. Joseph married 
Ida Moler, a daughter of Ephraim Moler, 
and they have two children — Jay S. and 
Josie. Margaret married Omar Patty, and 
they have three children — Clarence, Jo- 
seph and William A. Fred D. married 
Maude Miles, a daughter of John and 
Susan Miles, and they have two children 
— ^Dorothy and Eugene. Jeddie Carlton 
mar/ied Zoe De Bra, a daughter of John 
and Mary Ann De Bra. She died October 
29, 1905. He married (second) Bonnie 
Weaver, a daughter of John Weaver. 
Mary Ethel married Harry Brown, and 
they have one daughter, Margaret. Allen 
B. married Grace Dickey. Harry, born 
December 22, 1868, died August 10, 1870. 
Clarence C, born June 24, 1873, died 
March 15, 1879. Mr. Coppock joined the 
Masons in 1868 and has been identified 
with the Pleasant Hill lodge ever since. 
In political affiliation he is a Eepublican, 
but he takes no active part in campaign 
work. He is a member of Dan Williams 
Post, G. A. E., No. 369, Pleasant Hill. 

JOHN CLARK HARSHBAEGEE, who 
comes of an old and respected family of 
Newton Township, Miami County, Ohio, is 
engaged in general farming and lives upon 
and owns a farm of forty acres in Section 
12. He will also be the owner of ninety- 
two acres at his mother's death, willed that 
way by his father. He pays his mother a 
dowrj" of one-third, which formed a part 
of the old homestead. He was born in this 
township, December 15, 1861, and is a son 
of George K. and Mary Ann (Sipes) 
Harshbarger. 

George K. Harshbarger was born in 
Union Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
where his father was among the pioneer 



settlers. He engaged in farming through- 
out his active life, and became the owner 
of a valuable property in Newton Town- 
ship. He died at Atwood, Illinois, in 1902, 
and is survived by his widow, who resides 
at Pleasant Hill. They were parents of 
two children: Mina, and John Clark 
Harshbarger. 

John C. Harshbarger attended the pub- 
lic schools in Newton Township and as- 
sisted his father in the work on the farm, 
a part of which he helped to clear. After 
his marriage he set up housekeeping on 
the ninety-two acres of the home place his 
mother now owns and lived there for twen- 
ty-one years, at the end of which time he 
moved to his present farm. He is engaged 
in general farming and tobacco raising, 
having about three acres in the latter prod- 
uct. He is a Eepublican in politics, and 
served one year as road supervisor. Feb- 
ruary 5, 1887, Mr. Harshbarger was united 
in marriage with Effie Carey, a daughter 
of Stewart Carey, of Newton Township, 
and they have two sons, Ira and Alonzo. 
Eeligiously they are members of the 
Christian Church of Pleasant Hill. 

WILLIAM J. Mcknight, owner of 
eighty-six acres of valuable land in Miami 
County, Ohio, located about five miles 
northeast of Piqua, has been living on his 
present farm since 1872 and is well known 
in that vicinity. He was born in Shelby 
County, Ohio, August 18, 1837, and is a 
son of Joseph and Mary (Wiley) Mc- 
Knight, and a grandson of Samuel Mc- 
Knight, who came from Ireland to the 
United States and settled in Cumberland 
County, Pennsylvania. The maternal 
grandfather of the subject of this sketch 
was William Wiley, who was a native of 



AND REFRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



709 



County Finnanagh, Ireland, and came to 
Miami County, Ohio, from Mifflin County, 
Pennsylvania, where he had lived some 
years. Joseph McKnight moved from 
Shelby County, Ohio, to Miami County, in 
1867, and settled on a farm in Spring 
Creek Township, where he lived until his 
death. 

William J. McKnight received his educa- 
tional training in the public schools of 
Shelby County, and after leaving school 
helped in farming the home place. After 
a time he moved to Miami County, where 
he remained a couple of years, then re- 
turned to Shelby County, where he lived 
until 1872. He again returned to Miami 
County in that year and purchased his 
present farm of eighty-six acres in Spring 
Creek Township. He followed general 
farming until recent years, but is now liv- 
ing practically in retirement, renting his 
farm out by fields. 

Mr. McKnight was tirst married to Eliz- 
abeth N. Bull, who died in 1869, and they 
had three sons: Joseph T., who married 
Mattie Whitlock and lives in Chicago; 
William R.. who married Anna' Hutchin- 
son and lives in Columbus, Ohio ; and Ed- 
win E., who tirst married a Mrs. Bradford, 
and second Miss Anna Dover. William J. 
McKnight formed a second marital imion 
with Miss Mary Morrow, a daughter of 
James Morrow, of Shelby County, and 
they became parents of three daughters : 
Leota, who lives at home ; Minnie, wife of 
Ward Simmons ; and Mary Lilly, who also 
lives with her parents. Politically he is a 
Prohibitionist, and has served as road su- 
pervisor. He is a member of the United 
Presbyterian Church and formerly served 
as one of its trustees. He is a progres- 



sive citizen and is held in high esteem by 
his many acquaintances. 

S. G. McKNIGIIT, a prosperous farmer, 
of Spring Creek Towusliip, Miami County, 
Ohio, owns and resides upon a splendid 
farm of eighty acres, and is also owner 
of another tract of 160 acres, lying about 
a fourth of a mile east of his home. He 
was I)orn in Orange Township, St^elby 
County, Ohio, September 29, 1848, and is 
a son of Joseph and ^lary (Wiley) Mc- 
Knight, and a gi-andson of Samuel Mc- 
Knight, who came to this country from 
County Down, Ireland. 

Joseph McKnight was reared and edu- 
cated in Pennsylvania, and was young at 
the time of his father's death. After mar- 
riage he rented what is known as the Mil- 
ler farm in Miami County, Ohio, and 
worked it one year and then went to Shel- 
by County, Ohio, and settled on 160 acres 
which he secured from the (jovernment. 
In October, 1867, he moved back to Miami 
County to tnkc care of his brother John, 
who owned the eighty-acre farm which 
now belongs to the subject of this sketch 
in Spring Creek Township. At the time 
of his death, February 9, 1875, he still re- 
tained 120 acres of the farm in Shelby ^ 
County which he had purchased from the 
Government. He married Mary Wiley, a 
daughter of William and Mary Wiley, who 
came to this country from County Firma- 
nagh, Ireland, and settled in Mifflin Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, where Mrs. McKnight 
was born. They later moved to near Pi- 
qua, Ohio. Seven children were the issue 
of this imion, as follows: One who died 
in infancy ; Sarah Jane, who lives with her 
brother. S. 0. McKnight. and is the widow 
of D. K. Gillespie; W. J., who lives four 



« 



710 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



miles southeast of the subject of this rec- 
ord; Hilary Ann, who died at the age of 
twelve years; Margaret B., deceased wife 
of Joseph AA'ead, of Shelby County, the 
year of her death being 1892; Maria L., 
who died in 1892 ; and S. G. 

S. G. McKnight attended the district 
schools in Shelby County, after which he 
enrolled at the State Normal School at 
Leba ,^n, Ohio. Upon leaving school he 
taught one term and then assisted his 
father in the work on the home farm. 
Since coming to Miami County he has al- 
ways resided in Spring Creek Township, 
where he is widely known. He bought his 
home farm of the Foreign Board of Mis- 
sions of the Presbyterian Church, and the 
160 acres included in the other farm he 
purchased from his uncle's estate. Po- 
litically Mr. McKnight is a Prohibitionist, 
and was at one time township supervisor. 
He is a member of the local Grange, Pa- 
trons of Husbandry. Eeligiously he is a 
member of the United Presbyterian 
Church. 

J. C. SUBEE, who is engaged in the 
furniture and undertaking business at 
Fletcher, has been interested in this line 
for a longer period than any other dealer 
in Brown Township, and controls the 
larger part of the trade in this section of 
Miami County. Mr. Suber was born in 
Brown Township, Miami County, Ohio, on 
a farm six miles northeast of Fletcher, No- 
vember 19, 1858, and is a son of William 
D. and Mary A. (Caven) Suber. 

William D. Suber was born in Bucks 
County, Pennsylvania, and was brought to 
Miami County when four years of age. He 
grew to manhood in Brown Township and 
acquired the farm which his widow still 



owns. He died on that place in February, 
1889. He married Mary A. Caven, a 
daughter of J. and Arsinath Caven, resi- 
dents of Spring Creek Township, and they 
had five children, namely: J. C, Ora, 
George, and two who died in infancy. 

J. C. Suber attended the Lena and Con- 
over schools during six years of boyhood, 
and then took up hard work on the home 
farm and remained with his father until 
his marriage. In 1880 he rented a farm 
for himself and continued to reside in 
Miami County until he came to Fletcher, 
with the exception of a period of eighteen 
months, when he lived in Champaign 
County. Mr. Suber began business here 
in a modest way, starting in one room, the 
dimensions of which were 13x45 feet. He 
t^ery soon found it necessary to increase 
his facilities and gradually to still further 
increase them until he now occupies the 
largest concrete block building in the 
county. This modern building he erected 
in 1908, taking possession in August of 
that year. Its dimensions are 321/2x50 
feet, with cellar underneath and three 
stories in height. He also utilizes a frame 
two-story building with dimensions of 
33x45 feet, with cellar. He carries a full 
line of household furniture and he gives 
special attention to undertaking, having 
every equipment for the business, includ- 
ing caskets, car and ambulance. Mr. Suber 
received his license as an embalmer from 
the Board of Embalmers of Toledo in 1905. 
In addition to his other lines, he has dealt 
also in coal and cement for some fifteen 
years. He is one of the representative 
business men of this section. 

In 1879 Mr. Suber was married to Miss 
Sarah P. Carmony, who died May 16, 1896. 
Two children were born, one of whom died 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



ni 



in infancy, a daughter, Bertha, surviving. 
Mr. Suber was married (second) October 
25, 1898, to Miss Margaret Thompson, 
who died May 10, 1906, survived by one 
son, William. Mr. Suber 's third marriage 
was on July 31, 1907, to Mrs. Ella Eobi- 
son. Since he was fourteen years of age 
Mr. Suber has been a member of the Pres- 
byterian Church and has lived consistently 
with his profession, since 1883 being one 
of the elders. In politics Mr. Suber is a 
Democrat and has served several years 
as clerk of Brown Township. In 1884 he 
identified himself with the Odd Fellows, 
and in 1887 with the Knights of Pythias, 
being a charter member of the latter lodge 
at Fletcher. 

GEORGE S. APPLE, owner of two fine 
farms in Newberry Township, Miami 
County, one of sixty-seven acres, on which 
he lives, and the other containing 105 
acres, situated one-quarter mile west, both 
being in Section 11 and about four and 
one-half miles northwest of Covington, is 
one of the substantial and representative 
men of this township. He was born Sep- 
tember 27, 1857, on a farm in Darke Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and is a son of Solomon and Eve 
(Gephart) Apple. 

The Apple family was established in 
Montgomery County, Ohio, by the great- 
grandfather, Henry Apple, who came from 
Pennsylvania at a very early date. At 
that time the grandfather, also Henry Ap- 
ple, was a child. He spent his life in Mont- 
gomery County, and there his son, Solo- 
mon Apple, was born and lived until after 
his marriage to Eve Gebhart. She was 
reared in the same vicinity. About one 
year after marriage they moved to Darke 
County, where thev lived for twelve years, 



and then came to Newberry Township, Mi- 
ami County, settling on the farm now 
jointly owned by the mother and youngest 
brother of George S. Apple, in March, 
1865. Solomon Apple died March 28, 
1900, aged seventy years. 

George S. Apple was about eight years 
old when his parents brought him to New- 
berry Township, and he has continued to 
live here ever since. His life hani been 
devoted to agricultural pursuits. Just 
after he married he settled on his faiTU of 
105 acres, which he cultivated and lived 
on until July 31, 1907, when he moved to 
his smaller farm. In that summer he built 
his present fine frame residence and made 
many other substantial improvements. 

On September 25, 1881, Mr. Apple was 
married to Miss Amanda Johnson, who 
was born in Champaign County, Ohio, a 
daughter of Wilson and Nancy (De Camp) 
Johnson. Her father was a farmer and 
died on his farm in Champaign County 
when she was young, her mother having 
died when she was only seven years of 
age. When twelve years old she came to 
Newberry Townsliip and lived with her 
sister, Mrs. Hester Hartle, until her mar- 
riage. Mr. and Mrs. Apple have two chil- 
dren: Perry, who lives on his father's 
larger farm, married Maud Ollinger; and 
Bertha, who remains at home with her 
parents. Mr. Apple and family belong to 
the lAitheran Church. 

JACOB REIBER, notary public and 
newspaper correspondent, residing at 
Pleasant Hill, has acceptably filled a num- 
ber of the public offices in this section, and 
is an honored veteran i)f the Civil War and 
a member of the Dan W. Williams Post No. 
369, G. A. R., at Pleasant Hill. Mr. Roiber 



(12 



HISTORY or MIAMI COUNTY 



was born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, 
September 1, 1836, and is a son of John 
and Mary (Fenieal) Keiber. 

Jolm Eeiber was born May 26, 1811, in 
Perry County, Pennsylvania, and in April, 
1837, came to Newton Township, Miami 
County, where he worked at the blacksmith 
trade until 1849, after which he engaged in 
^anning imtil the time of his death, April 
18, 1872. His place of burial was the 
Pleasant Hill Cemetery. He was married 
(first) to Ma-y Fenieal. June 4, 1835. a 
daughter of John and Susau Fenieal, and 
there were four sons and three daughters 
born to this union, namely : Jacob, the only 
sui'\'ivor; and Peter, "William F., Joseph, 
Susanna, Margaret I. and Sarah J. The 
mother of these children died February 23, 
1865, and her burial was in the Sugar 
Grove Cemetery. John Keiber was mar- 
ried (second) to Sarah Katherine Cathron, 
a daughter of George and Julia Inman. 
She died in 1889, without issue. For thirty- 
five j'ears John Eeiber was a deacon in the 
Christian Church. 

Jacob Eeiber went to school in boyhood 
in Newton Township and then worked on 
the home farm until his marriage, in 1857, 
after which he settled on another farm in 
the same township, which he operated until 
he entered the army for service in the ter- 
rible Civil War. Mr. Eeiber enlisted in 
1863 in Company G, 110th Eegt., 0. Vol. 
Inf., in which he remained until he was 
honorably discharged in 1865. As evidence 
of the hard service he saw, Mr. Eeiber has 
proofs on his own person. On May 5, 1864. 
when so many brave men fell at the battle 
of the Wilderness, five bullets left their 
cruel marks, four of these producing 
wounds which not only caused him months 
of intense suffering, but left him with a 



disabled foot. Honorable as these injuries 
may be, gained as they were in lo.val de- 
fense of his country, they were no less hard 
to endure, and make a claim on the sym- 
l)athy and gratitude of his fellow citizens 
which should never be forgotten. 

Upon his return home, Mr. Eeiber was 
no longer physically able to engage in agri- 
cultural pursuits as formerly, and as his 
fellow citizens recognized this, they sought 
to find some mode of life for him in which, 
in his crippled condition, he could take his 
l)lace in the world and in a measure enjoy 
the peace that he had fought and suffered 
to establish. He was appointed to fill oi;t 
the latter part of the term of the first 
mayor of the town, a duty he efficiently 
performed, and then was twice elected 
township clerk, and in 1878 was made post- 
master at Pleasant Hill. This office he 
filled acceptably for six years. For the 
past twenty-seven years he has been a 
notary public, and has also been the local 
corresjooudent for a niunber of news- 
}iapers. Although debarred from much 
that would have been pleasant and pi'ofit- 
ahle to him, Mr. Eeiber has led a most use- 
ful and exemplary life, and no one in 
Pleasant Hill is held in higher esteem. 

On August 27, 1857, Mr. Eeiber was mar- 
ried to Miss Maria C. Williams, who died 
September 24, 1905, and was laid to rest 
in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery. The five 
children born to this marriage were: Will- 
iam, who died May 6, 1864; Eosella J., who 
lives with her father; Arthur L., who is 
deceased; J. Warren, who lives in North 
Carolina ; and Charles C, who resides at 
Marion, Indiana. He married Kittie E. 
Brandon, who is a daughter of Samuel H. 
Brandon, and they have one daughter, 
Treva Irene, Mr. Eeiber 's only grandchild. 



AND REPRESENTATIV'E CITIZENS 



713 



lu his political seutiments he is a stanch 
Republican, following in the footsteps of 
his father, and has never swerved in his 
allegiance. When seventeen years of age 
he united with the Christian Church, and 
has remained a consistent member of this 
religious body. 

CLOYD SMITH, a well known citizen of 
Piqua and county clerk-elect of Miami 
County, was born in Shelby County, Ohio, 
in 1872, and is a son of the late Dr. S. D. 
Smith. 

Dr. S. D. Smith came to Piqua with his 
family in 1881, and was continuously en- 
gaged in the practice of medicine in this 
city until his death, in 1898. He had two 
sons, Ernest A. and Cloyd. The former is 
a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan Univer- 
sity and a Ph. D. of Johns Hopkins Uni- 
versity of Baltimore. He completed his 
studies at Oxford, England, and in Paris, 
and is an author of some note. He is a 
member of the faculty of Allegheny Col- 
lege, filling the cliair of history and eco- 
nomics. 

Cloyd Smith was nine years old when his 
parents came to Piqua, and he was edu- 
cated in the city schools. He first entered 
the local office of the Pennsylvania Rail- 
road, where he had four years of business 
training, after which he entered the em- 
ploy of the Favorite Stove and Range 
Company, being first in the office and later 
on the road, terminating a business connec- 
tion of ten years' duration in 1906. Mr. 
Smith has been an active citizen, and in 
November, 1908. his party elected him 
county clerk, giving him a fine majority. 
Mr. Smith has a wide acquaintance, and 
possesses all the qualifications that will 
enable him to give acceptable service in 



this position. In 1900 Mr. Smitii was uuir- 
ried to Miss Henrietta Brandritf, of Piqua, 
and they have two children, Augusta and 
Martha. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members 
of the Green Street Methodist Episcopal 
Church, at Piqua. 

SAMUEL YERTY, who resides on his 
well improved farm of twenty-eight acres,' 
situated in Newberry Township, on the 
Stillwater turnpike road, about four miles 
northwest of Covington, o^ns a second 
farm, also located in section 12, which lies 
about one-quarter mile north, and is bor- 
dered by the Range Line road. Mr. Yerty 
was born February 26, 1835. in Newberry 
Township, Miami County. Ohio, and is a 
son of Jacob and Polly (Uller}) Yerty. 

Jacob Yerty was born in Pennsylvania, 
and there attended school and was trained 
as a farmer, not coming to Miami County 
until after his marriage. He subsequently 
became the owner of a (piarter section of 
land in Newberry Township, and lived 
here until his death. He was thrice nuir- 
ried. his first wife being Polly I'llery, who 
died when her son Samuel was nine years 
of age. She was a half sister of Col. Ullery. 
formerly county commissioner of ^liami 
County. To this marriage were born four 
sons and two daughters, and there are 
three surviving sons: Jacob and Daniel, 
twins, who were born October 12, 1825, of 
whom Jacob is deceased and Daniel re- 
sides with his brother Samuel; and David 
and Samuel, who are twins. Jacob Yerty 
and his second wife, Esther, lived for 
many years in Newberry Township. 

Sanuiel Yerty went to school in the 
neighborhood of his home, in his boyhood, 
later learned the carpenter trade, and has 
worked at that and at fanning all his life. 



714 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



After his marriage, in 1859, lie and wife 
went to housekeeping on a farm of 100 
acres in Shelby Count}', Ohio, which they 
then owned, but sold, and in 1865 he bought 
his eighty-acre farm in Newberry Town- 
ship, and put up substantial buildings 
there. He continued to live on that farm 
until 1890, when he came to his present 
place, where he has put all the buildings in 
fine shape, and has a valuable property and 
comfortable and attractive home. 

■On April 3, 1859, Mr. Yerty was married 
to Miss Savilla Eoutson, a daughter of 
George Eoutson and a sister of Eeuben 
Eoutson. To this marriage were born 
three children, namely: Miranda, who 
married William Keiser, who resides on 
and operates the eighty-acre farm, has two 
children — Otto and Leo ; Charles, who mar- 
ried Lydia Fink, resides south of Bradford 
and they have two children — Eutli and 
Mary ; and Dolly, who is the wife of George 
AY. Kester, a resident of Marion, Indiana. 

JOHN F. CAVEN, whose magnificent 
farm of 456 acres lies just one mile north- 
west of Fletcher, in Brown Townsliip, 
Miami Covmty, Ohio, was born on a farm 
just across the highway from his own 
property, in 1855, and is a son of George 
B. and Catherine (Simmons) Caven. 

The grandfather, John A. Caven, came 
to Brown Township as a pioneer, and he 
cleared off the land, eighty acres of which 
has never since been out of the possession 
of the family, and he built the log house 
which stood on the place for many years, 
and was the birthplace of his son, George 
B. The grandfather died on this farm. 

George B. Caven grew to manhood in 
Brown Township, inherited a large part of 
the family estate, and erected the present 



comfortable farm dwelling and other build- 
ings, and at the time of his death he owned 
430 acres of land. He lived on the fai-m 
until within a short time of his demise, 
which occurred after he had retired to 
Fletcher. He was a Democrat in his politi- 
cal opinions, and acceptably served in nu- 
merous township offices, for twenty-one 
consecutive j-ears, being a trustee of 
Brown Township. He lived into honored 
old age, djing February 9, 1909, within 
six weeks of his eighty-first birthdaj". He 
married Catherine Simmons, a daughter of 
Peter Simmons, and they had five children 
born to them, as follows : Alice A., who is 
thq wife of Willis Hill; John F.; Jane, de- 
deased, who was the wife of E. C. Morrow ; 
Mary E., who is the wife of George W. 
Sanders, of Fletcher; and Euth, who is 
now deceased. 

John F. Caven secured his education in 
the schools of Brown Township and of 
Piqua, after which he remained on the 
home farm for over a quarter of a cen- 
tury. In 1902 he came to his own property, 
where for several years he has done noth- 
ing more than oversee the large agricul- 
tural operations he has carried on, resid- 
ing in a very fine modem residence which 
he erected, with other structures, about the 
time he came here. Mr. Caven is numbered 
with the township's representative and 
substantial men. He has taken a hearty 
interest in public matters ever since attain- 
ing his majority, and as his landed inter- 
ests have been so large, his judgment has 
been verj^ often consulted concerning town- 
ship improvements and like affairs. Fol- 
lowing his father's example, he has been a 
stanch Democrat, and on that ticket has 
been elected township trustee for the past 
eleven years, has served usefully on the 




F. C. GOODRICH 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



"11 



School Board, and has filled other town- 
ship oliices. 

Mr. Caven was married (first) to Flor- 
ence Berryhill, and tliej' had two children : 
Maud, who is the wile of R. 0. Brown ; and 
Carrie J., who married Charles Wiles, and 
lives in Shelby County. Mr. Caven was 
married (second) to Nellie B. Moore, who 
is a daughter of J. B. Moore, a retired 
farmer living at Piqua, and they have two 
children: Herbert Milton and Martha 
Blanche. Mr. and Mrs. Caven are mem- 
bers of the Presbyterian Church at 
Fletcher. He is identified with the Odd 
:^ellows. 

I. C. KISEE, M. D., who is engaged in 
the practice of medicine at Fletcher, and 
is a representative citizen of the place, is 
a member of one of the oldest settled fam- 
ilies in Brown Township. Dr. Kiser was 
born in 1873, in Brown Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Benjamin 
and a grandson of Isaac Kiser. 

Isaac Kiser was the first white child 
born in Brown Township, and the whole of 
his long and useful life was spent here, 
which was prolonged to eighty-seven years. 
He was a man of prominence in this sec- 
tion, a leader in all public movements, the 
o-rnier of 600 acres of land, and one of the 
township's capitalists. For many years 
he was justice of the peace, dividing honoi's 
with the late Justice Duncan, and together 
they handled all the early litigation. 

Benjamin Kiser, father of Dr. Kiser, 
was reared on his father's fai*m in Brown 
Township, and the larger part of his life 
was devoted to agricultural pursuits. 
During the Civil War he served honorably 
as a member of Company C, Seventy-first 
Regt., 0. Vol. Inf. He married i\Iary A. 



Hetzler, and they had four children, 
namely: Elmer, who is engaged in the 
meat business at Sidney, Ohio; Minnie, 
who is married and resides in Miami 
County; I. C, of Fletcher; and Foster, who 
is a student of medicine. 

Dr. I. C. Kiser was I'eared on the old 
homestead in Brown Township, and from 
the covmtry schools entered the Ohio Nor- 
mal University at Ada, where he completed 
a literary course and also graduated in 
pharmacy, and then entered the Ohio Medi- 
cal University of Columbus, where he re- 
ceived his degree in 1897. Dr. Kiser imme- 
diately located at Fletcher, fitting up a 
convenient office on Main Street, and has 
built vp a very satisfactory practice. He 
keeps fully abreast of the times, and makes 
use of the scientific methods which modern 
investigation have made possible and ad- 
visable. 

Dr. Kiser was married to Miss Rose 
Saunders. In his political views he is a 
Democrat. Fraternally he is identified 
with the Masons, the Odd Fellows and the 
Knights of Pythias, and for the past eight 
years has been treasurer of the latter or- 
ganization at Fletcher. 

F. C. GOODRICH, who has been a resi- 
dent of Troy for a period of twenty-five 
years, is engaged in tlie practice of law. 
He was born at Sharon, in Noble County, 
Ohio, July 25, 1874, and was nine years of 
age when his parents moved to Troy. His 
father, P. J. Goodrich, entered the real 
estate and insurance business in this city, 
and also was made grand master of records 
of the Knights of the Golden Eagle. 

F. C. Goodrich attended the common 
schools at Sharon and Troy, and afterward 
the Troy High School, of which he is a 



718 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



graduate. He took the degree of A. M. 
at Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, 
Ohio, in 1898, after which he took up the 
study of law. He studied in the offices of 
Judge H. H. Williams and Eobert J. 
Smith, at Troy, and was admitted to the 
bar in December, 1900. He spent six 
months on the Western Coast, after which, 
in February, 1902, he opened his office for 
practice in Troy. In May following, he 
was appointed by Mayor J. 0. Davis as 
city solicitor, and was twice elected to that 
office, first in 1903, and again in 1905, dis- 
charging its duties with marked ability 
for six years. He practices in all the courts 
of the State and enjoys high standing in 
the i^rofession. 

In June, 1903, Mr. Goodrich was mar- 
ried to Miss Eva M. Elder, who was born 
and reared in Troy, and for five years was 
deputy clerk of Miami County. They have 
two children, Stanley Webb and Lucy. Mr. 
Goodrich is a member of the First M. E. 
Church. Mrs. Goodrich and the rest of 
the family belong to the First Baptist. Mr. 
Goodrich is a member and past officer of 
the following orders : Troy Lodge, No. 43, 
I. 0. 0. F. ; Concord Encampment, No. 23, 
I. 0. 0. F.; Troy Lodge, No. 833, B. P. 
O. E. ; Trojan Lodge, No. 110, K. P. ; Con- 
cord Castle, No. 43, K. G. E. ; and Camp 
No. 5381, M .W. A. ; and Troy Council No. 
191, Jr. 0. U. A. M. He is representative 
to tlie Grand Lodge, I. 0. 0. F. 

UEIAH S. APPLE, one of Newberry 
Township's substantial and representative 
citizens, resides on a farm of 162 acres, 
which he owns in partnership with his 
mother, which is situated in Section 1, 
about four and one-half miles northwest 
of Covington, was born on this farm De- 



cember 1-4, 1875, and is a son of Solomon 
and Eve (Gebhart) Apple. 

Solomon Apple was born in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, on the old Apple homestead, 
which is situated one mile north of Farm- 
ersville. That land was entered from the 
Government by Henry Apple when he 
came to Ohio from Pennsylvania. He was 
the great-grandfather of Uriah S., and 
when he settled there his son, also Henry 
Apple, the grandfather of Uriah S., was 
two years old. Both the older and younger 
Henry Apple lived and died on that farm, 
and there Solomon Apple grew to man- 
hood. He married Eve Gebhart, a daugh- 
ter of George and Margaret (Weaver) 
Gebhart. Mrs. Apple was born and reared 
on a farm two miles east of Farmersville, 
Montgomery County. After marriage they 
lived for a year and a half in Montgomery 
County, and then moved to a farm in 
Darke County, on which they resided for 
twelve years and then sold. They then 
came to the present farm in Newberry 
Township, Miami County, but at that time 
it did not present the fine appearance that 
it does now. Mr. Apple began improve- 
ments, and in 1873 put up the present fine 
residence. During all his active years he 
carried on agricultural pusuits and was a 
careful and successful farmer. He died 
here March 28, 1900, when aged seventy 
years. He was a valued member of the 
Liitheran Church. The children born to 
Solomon Apple and his wife were: Mar- 
garet, who is the wife of Thomas E. Rout- 
son; George S., who is a fanner in New- 
berry Township; Henry D., who is also a 
farmer in this township; Catherine and an 
infant are deceased, the former dying at 
the age of twelve years ; Sarah, who is the 
wife of David J. Routson; Amanda, who 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



719 



is the wife of Chivrles D. Rhoades; and 
Uriali S. 

Uriah S. Apple has always liA'ed on the 
home farm, and has never engaged in any 
line of business except farming. lie was 
educated in the public schools, and is one 
of the township's intelligent and well in- 
formed men. He is a stockholder in the 
iStillwater \"alley Bank. Mr. Apple mar- 
ried Miss Sevilla Routson, a daughter of 
Reuben Routson and a sister of George W. 
and IX J. Routson, representative citizens 
of this ])art of Miami County. Mr. and 
ill's. Apple have had foiir childi-en. the 
two survivors being Etoile and Neva. 
Leonard died when aged one year and one 
mouth, and the second born died in in- 
fancy. Mr. Apple and wife are members 
of the Lutheran Church. 

JOHN M. CAVEN, a representative of 
one of the oldest families of Miami County, 
resides on his valuable farm of 120 acres, 
which is situated about five miles east of 
Picjua. He was born on this farm in 
Spring Creek Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, December 9, 1848, and is a son of 
John and Casenath (Ross) Caven. 

The founder of the Caven family in 
Miami County was the grandfather, 
George M. Caven, who came fi-om Rocking- 
ham County, Virginia, and settled in 
Spring Creek Township, and the southern 
part of the tract that he secured over 100 
years ago has never been out of the Caven 
name. This lieritajje has proven a rich 
one, aud each successiA^e Caven has in- 
creased the value of it. 'The present owner 
of all but forty acres of the original farm 
prizes very highly the early documents 
concerning it, and has in his possession the 
old land warrant ami the tax receipts bear- 



ing tlie date of 1811. The name of George 
j\I. Caven appears in the early county rec- 
ords of this section, proving that he was a 
man of considerable importance in his day. 
His death occurred on this farm when he 
was in advanced £^ge. Here his son, John 
Caven, was born and died. He married 
Casenath Ross, a daughter of one of the 
old settlers, aud they had the following 
children born to them: G. Ross. Mary 
Ann, Sally, Margaret, John M. and Tensie, 
all of wliom survive. 

John il. Caven obtained his education in 
the common schools near his home, and all 
his interests have been centered in this sec- 
tion. In addition to fartuing he has de- 
veloped a maple sugar industry, having a 
maple camp of 150 trees, which produce 
sap abundantly. 'Sir. Caven manufactures 
his sugar in the old way, one that ensures 
its purity, and he finds ready sale for all 
he can ])roduce. The location of his farm 
is a very favorable one, and his land would 
bring as high a price, if offered for sale, as 
any in this section of Miami County. He 
has never married. In his political attadi- 
ment he is a Reinil)lican. He is numbered 
with the township's substantial and re))re- 
sentative men. 

JACOB MUSSELINIAX, township trus- 
tee of Newton Township, and a stock- 
holder in the Pleasant Hill Banking Com- 
pany and the Stillwater Bank of Coving- 
ton, now lives retired on his excellent farm 
of eighty acres, which is situated in Sec- 
tion 22, Range 5, near the Troy and Pleas- 
ant Hill Turn])ike Road. He was born in 
Washington T o w u s h i p , Montgomery 
County, Ohio, December 3, 1852. and is a 
son of John and Sarah (Smith) :Mnssel- 
man. 



720 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



John Musselman was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and came from 
there to Ohio in early manhood. He set- 
tled nine miles south of Dayton, in Mont- 
gomery County, and from there came to 
Miami County in 1871, buying a farm of 
142 acres on the Troy and Covington 
Turnpike, of the Williams heirs. He 
cleared a part of this farm and repaired 
the buildings and did a large amount of 
draining, putting his land in good condi- 
tion, and with other products, grew about 
four acres of tobacco a year. He was a 
large, robust man, weighing about 250 
pounds, and for years prior to his death 
had been more of less afflicted with heart 
trouble. His death occurred December 21, 
1907, and his burial was in the Covington 
Cemetery. He was a member of the Ger- 
man Eeformed Church. In Montgomery 
County he married Sarah Smith, a daugh- 
ter of Philip Smith, and they had five chil- 
dren : Jacob, Eliza Ann, Ellen, Emma 
Idella, and John F. Of these, Ellen is de- 
ceased. The mother of these children still 
resides on the old homestead. 

Jacob Musselman attended school near 
Woodburn, in Montgomery County. He 
helped his father after coming to Miami 
County and remained at home for about 
seven years after his own marriage. He 
then came to his ])resent farm, erecting a 
new house, a number of other buildings, 
including tobacco and cattle sheds, and 
repaired the barn, putting everything into 
tine condition. He cleared about six acres 
of the place, and' now and then has done a 
little draining, but his land has required a 
very small amount of special attention. 
Mr. Musselman now lives retired, having 
turned the active operation of the farm 
over to his cajiable son-in-law. 



Mr. Musselman was married January 
25, 1877, to Miss Missouri F. Whitman, 
a daughter of Edward and Mary W^hit- 
man, and they have one daughter, Emma 
Idella, who married Mack Hawn. Mr. and 
Mrs. Hawn have two sons, Ealph E. and 
Paul M. Although no longer actively 
working his farm, Mr. Musselman finds 
plenty of occupation. His fellow citizens 
have fi'equently elected him to township 
offices, and he gives close and careful at- 
tention to his official duties. Since 1908 
he has been a trustee of the township, and 
formerly served with the greatest effi- 
ciency as superintendent of the turnpike. 
A long life spent mainly in the open air, 
has given him health and vigor, and Mr. 
Musselman could easily pass for a man 
many years younger than the age he ac- 
knowledges. 

PROF. JESSE BEERY, whose skill 
and reputation as a horse breaker and 
trainer is recognized all over this and 
many other counties, and whose School of 
Correspondence in Horsemanship, together 
with a number of appliances of his own in- 
vention, have made his name familiar all 
over the United States, was born June 13, 
1861, at Pleasant Hill, Miami County, 
Ohio. His parents were Enoch and Mary 
(Hatfield) Beery, and his maternal grand- 
parents were George and Mary (Kneigh- 
ley) Hatfield. 

The father of Prof. Beery was a sub- 
stantial farmer and resided on a farm 
east of Pleasant Hill, where he died in 
1905, at the age of eighty-two years, and 
his burial was in the Pleasant Hill Ceme- 
tery. His wife had passed away in 1868, 
and she was laid to rest in the Sugar Grove 
Cemeterv. Thev had six children : Min- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



721 



nie, Lelene, Levi, Cassie, Jesse and 
Martha. Enoch Beery was a deacon in the 
German Baptist Church for fifty years. 

Jesse Beery attended school at Pleasant 
Hill and Covington. He assisted his father 
on the home farm, but from boyhood took 
a greater amount of interest in the horses 
on the place than in the work of cultivat- 
ing the land, seeming to have a natural 
gift for controlling animals. This gift 
he recognized, and by exercising it, in- 
creased his power, and when little more 
than a boy, commenced to travel, exhibit- 
ing his powers as a trainer at fairs and 
expositions all over the country. For six- 
teen years he was on the road, visiting 
cities, towns and private grounds, and at 
all these places he found people who not 
only acknowledged and admired his re- 
markable powers, but were anxious to 
learn his methods, and it was about 1905 
when he had more business than he could 
handle, wherever he went, that he decided 
to return to Pleasant Hill and found a 
school to teach others the art which came 
to him naturally. His course of instruc- 
tion covers every point of this great sub- 
ject, and he has satisfied students all over 
the country. In fact, Professor Beery is 
one of the few men who have i)resented 
the art and science of horse training to 
pupils in a practical manner, and this su- 
periority has been recognized. 

Not only has Professor Beery given men 
and women the opportunity of learning 
how to train, rear and manage their own 
horses, but he has invented a number of 
appliances which he makes use of himself 
and offers to the public, at most reason- 
able rates, which are almost a necessity 
for perfect success in controlling the spir- 
ited animals and desirable to use with the 



most gentle. These appUances have cost 
Professor Beery much capital and years 
of experimenting, but tliey have reached 
perfection, and as they are protected by 
patents, they can only be procured from 
him. Among these may be mentioned: 
The surcingle, the knee pads, the foot 
straps, the safety rope, the throwing hal- 
ter, the double backhand and crupper, the 
guy line and throwing strap, the free shaft 
carriers, the bellyband, the breeching and 
hip straps, all of these being arranged in 
groups numbered Nos. 1, 2 and 3, at prices 
most reasonable, while the whole set of 
appliances can be procured together for 
the very small sum of eighteen dollars. In 
addition to the appliances mentioned, sev- 
eral others have later been put on the 
market, which have met with ready sale, 
being recognized as almost indispensable 
to those who desire perfect safety with 
horses and at the same time do not wish 
to cause discomfort to spirited animals. 
These are the Four-in-one Beery Bit and 
the Pulley Breaking Bridle. Should Prof. 
Beery preserve all tlie letters he receives 
in praise of his inventions and system of 
teaching, he would be compelled to erect 
a warehouse to contain them. He is presi- 
dent of the Jesse Beery Company, of 
Pleasant Hill, a co-operative organization, 
the other officers of which are : A. J. Lan- 
ver, of Detroit, :Michigan, vice-president: 
Charles F. Perkins, treasurer; C. Roy 
Coppock, secretary, and Prof. S. C. Mor- 
ton. He is also president of the Dayton 
Agency Supply Company, of Daj^ton, in 
which he is a stockholder, and also owns 
stock in the Pleasant Hill Banking Com- 

panv. 

On December 25, 1889, Prof. Beery was 
married to IMiss Meda Coppock, daughter 



(22 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of Hon. D. M. Coppock, mayor of Pleasant 
Hill, and tliey have four children, Eay, 
Ruth, Beecher afid Lura. The two older 
children are students in the Pleasant Hill 
High School, Miss Ruth also having her 
musical talent developed. Prof. Beery is 
a deacon in the Pleasant Hill Christian 
Church. In politics he is a Republican 
and he has served in the Town Council 
and on the School Board. 

CHARLES MORTON, who conducts a 
prosperous business at Fletcher in the 
farm implement line, owns a valuable farm 
of 108 acres, on which he resides, in Brown 
Township. He was born January 10, 
1862, in Lost Creek Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel and 
Hannah N. (Bowne) Morton. The late 
Samuel Morton, whose sudden death from 
heart trouble occurred in 1897, was one of 
Miami County's most respected citizens. 
He was born in New Jersey, and came to 
this part of the ooimtry in his youth and 
spent his entire life here. He married 
Hannah N. Bowne, and they had three 
children — Ellen, William and Charles, the 
latter being the only survivor. 

Charles Morton was educated in the 
public schools of Lost Creek Township and 
was a very apt impil, graduating when six- 
teen years of age. He then became his 
father's helper on thehome farm and lived 
there until his own marriage, when he pur- 
chased his present farm and in addition 
"to cultivating it, carries on an excellent 
business in all kinds of farm implements. 
In 1886 Mr. Morton was married to Miss 
Irene Boyd, a daughter of J. A. Boyd, and 
they have three children, Eva Jane, Will- 
iam Edson and Hannah M. Mr. Morton 
takes a good citizen's interest in public 



matters, but he has never consented to ac- 
cept township office, although particularly 
well qualified for the same. He casts his 
vote with the Republican party. Frater- 
nally he belongs to the Masons and the 
Knights of Pytliias. 

THOMAS M. LOUGHMAN, a repre- 
sentative farmer of Spring Creek Town- 
ship, residing -on a well improved farm 
of thirty-nine acres, located about four 
and a half miles east of Piqua, was born 
January 28, 1836, on a farm in Brown 
Township, near Fletcher, Ohio, and is a 
son of Henry and Ruth (^lartin) Lough- 
man. 

Henry Loughman was a native of Vir- 
ginia, where he was reared and educated, 
later moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, where 
he engaged for a time in teaming, after 
which he moved to Miami County, and 
here purchased a tract of land one and a 
half miles south of Fletcher. Here he en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits until his 
death, due to accident, caused by a team 
of runaway horses. He married Ruth 
Martin, a native of Kentucky, and to them 
was born one son, Thomas M., the suliject 
of this sketch. Mrs. Loughman sul)se- 
quently married a Mr. Byers, by whom 
she became the mother of six children. 

Thomas M. Loughman spent his boy- 
hood days on his father's farm in Brown 
Township and attended the local schools, 
after which, when about fourteen years 
old, he began learning the carpenter's 
trade, at which he worked for a number 
of years, building the first house in Con- 
over, and the first balloon frame in 
Fletcher. He later gave up carpentering, 
traded the home ])lace for land in Iowa, 
and this lie traded for his present farm of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



(23 



thirty-uine acres in Spring Creek Town- 
siiip. Here Mr. Lougbmau lias since re- 
sided, and in 1865 entered the threshing 
business, which he followed for a period 
of thirty-eight years in connection with his 
farming interests. He is now living in 
retirement, in the enjoyment of a well- 
earned rest, after years of unceasing activ- 
ity, the farm being under the management 
of his son. About 1895 Mr. Loughman 
sutfered a considerable loss by fire, after 
wliich he erected all the present build- 
ings on tlie farm, including the commodi- 
ous frame residence. 

^Ir. Loughman was first united in mar- 
riage with Elizabeth Hetzler, after whose 
•leath he married Elizabeth Baltzell, a 
daughter of Christo])lier and Mary Ann 
Baltzell, farmers, of Mercer County, Ohio. 
Eight chiUlren were born of this second 
union : Mina Belle, married John Man- 
son, of Ti]ipecanoe, Ohio; Callie F., mar- 
ried John Brose, of Sidney, Ohio; Daniel, 
a resident and smoke insi)ector of Dayton, 
Ohio, married Susan Eidenour; Eose, mar- 
ried J. ^Meacham, of Piqua; Jennie, re- 
sides at home; Omer T., a resident of 
Fletcher, cultivates the home farm, and 
married Jennie Lane; Lula, married John 
Hance, of Louisville, Kentucky; and 
Bertha, who married M. Duer, lives three 
miles northeast of Fletcher. 

^Ir. Loughman and family attend the 
First Presbyterian Church. He is polit- 
ically identified with the Democratic 
party; was for eight years township trus- 
tee and for the same period was a member 
of the Election Board. He is a member of 
the order of Odd Fellows. * 

JACOB CASSEL, a highly respected 
retired farmer, i-esiding in a comfortable 



home at Bloomer, Miami County, was born 
in Concord Township, ]\Ii;uni County, Ohio, 
one and one-half miles west of Troj-, No- 
vember 18, 1840, and is a son of John and 
Lydia (Hittle) Cassel. 

John Cassel was born in Pennsylvania, 
but lie married in Ohio. He was a farmei-, 
and during the boyhood of his son Jacob 
moved to Illinois and bought a farm in 
Schuyler County. He died there three 
years later, and in 1850 his widow re- 
turned to Oliio with her children, settling 
near Greenville, in Darke County, where 
she passed the remainder of her life. 

A fatherless boy often has a youth filled 
with many hardships, and in this case 
Jacob Cassel was no exception. When 
thirteen years of age he was bound out 
to his half-brother, who was a farmer in 
Darke County, and Jacob worked there 
for seven years for the sum of $150. When 
his term of bondage was over he started 
out for himself and soon was independent, 
working for many different farmers all 
over the towushij) and even in other coim- 
ties. On March 5, 1861, he was married 
to Miss Hester Moist, who was born in 
Montgomery County, Ohio, where she lived 
until she was twelve years old. At that 
time her jiarents, Abrani and Rachel 
(Ziegler) Moist, moved on a farm situated 
southwest of Covington, and later retired 
to Pleasant Hill, where his death took 
])lace some years later. Mr. and Mrs. Cas- 
sel have two children: Angoline and 
Charles. Angeline married Charles Hill, 
and they live in Washington Township, 
Miami County. They have two children: 
Edith and Sylvia. Charles is the over.seer 
of 590 acres of farm land belonging to the 
Shaker settlement, east of Dayton. He 
married Martha Hile, now deceased, and 



724 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



their one daughter, Mabel, lives with her 
grandparents. 

Formerly Mr. Cassel owned eighty acres 
of farm land on the separating line be- 
tween Shelby and Miami Counties, on 
which he lived for twenty years. He sold 
that farm in February, 1898, and then re- 
tired to Bloomer, purchasing the place 
there formerly owned by his son-in-law. 
Subsequently Mr. Cassel bought thirty 
acres, located north of Bloomer, and this 
he retains. He and his wife are members 
of the Progressive Brethren Church, a 
branch of the Dunkard body. 

MORGAN LEONARD, a retired farmer 
living on his valuable farm of fifty acres, 
which is situated in Section 13, Range 4, 
Newton Township, is one of the repre- 
sentative citizens of this section, having 
served in the most important township 
offices and for the last eight years been a 
member of the Board of Trustees. He is 
also an honored veteran of the Civil War. 
He was born March 30, 1845, in Juniata 
County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of 
Reuben and Elizabeth (Airgood) Leonard. 

The parents of Mr. Leonard spent their 
lives in Pennsylvania. They had ten chil- 
dren: Thomas, Milo, Morgan, Elizabeth, 
Scott, John, Samuel, Alva, Jersey and 
Jane. Reuben Leonard and wife attended 
the Dunkard Church. He was a strong- 
Republican and his son remembers that 
he frequently sent his boys out on elec- 
tion day to remind voters of their duty to 
come to the polls. 

Morgan Leonard attended school at 
Oakland Mills, Juniata County, and then 
went into the railroad shops. He later 
went out on the road as a brakeman, be- 
came a fireman and later was an engineer 



and was serving in that capacity when he 
entered the army as a member of Com- 
pany A, Eighth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. 
He was in the service for eighteen months, 
and during this time was wounded seri- 
ously three times and was so incapacitated 
that he was obliged to retire from the 
ser^dce. It was a long time before he re- 
gained his health, and for three years he 
worked as a silversmith, with his father- 
in-law at Covington, where he continued 
to live after his marriage until he came to 
his present farm. Of this he cleared forty 
acres and drained 850 rods, putting down 
tile. He also put up all the substantial 
})uildings and made all other improve- 
ments and carried on a general line of 
agricultural work until he retired. He is 
a leading Republican in this section and 
has taken an active jsart in public mat- 
ters. For eight years he served as super- 
visor of Newton Township and has been 
a trustee for the same length of time. At 
times he has served in other capacities, 
always with good judgment and a fit rec- 
ognition of resi:)onsibility. On one occa- 
sion he was kept away from home for six 
weeks while serving on a United States 
jury, at Cincinnati, and on several other 
times has served on the grand jury at 
Troy. 

Mr. Leonard was married March 4, 
1864, to Miss Matilda Varner, a daughter 
of Daniel G. and Mary Varner, and they 
have had eight children, namely: Daniel 
G., deceased; Reuben, who resides at 
home; Elizabeth, deceased; Alva, who 
married Jessie Hoffman; Belle, who mar- 
ried John Marshall, of Darke County, and 
has two children — Ray and Ira; Annie, 
who married Irwin Shell, and has one son, 
Harley; Irwin, who lives at home; and 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



725 



Minnie, who is the wife of Silas Silvers. 
Mr. Leonard and family attend the Duuk- 
ard Church. He is a valued member of 
the Dan AV. Williams Post, G. A. R., No. 
369, at Pleasant Hill, of which he has been 
vice-commander for several years. 

C. O. YOUNG, V. S., who conducts his 
veterinary hospital and boarding stables 
at No. 419 Caldwell Street, Pic^ua, is one 
of the leading men in his profession in this 
section of Miami County. Dr. Young was 
born in 1878, at Sidney, Ohio, and he was 
reared and educated in Shelby County. 
When sixteen years of age Dr. Young be- 
gan to work in a drug store and during his 
three years in his first position he laid the 
foundation for his future professional ca- 
reer. He was connected with the whole- 
sale drug business at Indianapolis, Indi- 
ana, for one year, going from Fletcher, 
Ohio, where he had been living, and then 
returning to the home farm for three 
years. He completed his knowledge of 
drugs during a subsequent period of five 
years in the business at Toledo, Oliio, and 
then prepared to make a practical use of 
it, and at the same time entered the To- 
ronto Veterinary College, at Toronto, Can- 
ada, thereby entering into a profession 
for which he had a natural inclination 
from early youth. He was graduated in 
1908, and on April 18th of that year lo- 
cated at Piqua. His hospital is scientific- 
ally fitted up and his success is assured, 
many of the owners of valuable horses and 
stock in this section gladly availing them- 
selves of his knowledge and skill. 

In August, 1898, Dr. Young was mar- 
ried to Miss Edith L. Rhodecker, of Sid- 
ney, and they have one daughter, Mayme 
V. Dr. and Mrs. Young attend the Metho- 



dist Episcopal Church. He is identifieo 
with the Knights of Pythias. 

C. H. HAGEMAX, a representative citi- 
zen of Spring Creek Township, residing on 
a tract of thirty-five acres located about six 
miles southeast of Piqua, was born starch 
19, 1846, on a farm near Sharonville, Ham- 
ilton County, Ohio, and is a son of Chris- 
tian and Eliza (^IcCollough) Ilageman. 

Christian Hageman was born and reared 
in Hamilton County, Ohio, where during 
his ea)-ly life he worked at the blacksmith 
trade, but spent his later years engaged in 
agricultural pursuits. Although his entire 
life was practically spent in Hamilton 
County, his death occurred in Troy, Miami 
County. He was first united in marriage 
with Eliza McCollougli, who was born in 
Hamilton County, where she died aged 
forty-six years. They were the parents of 
the following children: Henrietta, who 
resides in Butler County, Ohio; Melissa, 
deceased; C. II., the subject of this record; 
Levy, deceased; ]\Iary, deceased; and Al- 
bert, who resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. His 
second marriage was with Deborah Ilage- 
uum, of Warren, Oliio, and her death oc- 
curred in Miami County. 

C. H. Hageman received his education in 
the local schools of Hamilton County, after 
which he worked out until he became of 
age, and then took up carpentering, at 
which he' worked for a i)eriod of twenty- 
two years. He then conducted a bakery at 
Piqua for three years, and in 1894 located 
on his present farm, where he has sinc« 
practically lived a retired life, but it is his 
intention to cultivate his farm this season. 

Mr. Hageman was first joined in wed- 
lock with Caroline Vance, and of their 
union was born one child, Francis, a resi- 



726 



HISTORY OF :MIAMI COUNTY 



deiit of Lima, Ohio, who married A Hie 
Craft ;ui(l has three children, Charles, 
Eruest and Francis. Onr subject's second 
marital union was with Helen Williams, of 
Dayton, and he subsequently married 
Laura Brandenburg, who was born in 
^lianii County and is a daughter of Cor- 
nelius Brandenburg, who came to this 
county from Maryland, as did her mother 
also. Mr. TIageman is jjolitically identified 
with the Democratic jiarty; he was for 
three years a member of the School Board, 
and served for a lime as supervisor. He 
is a member of the Presbyterian Church of 
Troy. 

AVILLIAM H. DRIVER, residing on his 
well-improved farm of eighty acres, situ- 
ated on the Gettysburg turnpike road, in 
Newberry Townsiiip, two and one-half 
miles west of Covington and one and three- 
quarters miles east of Bradford, was born 
in York County, Pennsylvania, January 
29, 1857. His parents were Moses and 
Angeline (Ginter) Driver. 

In 1862 tlie parents of Mr. Driver came 
to Miami County and stopjted first at Cov- 
ington and soon after the father bought 
what was known as the Two-Mile House, a 
popular pul)lic house at one time. Although 
he owned this projjerty, he never conducted 
it, but devoted liimseif to farming, owning 
some sixty-five acres of land. He. lived for 
about a year at the Two-Mile House, then 
bought a farm on the Iddings turnpike 
road, which became the family home. After 
some years he moved with his wife to Cov- 
ington, wliere he lived retired until his 
death, October 31, 1898. His widow then 
went to live with a daughter, Mrs. Mina 
Dunham, at Greenville, Ohio, and died 
there in August, 1905. 



William H. Driver was reared to man- 
hood in Newberry Township, being aged 
five and one-half years when his parents 
came here. For some fourteen years Mr. 
Driver engaged in a dairy business, but 
for the past seven years he has confined 
himself to general farming. For nine 
years after his marriage he operated his 
farm of eighty acres in Newton Township. 
It is a historic place, the old Dorman farm, 
east of Circle Hill, and Mr. Driver resided 
there for nine years, coming to his present 
place on April 9, 1891. The comfortable 
residence is a fine old brick mansion. 

Mr. Driver was married September 13, 
1877, to Miss Mary E. Dohuer, who was 
born and reared in Union Township. Her 
parents were Moses and Anna Dohner. 
Mr. and Mrs. Driver have seven children, 
namely : Harry, who resides at Bradford, 
where he is employed as inspector of re- 
l»airs for the Pan Handle Railroad, mar- 
ried Hattie Thompson, and they have two 
children — Lawson and Robert; Warren, 
who is employed in the Pan Handle shops 
at Bradford, married Mal)el De Weese and 
they have one child, Grace; Moses, who 
resides in the Dominion of Canada, mar- 
ried Letha Enyart; Sylvia, who resides in 
Canada; Ella, who is a graduate of the 
Covington High School; Bertie, who like 
her sister, is a graduate of the High 
School ; and Caris, who is still pursuing his 
studies in the Covington High School. Mr. 
Driver and family are members of the 
Brethren in Christ Chiirch. 

T. B. AVHEELER, one of Troy's leading 
business men — vice-president of The Allen 
& Wheeler Company, extensive dealers in 
grain and leaf tobacco — has been a resi- 
dent of this city for the past forty-three 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



727 



years. He was Ijoni in Massachusetts in 
i83<i. 

Mr. Wlieeler obtained his echu-atioii and 
sei'ured his first business experience in his 
native state, from which he came to Troy 
in 18G6, immediately entering into partner- 
ship with H. W. Allen iu the flour and 
g-rain line, under the firm name of Alien & 
AVheeler. The firm dealt only in these com- 
modities until 1892, when leaf tobacco be- 
came an additional i)rodnct handled, one 
which has assumed great importance in the 
present business. In 1904 incoqioration 
jiapers were taken out, and the business 
has since lieen conducted as The Allen & 
^\'heeler Company, with 11. W. Allen as 
l)resident and T. B. Wheeler as vice-presi- 
dent. 

In 18()7 ;Mr. AVheeler was married to 
Miss Mary E. Smith, who is a step-daugh- 
ter of II. W. Allen, and they have three 
children, namely: Leonard A., who is a 
member of Tlie Allen & Wheeler Com- 
liany; Lucia M., who is the wife of Dr. J. 
A. Hall, of Cincinnati, Ohio; and Ellen 
ppan, residing at homo. Mr. Wheeler is 
a member of tlie Troy Club. AMiile not 
particularly active in politics, he is recog- 
nized as a good citizen, one whose efforts 
have always been directed to promoting 
movements for the common good. 

SAML'EL ]^IUERAY, deceased, was 
once one of the prominent farmers of New- 
berry Township), and resided on a valuable 
property situated about one mile southeast 
of Covington, on the Troy turnpike road. 
He was born in Montgomery County. Ohio, 
and was a son of David and Elizabeth 
(Kimmel) Murray. 

When Samuel ^furray was aliout seven 
years of age his parents moved from Mont- 



gomery County to Miami Couut\, aiul set- 
tled on a farm in Newberry Township, ad- 
joining the one later owned by Samuel 
Murray, and which is now the home of his 
widow. From boyhood he was trained ia 
hal)its of industry and thrift, and he grew 
to manhood with all the knowledge neces- 
sary to make him an excellent farmer. He 
married Mary Shellebarger in 1851, and 
she still survives, having reached her 
eighty-third birthday, having been born 
January '24, 182G, in Pennsylvania. She 
was five years old when jier parents, Ja- 
cob and Hannah (Mohler) Shellebarger, 
brought her to ^liami County. The Slielle- 
bargers settled on the farm on which Se- 
bastian Jlolfiuger now lives, and Jacob 
Shellebarger entered that land from the 
Government, cleared it up and erected 
there his log house. In that home Mrs. 
]\Iurray grew to womanhood. After mar- 
riage, Samuel ^lurray and wife first went 
to housekeei)ing on a farm situated on the 
Piqua turnpike road, later removing from 
there to the farm on which Samuel Murray 
lived until the time of his death, which 
occurred on November 10, 1895, when he 
was aged sixty-seven years. He was a 
very industrious man ; not only understood 
all kinds of agricultural labor, but he 
learned brickmaking, and made the brick 
that went into the construction of the pres- 
ent brick residence. Mr. Samuel Murray 
was a prominent man in the Duukard 
Church, and was a minister for many 
year.s, and finally ordained as an elder. 

There were eight children l)orn to Sam- 
uel Murray and his wife, three of whom — 
Amelia, Martha and Hannah— died in in- 
fancy. The survivors are: Owen, who re- 
sides on a part of the home farm; Mrs. 
Catherine Cover, who lives in Modesta 



728 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



County, California; Mrs. Emma Gibbon, 
wliose home is in Artesia, California; 
Charles; and Mrs. Ella Colbert, who lives 
at Whittier, California. 

Charles Murray, the younger son of the 
late Samuel Murray, was born on the pres- 
ent farm March 22, 1869, and he has al- 
ways been a farmer. He was married 
(first) to Hettie Warner, who died without 
issue. He was married (.second) to Lydia 
Beaver, who was bom and reared in Shelby 
County, a daughter of Grant and Alice 
(Smith) Beavei-. They have one son, Sam- 
uel Lester. This family belongs to the old 
order of Dunkard, or German Baptists. 
This religious body dates back to 1708, and 
was founded in the United States in 1723-4. 
In the passage of years divisions have 
come into the original order, but the Mur- 
rays are still faithful to the old tenets re- 
quiring simplicity of life and deportment. 

ALVA E. DICK, one of Elizabeth 
To^-nshii)'s representative business men 
and active citizens, who is sending in his 
fourth year as township assessor, was bom 
March 24, 1871, at Miami City, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a son of Kobert and 
Susan (Druiy) Dick. 

John Dick, tlie grandfather of Alva E., 
married and lived in Elizabeth Township, 
Miami County, for a number of years, and 
then purchased a farm of forty acres in 
Mercer County, Ohio, on which both he and 
wife 8u1)se(]uently died. They were worthy 
members of the Christian Church. They 
had seven children : John, Douglas Leroy, 
Marion, Arthur, Ferda, Robert, and an 
infant. 

Robert Dick was bom in Miami County, 
Ohio, October 11, 1846, and spent his 
whole life in his native count}-, passing a 



part of it at Miami City, where he died 
May 21, 1906. His main business was 
threshing, and this he followed with profit 
during the whole of his active life. He 
was a highly respected citizen of Elizabeth 
Township. He married Susan Drury, who 
was born October 11, 1846, and died De- 
cember 16, 1903. She was a daughter of 
John and Annie (Pinkerton) Drury. The 
children of Robert Dick and wife were: 
James, who married Hattie Widener, 
daughter of William Widener, has two 
children. Hazel and Harry; Annie, who 
mariied George Staley, has had four chil- 
dren — Chalmer, Ava, Nellie and Ray, de- 
ceased; Alva; and Ethel, who married 
Adolphus Brown, has one child. Ruby. 

Alva E. Dick obtained his education in 
a school conducted not far from Alcony, 
and after he left his books he began to give 
his father assistance and continued until 
the latter retired, when he assimied all the 
old threshing contracts and accepted new 
ones, and during the season is constantly 
employed in this industry. He learned 
paper-hanging, and when not engaged in 
threshing, keeps busy at his other busi- 
ness. He is an active Republican, and he 
belongs to the Odd Fellows, being con- 
nected with the lodge at Casstown. 

HON. FRANK M. LONGNAKER, one 
of Pleasant Hill's most prominent citizens, 
who filled the mayor's chair for eight years 
and for eight years was postmaster, is 
identified with many of the important busi- 
ness concerns of this section. He was born 
at Pleasant Hill, Miami County, Ohio, May 
8, 1869, and is a son of Ephraim and Eu- 
nice (Hill) Longnaker. 

Ephraim Longnaker was born in Juniata 
County, Pennsylvania, and he came to Ohio 
in 1859. He enlisted for service in the 




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AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



731 



Civil War, early in the days of the Rebel- 
lion, and was a member of the Ninety- 
fourth Regiment, 0. Vol. Inf., and was not 
mustered ont until the close of hostilities 
sent the surviving soldiers back to their 
homes. At one time he was captured l)y 
the enemy, and was contiued in Lil)by 
Prison. He is a highly respected resident 
of Pleasant Hill, where he has been em- 
ployed as a carpenter, and also has con- 
ducted a boot and shoe store for a number 
of years. He is a Reirablican in politics, 
and one of the leading members of the 
Christian Church. He married Eunice Hill, 
a daughter of John W. Hill, and they have 
three children, Frank M., Jennie and Mil- 
ton. 

Frank M. Longnaker spent all his school 
days at Pleasant Hill, and after complet- 
ing the high school course learned tele- 
gi'aphing. He was then employed for five 
years as agent and operator for the C. H. 
& D. Railroad, settling at Celina after his 
marriage and spending four years as agent 
there. He then became interested in the 
handling of sand and gravel, and in Sep- 
tember, 1894, went into the business in 
Newton Township with Martin Himes, un- 
der the firm name of the Longnaker & 
Himes Company, of which is is president. 
After his long term as mayor terminated, 
he became manager of this comi^any. and 
a large measure of his time is taken up in 
directing its affairs, the enterprise being 
one of considerable importance and giving 
employment to a large number of woi-k- 
men. He is also a stockholder and a di- 
rector in the Pleasant Hill Banking Com- 
pany. In politics he is an ardent Republi- 
can. He has served one temi as justice of 
the peace, and at present is president of 
the School Board. 



Mr. Longnaker 's business success has 
been phenomenal, and to his own industry, 
foresight ami good judgiuent nuist a large 
part of it be attributed. When he went into 
business it was without one dollar of capi- 
tal. "With his partner he now owns a con- 
crete maimfacturing plant, and gives 
steady employment to twelve workmen, 
who handle from twenty-five to fifty cars 
of sand and gravel a day, shipments beiug 
made to all points on the C, H. & D. Rail- 
road. Together with his other business in- 
terests, which have been ac(|uired tlirough 
the same channels of industry, Mr. Long- 
naker finds himself a very busy man, and 
in a fair way to liecome one of the most 
substantial men of this section. 

On August 13, 1891, Mr. Longnaker was 
married to Miss Avis Ely, a daughter of 
George W. and Annie Ely, and they have 
one daughter, Miriam, who is a student in 
the Pleasant Hill High School. The fam- 
ily are members of the Christian Church at 
Pleasant Hill, Mr. Longnaker being one of 
the trustees. He is identified with the 
Masons, belonging to the Chapter at West 
Milton, and is also an Odd Fellow. 

JOHN JUDSON DRAKE, residing on 
his fine farm of 145 acres, which is situated 
in Washington Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, about two miles southwest of Picjua, 
was born on this farm, October 30, 1841, 
and is a son of Jonathan and Frances 
(Curry) Drake. 

The parents of Mr. Drake were born, 
reared and married in New Jersey. In 
1831 they started over the mountains for 
Ohio, making the long journey by wagon 
and consuming six weeks on the way. They 
rested for a short time in Butler County, 
near Hamilton, and then came on into 



732 



PIISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Miami County. Dauiel Drake, a brother 
of Jonathan, came to this county in 1833 
and they bought the land together which 
is now a part of where John J. Drake now 
lives. They found but eight acres cleared 
and pioneer conditions prevailing. Home 
ties were not forgotten and five years 
after the Drakes settled they longed to 
have the dear old mother, Mrs. Eleanor 
Curry, who had remained in New Jersey. 
At that time there was no way for her to 
reach what was then almost the frontier, 
except by making the same journey over 
the mountains and recognizing this, Mr. 
Drake drove the team back to New Jersey 
and the wagon that had tirst transported 
the family, brought Mrs. Curry to her 
daughter. Four children were born to 
Jonathan Drake and wife, two sons and 
two daughters. The two oldest died when 
aged six years. The only survivor is John 
Judson. The one sister who grew to ma- 
turity, Mary Frances, is now deceased. 
She was the wife of Joseph Culbertson. 
Jonathan Drake died August 11, 1866, and 
liis widow, November 8, 1868. 

John Judson Drake has passed almost 
the whole of his life on his present farm. 
Following his marriage he settled on the 
farm belonging to his father, adjoining his 
own, and for two years cultivated his own 
land and his father's 100 acres. He then 
purchased that place, after the latter 's 
death, but subsequently sold it. He en- 
gages in general farming to some extent, 
renting out the larger part of his land but 
reserving enough to make berry raising 
and trucking profitable, finding a ready 
market at Piqua. 

On November 26, 1861, Mr. Drake mar- 
ried Miss Ehna Irvin, who is a daughter 
of William and Adeline Irvin. She was 



born in Shelby County, Ohio, and lived 
there until she was six years old, when her 
parents moved on the farm in Washingion 
Township, Miami County, which is owned 
by her brother, John Irvin. Mr. and Mrs. 
Drake have had six children, the survivors 
being: Addie Frances, who is the wife of 
James W. Curtis; Edgar Judson, residing 
at Coshocton, Ohio, who married Laura 
Holly, and has four children — Ernest, Ir- 
vin, Forrest and Myrle; and Earl Leroy 
who is engaged in the farrp implement 
business at Piqua ; he married Carrie Rees 
and they have two children — James Clin- 
ton and Robert Judson. The three chil- 
dren deceased were : Charles Oscar, who 
died when aged three months ; Minnie Le- 
ola, who died aged three years ; and Grace 
Inez, who passed away at the age of twen- 
ty-eight years. Mr. Drake and family are 
members of the Calvaiy Baptist Church at 
Piqua, of which he has been a trustee ever 
since it was organized, in 1871, and a dea- 
con since 1881. He has been a member of 
the organization devoted to the interests 
of agriculturists, the Patrons of Hus- 
bandry, for a number of years. He is not 
an active politician Imt has always been 
numbered with the best and most reliable 
citizens of his township. 

CHARLES HILLIARD THOMAS, a 
representative citizen of Spring Creek 
Township, and a lifelong resident of 
Miami Coimtj', residing on a fine farm of 
168 acres located east of Piqua, was born 
on his present farm April 5, 1857, and is 
a son of David E. and Maria (Hilliard) 
Thomas. 

David E. Thomas was born in Wales 
May 10, 1816, where he grew to maturity 
and became a Baptist minister. About 



AND REPIIESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



1854 he came to this country with his 
father, Ebeu Thomas, who was a medical 
practitioner, and who located in Licking 
County, Ohio, where he engaged in the 
practice of his profession until the time of 
Ids death. David E. Thomas resided for 
some years in Picpia, where he had charge 
of the Baptist Church during that time, 
and in 1852 located on the farm on which 
our subject was born and now resides, and 
four years later erected the present dwell- 
ing on the place. He was one of seven sons 
l)orn to his parents, six of whom wei*e min- 
isters, one of whom, now in his eighty- 
ninth year, is a resident of niinois. Rev. 
1). E. Thomas never operated the farm 
himself, but employed others to run the 
place, he continuing with his work in the 
ministry. He was united in marriage with 
]\laria Ililliard, who was born .July 31, 
1821, on the old Hilliard farm, and died 
November 25, 1900. Her father. Charles 
Hilliard, was one of the earliest settlei-s of 
Miami County, locating in Spring (h-eek 
Township in 1776, on the land now owned 
l)y our subject. He always followed farm- 
ing, and owned a section of land where 
East Piqua is now situated, and the house 
in which he lived is still standing, just 
south of our subject's home. There were 
six children l)orn to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, 
namely: Sarah, who died young; Emma, 
deceased; Anna, deceased; Eva, who re- 
sides in Piqua; EUa, deceased; and Charles 
H., the subject of this record. David E. 
Thomas died in Spring Creek Township 
May 5, 1804. 

Charles II. Thomas was reared on his 
in-esent farm, and received his educational 
training in the schools of the district and 
at Piqua, since then operating the home 
farm, where he carries on general f.irming 



and slockraising. He is one of the most 
successful and jirogressive farmers of tiie 
township; is pubHc spirited, and enjoys the 
esteem and confidence of his fellow citi- 
zens. Mr. Th.onuis married Ella Carr, a 
daughter of Millard and Sarah Carr, well 
known farmers residing east of Pi(|ua. Mr. 
Thomas is politically identified with the 
Ivei)ubli('an jiarty; is frateinally a member 
of the I. 0. 0. F., and is an active member 
of the Baptist Church. 

R. HAYES Wn)EXER comes of an old 
and respected family of ^liami County, 
Ohio, and has been a resident of Troy for 
five years, being identified with the post- 
office here. He was born in Elizabeth 
Township, Miami County, in 187(3, and is a 
son of William D. Widener. 

William I). Widener is well known to the 
people of the county, having been a life- 
long resident of ]\Iiami County, Ohio. In 
his younger days he was a carjienter, and 
later engaged in farming operations witli- 
much success. He has always taken an 
active interest in political affairs, and was 
called upon to fill various township offices 
and also that of infirmary director. He 
served two terms in that office, and proved 
a most efficient public official. He now re- 
sides at the liome of his son in the city of 

Troy. 

R. Hayes Widener attended the i>ubiic 
schools of the county, and his education 
was sui)i)Iemented by a two-years course 
at Ohio Northern University, at Ada, Ohio. 
Uixm leaving that institution he engaged 
in teaching .school for seven years, and in 
1004 he became a citizen of Troy. He at 
that time entered the jiostal service under 
Mr. W. M. Kyle, the i)ostmaster, and has 
continued under the present postmaster, 



734 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



E. A. Jackson. He is a prominent Odd 
Fellow, having been appointed Deputy 
Grand Master of this district for the term 
of 1908-1909. 

In 1899 Mr. Widener was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Maud Miller, of Cham- 
paign County, Ohio, and they have three 
children: Maurice M., Amy I. and Mar- 
jorie E. The family attends the Christian 
Church. 

FEEDERICK ^\. JOHNSTON, owner 
of 140 acres of farm land located about 
three and a half miles north of Covington, 
has always been a resident of Newberry 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, where he 
is well known and held in high esteem. He 
was born at Greenville Falls, in Newberry 
Township, October 4, 1849, and is a son 
of Andrew Jackson and Mary Ann 
(Thompson) Johnston, and a grandson of 
Frederick Johnston. 

Frederick Johnston was a native of Ire- 
land, and some time after his marriage 
emigrated to the United States. He set- 
tled between Enon and Yellow Springs, in 
Greene County, Ohio, and the farm is still 
in the family name, being owned by two 
of his daughters, who have never married. 

Andrew Jackson Johnston was born on 
the ocean while his parents were en route 
from Ireland to this country, and was 
reared on the home farm in Greene Coun- 
ty, Ohio. After his marriage lie moved to 
Covington, where he conducted a tavern 
for a while, that establishment having pre- 
viously been run by his wife's people. He 
was a cooper by trade, and also a wagon 
maker, and for a time operated a cooper 
shop at Greenville Falls, but farming was 
his principal occupation. About the year 
1845 he purchased a farm about midway 



between Piqua and Covington, upon which | 
he erected buildings and made other im- ' 
provements, and moved on the farm in 
1850, living there until 1864. In the faU • 
of that year he purchased 160 acres where 
his son, Frederick W., now lives, and con- I 
tinned to live there and farm until his 
death in 1894. He was twice married, , 
having by his first wife a daughter, Eliza, 
who died in Seattle, Washington. His 
second marriage was with Mary Ann 
Thompson, who was born and reared in 
Greene County, Ohio, to which her parents 
had come from the state of Maryland. Six 
children were the issue of this union, 
namely: James A., who lives in San An- 
tonio, Texas; Louisa, deceased, who was 
a twin to James A. and who married Will- 
iam Drake; Frederick W. ; John K., also 
of San Antonio, Texas ; Edward, who lives 
at Covington ; and Arthur, who died when 
young. The mother of tliis family died 
in 1900. 

Frederick W. Johnston was less than a 
year old when his parents moved from 
Greenville Falls to the farm between Pi- 
qua and Covington, and was about sixteen 
when they moved to where he now lives. 
He received a common school education 
and has always engaged in agricultural 
pursuits. He has made many important 
improvements on the home place, and in 
1904 erected a fine frame house, in which 
he lives. Mr. Johnston was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Sarah J. Meenach, a 
daughter of Ezekiel ]Meenach, and they 
have two children : Noel L., of Darke 
County, who married Minnie Lambert and 
has a daughter, Neva Arline; and Myrl 
C. Religiously they are members of the 
Covington Presbyterian Church, of which, 
he is a deacon. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



735 



HON. DA\T:D M. COPPOCK, one of 
Miami County's most prominent citizens, 
mayor of Pleasant Hill, president of the 
Pleasant Hill Banking Company, presi- 
dent of the Miami County Mutual Insur- 
ance Company, and identified with many 
of the movements which have resulted in 
advancing the various interests of this 
section, was born December 29, 1841, in 
Union Township, Miami County, Ohio. 
His parents were Benjamin and Esther 
(Miles) Coppock. 

Benjamin Coppock was a native of Mi- 
ami County, where his life was spent in 
agricultural pursuits. He married Esther 
Miles, a daughter of William and Mary 
(Pearson) Miles, and they had three chil- 
dren: David M., Almeda and Elwood. 

David M. Coppock obtained his educa- 
tion in the Union Township schools, but 
his success in life has not been dependent 
upon the knowledge there gained, a nat- 
ural inheritance of foresight, ability and 
good judgment doing much more. He re- 
mained with his parents through early 
manhood, including one year after his 
marriage, and then moved to the vicinity 
of Pleasant Hill, where he lived until 1905, 
when he came to Pleasant Hill, purchasing 
here a residence. He still retains his val- 
uable farm of 150 acres, which is situated 
in Newton Township. 

Mr. Coppock was married (first) ]\rarch 
21, 1860, to Miss Jane .jay, who died Janu- 
ary 17, 1879. She was a daughter of Jo- 
seph F. and Mary Jay. The following chil- 
dren were born to that marriage: Anabel, 
Horace. Lambert, Almeda, Furnas J., 
Lura, Bertha, Fred and Charles B. In 
August. 1880, ]\Iayor Coppock was mar- 
ried (second) to Miss Rachel Overman, a 
(Inndit'M- of Silas and Hannah Overman, of 



Marion, Indiana, and they have four chil- 
dren: Clarence, Herbert, Chester J. and 
Esther J. 

Politically a Republican, Mayor Cop- 
pock has frequently been chosen by that 
organization in the township as standard- 
bearer, and jirior to coming to Pleasant 
Hill served in local offices. As mayor of 
the town he has been a fearless official, and 
has brought about excellent local condi- 
tions. He still retains his membership in 
the Grange, and is also a Mason. For many 
years he has been a leading member of the 
Cliristian Church. 

MADISON MILLHOUSE, a veteran of 
tlie Civil War and a well known citizen of 
Spring Creek Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, is the owner of a valuable farm of 
257 acres, located four miles east of Piqua. 
He was born on this place August 14, 1843, 
and is of German descent. He is a son of 
Jacob and Frances .Johnson Millhouse, and 
a grandson of John Millhouse. Mr. Mill- 
house has among his treasured possessions 
the honorable discharge, liearing the signa- 
ture of George AVashington, which his 
grandfather received at the close of that 
war. 

.lolin Millhouse was one of the very 
early ])ioneers of ^Mianii County, Ohio, and 
entered the home farm, for which he re- 
ceived a iiatent from the Government 
signed by President Madison. This farm 
has passed from father to son, and has al- 
ways been in the ^Millhouse name, a record 
which doubtless cannot be equalled by any 
other family in the records of Miami 
County history. John and his wife, Mar- 
garet Millhouse, were i)arents of four chil- 
dren, of whom Jacob was the eldest. 

Jacob Millhouse was born on the home 



(36 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



farm in Spring Creek Townsliip, and at- 
tended the primitive schools of that early 
period. Althongh his schooling was lim- 
ited, he developed nmisual ability as a 
mathematician. He turned his attention 
to fanning, and after the death of his 
father purchased the interests of the other 
heirs in the home farm. He was a man of 
prominence in the community,, and lived a 
life of great usefulness ; his death occurred 
June 20, 1871. He was married to Frances 
Johnson, a daughter of Isaac Johnson, who 
was in early life a sailor, but later located 
on a farm in Spring Creek Township, 
about one mile west of the Millhouse farm. 
Two children blessed this marriage: Mar- 
garet, who died in 1861; and Madison. Mrs. 
Millhouse died about seven months after 
the letter's birth. 

Madison Millhouse was reared and edu- 
cated in Spring Creek Township, and has 
always followed farming. His is one of the 
best improved farms in the township, the 
residence being a large twelve-room brick, 
which he built in 1877. The barn was 
erected by his father and grandfather in 
183G, but he has a number of times remod- 
eled and enlarged it. He is progressive and 
public spirited, and has always taken a 
deep interest in the progress and develop- 
ment of the township and county. During 
the Civil War he served as a member of 
Company E, 147th Kegiment, Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry, under Captain Johnson, and 
although he saw considerable service, never 
met with injury. He suffered with fever 
for two years, however, after leaving the 
army. 

Mr. Millhouse was united in marriage 
with Miss Sarah U. Furrow, a daughter of 
Jeremiah and Sarah Furrow, of S]n-ing 
Creek Township. Her father was a farmer, 



and for twenty-live years line master on 
the Miami and Erie Canal, which he heljied 
to build. He was an early settler here, 
and lived to reach the age of eighty-.six 
j-ears. His wife died at the age of seventy- 
seven. They were parents of the following 
children: Sylvanus; Jane; Martha, de- 
ceased; Clarinda; Angeline; Alonzo. de- 
ceased; Sarah U., wife of the subject of 
this sketch; Charlotte; Elizabeth; and two 
who died in early life. Madison Millhouse 
and his estimable wife are parents of two 
children: Tvlurra J., who married Pearl 
Steward and has a daughter, Helen 
Frances; and Alberta, wife of Chauncey 
Young, of Piqua, by whom she has two 
children, Ralph and Ruth. Politically, ]\lr. 
r^lillhouse i-s an independent voter. He has 
served nineteen years on the School Board. 

G. E. McCULLOUGH, M. D., one of the 
leading professional men of the City of 
Troy, has been a resident of Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, all his life. He was born near 
this city in 1872, and is a son of Ciiarles 
jMcCullough, a representative of one of 
the pioneer families of Miami County. 

Dr. McCullough is a graduate of Troy 
High School and attended Wooster Uni- 
versity, and after leaving the latter insti- 
tution began preparation for his jn'ofes- 
sional career. He was graduated from 
Cincinnati Medical College of Ohio (M. C. 
0.) in 1889, and soon after receiving his 
degree opened his office for practice at 
Troy, where he has met with success. He 
pursued a post-graduate course in New 
York Post Graduate College, in New York 
City, in 1905, and in 1907 completed a 
course in the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and 
Throat College. He is a member of the 
Miami Countv Medical Association, the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



737 



Ohio State Metlical Society, and the 
American Medical Association. In 1904 
Dr. McCullough was married to Miss Jes- 
sie Van Beseler, a native of Troy, Ohio. 
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, 
and of the Troy Club, and has a wide circle 
of acquaintances throughout this vicinity. 

JOHN W. IRVIN, president of the 
Washington Township School Board and 
one of the leading farmers of this section 
of ]\Iiami County, Ohio, was born on the 
farm on which he resides, June 14, 1851, 
and is a son of William and Adeline 
(Brown) Irvin. 

William Irvin was a native of Montgom- 
ery County, Ohio, bom about seven miles 
south of Dayton, where he lived until after 
his marriage, when he moved first to 
Shelby County and later to JNIiami County, 
and settled in Washington Township, 
where he acquired two farms, aggregating 
125 acres. He died at Piqua, Ohio, iu 
1879, and was survived twenty years by 
his widow. Of their family of nine children, 
two were born in Shelby County. 

John W. Irvin was reared on the home 
farm, and was educated in the township 
schools. He has been a farmer all his ma- 
ture life, and has interested himself in agri- 
cultural affairs generally, recognition of 
this fact being shown by Ms selection as 
one of the two members from Washington 
Township elected on the Miami County 
Agricultural Board. He has also been ac- 
tive in educational matters, and served 
several years as a school director prior to 
the passing of the new school law, which 
went into effect in 1904, since which time 
he has continuously held the office of presi- 
dent of the board. 

On February 4, 1873, Mr. Irvin was mar- 



ried to ^iliss Addie Morrow, a daughter of 
Hugh and Susan Fletcher (Morri.son) 
Morrow. She was born at Piijua, but was 
reared on her father's farm, which ad- 
joined the Irvin land, iu Washington 
Township. In his early married life, Mr. 
Morrow engaged in clerking in Picpia, but 
later settled down to farming and died in 
Washington Township iu 1875. His widow 
survived until 1893. :\[r. and Mrs.' Ii-vin 
have one son, Wilbur W., who resides on a 
farm but one mile distant from that of his 
father. He married Miss Olive Ruutiedge. 
Mr. Irvin and family are members of the 
First Presbyterian Church at Picpia. 

FRANK GOODMAN DAVIS, merchant 
and manufacturer of Tippecanoe City, 
Ohio, was the yoimgest son, as well as the 
youngest child of Enoch and Barbara 
Davis, nee Goodman, and was born in 
Elizabeth Township, ]\liami County. Ohio, 
May 5, 1855. 

He moved with his family to the tlien 
small village of Tippecanoe iu tlie year 
1862, where lie entered the union or pu1)Iic 
schools, in which he continued until he had 
obtained a very fair common school educa- 
toin, through the use of which, together 
with his congeniality and his untiring ap- 
l)lication to his duties, lie has gained the 
enviable and honorable position he now 
occupies. He is not only well kuown and 
popular in and about his immediate home 
town but throughout the entire county. 

Mr. Davis' first emplojinent after leav- 
ing school was at telegraphy, working at 
the key until the death of his father in 
1872, which compelled a thorough altera- 
tion of all his plans. From the key he went 
to a clerkship in the general store of Bow- 
man & Lindsley, and from a clerkship with 



73 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



B : Lindsley, laVei .J. W. Bowman, 

h( i .fc tO be a pariner, the fiiTii being 
Btwiuan & Davis, wLicli was for many 
years one of the best known concerns in 
Miami County in the mercantile business 
as well as one of the largest distributors 
of general merchandise in south Miami 
County. The present firm is Davis & 
Smith, which firm continues to handle a 
large part of the general mei-chandising 
business of this most prosperous little city 
and country surrounding. 

Mr. Davis was one of the very first pro- 
moters of the whijD manufacturing indus- 
try in Tippecanoe City, and was one of 
the first incorporators of The Tipp Whip 
Company and the president of the com- 
pany for nearly twenty years. He was also 
the promoter of The Davis "Wliip Com- 
pany, which was incoi-porated eleven years 
ago, and his official relationshii? to the com- 
pany is that of president and general man- 
ager. Both these concerns are prosperous 
and representative of the most modern 
ideas in whip manufacturing. Their out- 
put is marketed all over the United States. 

In 1882 Mr. Davis was married to Mary 
E. Harshbarger, daughter of Isaac D. and 
Hannah E. Harshbarger, nee Kable. They 
have three children, Margaret E., Loa L. 
and Robert G. 

Mr. Davis, as well as an active citizen, 
in nearly everything of good in the town, 
enjoys distinction in Democratic political 
circles also, and his strength has been rec- 
ognized by his party, it having nominated 
him, unsolicited and against his earnest 
protest, twice for important offices, his de- 
feat in both instances being accomplished 
through the most untiring endeavor of his 
opponents and by a reduction of a big Re- 
publican majoi'it}^ to almost no majority 



at all. His party honored, him by sending 
him as a delegate to the National Demo- 
cratic Convention that convened in Chi- 
cago in 1892 and which nominated Hon. 
G rover Cleveland for the presidency. 

He belongs to F. & A. M. Lodge No. 174, 
I. 0. 0. F. Lodge No. 247 and the Royal 
Arcanum Lodge, all of Tippecanoe City, 
Ohio. 

FRANK W. TENNEY, one of Concord 
Township's substantial citizens, resides on 
his farm of forty-six acres, which is situ- 
ated one mile west of Troy, raises Jersey 
cattle and high grade horses, owning 
"Mollie 0.," "Mary B.," "Gertie" and 
"Renaud," all roadsters and registered. 
Mr. Tenney was born at West Milton, Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, October 15, 1860, and is 
a son of W. I. and Jennie (Kelly) Tenney. 

The Tenney family is a very prominent 
one in Miami County and was established 
here by Dr. Eli Tenney, the grandfather. 
Hon. W. I. Tenney, whose farm of 167 
acres adjoins that of his son Frank W., 
formerly taught school, probably for thirty 
years, later went into politics to some ex- 
tent, was elected and served in the State 
Legislature, and after completing his 
father's unexpired term as county auditor, 
was twice elected to that office. He mar- 
ried Jennie Kelly, who was reared at 
West Milton, and they had eight children 
born to them. 

Frank W. Tenney was partial!}^ educated 
b}^ his father and attended school at West 
Milton, later the Troy High School, and 
spent one winter in college, at Ada. He 
was about fourteen years old when the 
family moved to Troy and lived there for 
nine years and accompanied the family 
when it took \\y> its residence in Concord 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



739 



Townsliip, living at home until his mar- 
riage. For a number of years he rented 
different farms and for fifteen years oper- 
ated a dairy, running a wagon to Troy, 
and during that time kept from fifty to 
sixty head of Jersey cattle. The first farm 
that Mr. Tenney purchased was 126 acres 
of the old Peekham place, on the Coving- 
ton turnpike, one mile west of his present 
farm, and after living on that for six years, 
he sold it to John Hartstein & Sons. He 
then bought sixteen acres of his present 
farm from his father, completing the pur- 
chase in December, 1906, in the meanwhile 
having bought and sold another farm of 
eighty acres. In addition to his general 
farm interests, his cattle and horse-raising 
and the growing of tobacco, Mr. Tenney 
finds time to act as special agent for the 
Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Company, 
of Detroit. 

On October 26, 1882, Mr. Tenney was 
married to Miss Callie M. Tullis, a daugh- 
ter of 0. M. and Sarah (Tullis) Tullis, 
and they have three children : Roy T., Leila 
E. and Arthur. Educational and social 
advantages have been afforded his children 
by Mr. Tenney and they have been appre- 
ciated. Roy T. Tenney is a graduate of 
the Troy High School and of Delaware 
College and at present is a teacher of lan- 
guages in the High School of Minneapolis, 
Minnesota, a leader of the church choir 
and also a teacher of vocal music. Leila 
E. Tenney, who has made teaching music 
her profession, is a graduate of the Troy 
High School and was a student of the Con- 
ser\'atory of Miisic, at Indianapolis. Mr. 
Tenney and family are members of the 
Christian Church. Politically he is a Re- 
publican and fraternally a Mason. 



JOHN C. DRAKE, who.se well culti- 
vated farm of eighty-five acres lies in sec- 
tion 30, Washington Townsliip, a little 
over two miles southwest of Piqua, was 
horn on the old Drake homestead, which is 
situated almost directly across the road 
from his own land, February 17, 1838, and 
is a son of Daniel and Margaret (Curry) 
Drake. 

Both parents of Mr. Drake were bom, 
reared and married in New Jersey. About 
1833 Daniel Drake and his brother Jona- 
than, with their wives, who were sisters, 
left New Jersey and made the trip to Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, in farm wagons, and 
the brothers bought adjoining farms in 
Washington Township. They had been 
preceded by an older brother, Jacob Drake, 
who had purchased land in the southwest- 
ern part of this township, which he later 
sold and invested east of Casstown, where 
he subsequently died. The parents of 
John C. Drake died on their farm in Wash- 
ington Township. 

John C. Drake grew ro manhood on the 
home farm and has always devoted himself 
to agricultural pursuits, formerly carrying 
on general farming but latterly has given 
more attention to truck gardening, and as 
a specialty grows strawberries in great 
abundance. His present farm is one for- 
merly owned by his father, but he has made 
the improvements here, building two sub- 
stantial houses. One of these is a fine 
brick residence and the other a commo- 
dious frame one and he resides in the 
latter. 

;Mr. Drake was married (first), to Miss 
Annie Ledman, who died without issue. 
His second marriage was to Miss Phebe E. 
Stewart, who left four children: Hannah, 
who married David Elliott, died December 



740 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



28, 1901, survived by four children— Mary, 
Susie, Charles and Perry; William, who 
resides in Michigan, married Jennie Marsh 
and they have two children — Elfieda and 
Corwin; Daniel, who resides at Ellwood, 
Indiana, married Lena Behymer and they 
have one son, Oraville ; and Ora Pearl, who 
married Frank Garbry, has two children — 
Ealph and Scott. Mr. and Mrs. Garbry 
live on a farm one mile east of Piqua. Mr. 
Drake was married (third) to Miss Ada 
Young, a daughter of David D. Yoimg, and 
they have one son, John C, born January 
20, 1908. Mr. Drake is a member of the 
official board of Grace Methodist Episcopal 
Church at Piqua. He is one of the town- 
ship's representative oitizens. In his po- 
litical views he is a Prohibitio?iist. 

MRS. ABIGAIL W. BOUSMAN, widow 
of John Bousman, is one of Elizabeth 
Township's much esteemed, well known 
and really remarkable women, for in these 
days there are few indeed, who, at the age 
of eighty-five years could so capably and 
thriftily manage a large farm of 113 acres 
as does Mrs. Bousman. She was born in 
Piles Grove Township, Salem County, New 
Jersey, and on February 28, 1909, she cele- 
brated her eighty-fifth birthday. She is a 
daughter of Peter and Eebecca Hampton. 

Mrs. Bousman has been a continuous 
resident of Elizabeth Township, Miami 
County, ever since her marriage, with the 
exception of a short time spent in making 
a visit to New Jersey, and for the past 
sixty years has resided on her present 
farm, where she either erected or remod- 
eled all the buildings. Her husband, John 
Bousman, was a son of William Bousman, 
and a grandson of Lawrence Bousman, 
who came to Elizabeth Township from Vir- 



ginia and entered Section 26 on November 
18, 1813, receiving a sheepskin deed from 
the Government bearing the date of Feb- 
ruary 6, 1817. The family has always 
taken pride in the fact that there has never 
been a claim or mortgage on this farm. 
Lawrence Bousman married Sarah Gear- 
heart and they had seven children — Mary, 
Elizabeth, Phebe, Catherine, William, 
Leonard, and Samuel. 

William Bousman lived on a part of 
the father's farm in Elizabeth Township 
all his life. He married Nancy Shell, a 
daughter of John Shell and they had five 
cliildren — John, Margaret, James, Sarah, 
and William. 

John Bousman remained at home with 
his father and helped him take care of the 
farm, wliieh he inherited on the father's 
death, and this is the pro^jerty now owned 
by Mrs. Bousman and on which she re- 
sides. He was a quiet, home-loving man, 
and was much respected by his neighbors. 
He died April 13, 1881, aged sixty years, 
eight months and thirteen days. 

To Mr. and Mrs. Bousman were born ten 
children, five of whom died in infancy. 
Those who survived childhood were the 
following: Sabin, who married Jennie 
Bollins, daughter of Joseph Rollins ; Mary, 
who married William M. Wise, son of Jo- 
seph, and Allen Wise, and has two chil- 
dren, Elizabeth and Clara, of whom the 
former, Elizabeth, married George Lor- 
ton, son of William and Elizabeth Lorton; 
Ellen, who is now deceased ; Elizabeth Re- 
becca, single, who resides with her aged 
mother ; William, who is single and resides 
withhis mother ; and John Perry, who is now 
deceased. Mrs. Bousman has three grand- 
children and eight great-grandchildren, 
and is proud of them all, as she has reason 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



741 



to be, and in tiiru tliey are devoted to her. 
Mrs. Bousman engaged in general farm- 
ing, making a specialty of raising grain, 
and the success which follows her over- 
sight demonstrates the strength both of 
her body and of her mind. She enjoys 
good health and keeps up her interest in 
her family, her work, and her neighbor- 
hood as easily as she did years ago. Slie 
is a member of the Christian Church. 

VALENTINE DECKER, pork packer, 
with extensive facilities for carrying on a 
business in the necessities of life, dealing 
in commodities which neither individuals 
nor nations can do without, has largely 
been the builder of his own fortunes and 
has been a resident of Piqua since 1873. 
He was born in Germany in 1847 and came 
to America when aged twenty-one j'ears. 

Mr. Decker went into the butcher busi- 
ness first at Troy, six months later coming 
to Piqua and working as a butcher in this 
city from 1869 until 1871, when he went 
to Union City, Indiana. He continued to 
work as a butcher there until 1873, when 
he returned to Piqua and conducted a re- 
tail meat market for twenty-five years, in 
1878 erecting a slaughter house, and butch- 
ering on a small scale. In 1891 he began 
the building of his present commodious 
quarters and they have been added to un- 
til he occupies a leading place in the pack- 
ing industry and has an establishment 
which compares favorably with any other 
in this section of the State. For the last 
ten years he has also conducted a whole- 
sale business in fresh, smoked and salted 
meats. He slaughters from 150 to 200 
hogs a week, thirty-five head of cattle and 
from twenty to thirty calves, giving em- 
ployment to twenty workmen and keeping 



two salesmen on the road. This business 
is a monument to Mr. Decker's unflagging 
industry, his prudence, ability and fore- 
sight. 

In 1873 Mr. Decker was married to Miss 
Hannah Schafer and they have had the 
following children: Louis F., George H., 
Carl J., Walter J., Callie M., Hannah E., 
and AMlliam J. George, "Walter, Louis F. 
and William J. are associated with their 
father. Louis F. married Minnie Wilt- 
heiss and they live in Piqua. G. H., mar- 
ried Clara Kleiber. Carl J. married Mary 
Price, and they live in Dayton. Walter J. 
married Clara M. Prather. Mr. Decker 
and family are members of St. Boniface 
Roman Catholic Church, and he has mem- 
bership with the Knights of Columbus. 

GEORGE W. PENCE, who with his 
son, Harry Pence, owns a fine farm of 
eighty-eight acres in Brown Township, 
Miami County, on which he resides, owns 
also the old homestead farm of 109 acres, 
in Lost Creek Township, on which he was 
born in September, 1852. His parents were 
John N. and Susannah (Shidler) Pence. 

Paul Pence, the grandfather of George 
W., was a very early settler in Lost Creek 
Township, coming to this section immedi- 
ately following his marriage and passing 
the whole of his subsequent life here, dy- 
ing at the age of seventy-five years. He 
was also a native of Miami County. 

John N. Pence was born on the liome 
farm in Lost Creek Township, a son of 
Paul and Mary (Newi^ort) Pence. After 
his marriage he purchased the farm of 
109 acres now owned by his son, George 
W., and died there in 1864, a victim of 
typhoid fever, when but thirty-three years 
of age. He married Susannah Shidler and 



.742 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



they bad three children: George W., the 
only survivor ; William, who was accident- 
ally killed by a falling tree; and Elmira 
Jane, who died when aged three years. 

George W. Pence obtained his education 
in the schools of Lost Creek Township, 
after which he went to live with his uncle, 
on his grandfather's farm, and remained 
there until his marriage, when he took up 
his residence on the home place in Lost 
Creek Township and lived there until a 
fire destroyed the house on January 1, 
1896. For the next seven years, Mr. Pence 
and family lived on the Morton farm. In 
the spring of 1904 he came to his present 
place in Brown Township and after set- 
tling here commenced quite a large amount 
of improving. The brick residence then 
standing had been built in 1838 and was 
still in a good state of preservation, but 
Mr. Pence had it thoroughly renovated 
and built a frame addition which has add- 
ed to its comfort quite considerably. He 
devotes all his land to general fanning 
and is numbered with the township's pros- 
perous agriculturists. 

Mr. Pence married Miss Josephine 
Shanks, who was born and reared on the 
present home farm. Her father was Dan- 
iel Shanks and her grandfather was Peter 
Shanks, the latter of whom entered this 
land from the Government. For years he 
was a prominent pioneer of this part of 
Miami County and he lived until 1887, dy- 
ing when aged ninety-three years. Mr. and 
Mrs. Pence have three children, namely: 
Harry, who resides at home ; Myrtle, who 
is the wife of "Walter Reed, a farmer of 
Miami County, has three children; and 
Ivy, who married William Mitchell, of 
Champaign County, has one son, Harry. 
Mr. Pence and family belong to the Chris- 



tian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. 
The only office he has ever accepted has 
been that of school director, in which he 
has served for twenty-one years. He is 
identified with the fraternal order of Odd 
Fellows. 

L. H. McCONNELL, president of the 
Board of Public Safety of Troy, Ohio, is 
superintendent of the McKinnon Dash 
Company and one of the substantial busi- 
ness men of the city. He was bom in St. 
Louis, Missouri, in 1859, and has been a 
resident of Troy since 1895. Mr. McCon- 
nell was reared and educated in his native 
city, but after leaving school moved from 
St. Louis to Menominee, Wisconsin, where 
he engaged in general merchandizing for a 
period of three years. He then returned 
to St. Louis and for a time dealt in heavy 
hardware and wagon and carriage mate- 
rials. He next engaged in the manufac- 
ture of carriages for eight years, at the 
end of which time he moved to Columbus, 
Ohio, and formed a connection with the 
McKinnon Dash Company. He remained 
there three years and in 1895 came to Troy 
and superintended the construction of the 
plant of the McKinnon Dash Company at 
this place. He has been in charge of this 
concern ever since and has won high rank 
among the business men of the city. He 
served several terms as a member of the 
City Council and is at present president 
of the Board of Public Safety. 

In 1893 Mr. McConnell was married at 
Columbus, Ohio, to Miss Josephine V. Do- 
herty, of St. Louis. He is a prominent 
member of the Masonic Order, and belongs 
to the Knights Templar. Religiously, Mr. 
and Mrs. McConnell are attendants of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she 
is a member. 




L. H. McCOXXELL 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



745 



JOHN A. AVEHNEMAN, one of the 
trustees of Newberry Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, is a prosperous farmer and 
owns and resides upon a farm of 140 acres 
lying in Section 35, about seven miles 
northwest of Covington. He was born on 
a farm in Shelby County, Ohio, October 22, 
1859, and is a son of John Henry and 
Annie Elizabeth (Fichen) Wehneman, 
both natives of Germany. 

John Andrew "VVehneman, grandfather 
of the subject of this record, was born in 
Germany and lived in that country until 
1835, when he came to the United States. 
He in that year settled in Newberry Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, on the farm 
now owned by his grandson, John A. Weh- 
neman, and lived there until his death. ■ 

After his marriage, John Henry Weh- 
neman moved to Shelby County, to his 
farm near where his wife's people had 
located upon their arrival from Germany. 
There John A. Wehneman was born and 
reared, and received his educational train- 
ing in the common schools. He early 
tui-ned his attention to farming, and for 
a period of eleven years before his mar- 
riage also operated a threshing outfit. He 
and his wife lived in Shelby County until 
1891, when they moved to a farm in Darke 
County, Ohio. In 1896, they took up their 
residence in Newberry Township, Miami 
County, where for three years he rented a 
farm, but December 5, 1899, he moved to 
tis present farm, which he had purchased 
earlier in that year. He is engaged in gen- 
eral farming and in partnership with his 
sons owns a threshing machine which they 
operate. He also raises and fattens from 
100 to 125 hogs each year, making that a 
specialty. He is a Democrat in politics, 
and since January 1, 1907, has served with 



marked ability as township trustee. Be- 
fore the law was changed he was for seven 
years a member of the School Board, and 
at the present time is local director for 
his school district. He is a man who takes 
a deep interest in matters relating to the 
welfare of the community, and stands high 
among the enterprising and public spirited 
citizens. 

]\Ir. AVehneman was united in marriage 
with Elizabeth Stein, a daughter of Chris- 
topher Stein of Shelby County, and they 
have had the following children: Walter 
Frederick, who married Lorena Brill, and 
they have one daughter, Helen; and John 
William, Ida, Leonard, Lottie Ann, Min- 
nie, Forrest, and Oscar Andrew. Reli- 
giously, they are members of the Lutheran 
Church, of which he served as deacon and 
also as trustee. 

OWEN MURRAY, who resides on his 
valuable farm of forty-three acres, which 
is situated in Newberry Township, on the 
Troy Turnpike Road, about one mile south- 
east of Covington, Ohio, was born Novem- 
ber 17, 1858, on an adjoining farm, which 
is still occupied by his mother. His pa- 
rents were Samuel and Mary (Shellebar- 
ger) Murray. 

Samuel Murray was born in Montgom- 
ery Coimty, Ohio, a son of David and Eliz- 
abeth (Kimmel) Murray. When he was 
seven years old his parents moved to Mi- 
ami County and settled in Newberry Town- 
sliip. "\Mien he reached manliood he mar- 
ried Mary Shellebarger, a daughter of 
Jacob and Hannah (Mohler) Shellebarger. 
She was born in Pennsylvania and was 
five years old when lier parents came to 
Miami County. Hor father, Jacob Shelle- 
barirer. entere-i land in Newberry Town- 



746 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



shijj, wbieli lie cleared and developed into 
a good farm. For some time after their 
marriage Samuel Murray and wife lived 
on a farm situated on the Piqua Turnpike 
Road, after which thej^ moved to the farm 
on which Owen Murray was born. On that 
farm Samuel Murray spent the remainder 
of his useful and exemplary life, his death 
occurring on November 10, 1895, when he 
was sixty-seven years of age. He was a 
member of the old order of the Dunkard 
or German Baptist Church, a people noted 
for their simplicity of life and their high 
moral standards. In this same simple faith 
he reared his family. Eight children were 
born to Samiiel Murraj" and wife, the five 
survivors being Owen, Catherine, Emma 
and Ella (all married and living in Cali- 
fornia), and Charles, who resides on the 
homestead with the venerable mother. 

Owen Murray has devoted himself to 
farming and his land in its fine state of cul- 
tivation shows that he has given it a great 
deal of attention. His crops are the usiial 
ones of this section — wheat, oats, corn, 
hay and tobacco — all doing well. He mar- 
ried Sarah E. Shaw, a daughter of Samuel 
M. and Catherine Shaw. She was reared 
in Shelby County. After they were mar- 
ried they went to housekeeping on the 
present farm, and the substantial build- 
ings were put up by Mr. Murray. They 
have no children. They are members of 
the old order Dunkard Church. 

GEORGE W. SURER, who comes of an 
old and well known family of Brown Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, operates eighty 
acres of the old Suber estate, forty acres 
now owned by his mother, and twenty acres 
owned by himself. He was born Septem- 
ber 1.3, 1870, in the house which stands on 



the old place, and is a son of "William D. 
and Mary A. Suber, the former of whom 
was for many years before his death rec- 
ognized as one of the foremost citizens of 
the community. 

George W. Suber attended the district 
schools of the township, also at Lena and 
in the Conover Special District. He left 
school at the time of his father's death in 
order to do farm work, fully expecting to 
resume his schooling the following fall, 
but was unable to do so. He has ever 
since had charge of the home farm and of 
the tract of twenty acres which he pur- 
chased. In July, 1905, he erected the sub- 
stantial home on the latter which he now 
occupies. Mr. Suber was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Kitty C. Huddleston, a 
daughter of Thomas and Clara Huddles- 
ton, of Champaign Coimty, Ohio. The 
Huddlestcn family is an old one of that 
county and is well known. One daughter, 
Clara Marie, has been born to them, the 
date of her birth being August 16, 1905. 
Religiouslj^ they are members of the Pres- 
byterian Church of Fletcher. Mr. Suber 
is a Democrat in politics and is a member 
of the School Board, of which he was clerk 
for six years. 

HON. WALTER D. JONES, common 
pleas judge for the Second Judicial Dis- 
trict of Ohio, and one of the best known 
and most highly esteemed residents of Pi- 
qua, was born in this city, June 21, 1857, 
son of Hon. M. H. and Jane (Wood) Jones. 
His father, who resides in Piqua, and who 
is one of the best law;\'ers in Miami Coun- 
ty, was born in the District of Columbia 
in 1825, and became a resident of Piqua, 
Ohio, at a comparatively early date. For 
a number of years he was associated with 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



747 



his son, the sxiliject of this sl^eteli, iu a 
law partnership in this city, the lirm com- 
manding the leading practice here, and he 
miglit almost be called the Nestor of the 
bar, having been engaged iu legal practice 
here for a period of sixty years. 

AYalter D. Jones was reared and edu- 
cated in Piqua, being graduated from the 
high school here in 1872. lie then began 
industrial life, learning the printer's 
trade, at which he worked in the office of 
the Miami Helmet and in other newspaper 
offices for several years. In the mean- 
while, imder his father's direction, he was 
acquiring a stock of legal learning, and 
having successfully mastered the prin- 
ciples of his profession, was admitted to 
the bar at Columbus, Ohio, before the Su- 
preme Court of the State, in 1878. His 
first practice was in partnership witli his 
father, with whom he continued for a num- 
ber of years, or until his appointment by 
Gov. Bushnell as common jileas judge, to 
fill the vacancy caused by the election of 
Judge Theodore Sullivan to the Circuit 
Court bench. In the November election 
of 1899 he was elected by the people to 
fill tbe unexpired term of Judge Sullivan; 
he was re-elected for a full term in 1902, 
and again re-elected in 1907. In this posi- 
tion, which he holds at present, he has 
shown all the capabilities of an uprigbt 
and learned jurist, taking a comprehensive 
view of every case, and impartial in his 
decisions, which are based upon a sound 
knowledge of the principles of law and a 
careful consideration of the evidence in 
every case which comes before him. His 
uniform courtesy, as well to the younger 
as to the older members of the profession, 
has made him popular with all, and be is 
much esteemed by his legal confreres, as 



he is respected by the citizens generally 
throughout the district, wiio see in him a 
faithful and capable pul)Iic servant. Be- 
fore his elevation to tlic bench he served 
for twelve years as city solicitor of Picjua, 
being elected for six terms, a record which 
shows the confidence reposed in him by his 
fellow citizens. 

In his political i)rinciples Judge Jones 
is a stanch Re])ul)lican, but has not been 
an active member in the ranks of his party, 
preferring to devote his best energies to 
the creditable performance of the duties 
pertaining to his judicial office. Of de- 
cided literary tastes, he is an able writer, 
but hitherto has not sought to gain a repu- 
talidu with liis pen. He is a prominent 
member of tlie Masonic order, has served 
as worshipful master of Warren Lodge, 
No. 24, F. «& A. M., and as liigh jiriest of 
Piqua Chapter, No. 31. 

In 1879 Hon. Walter D. Jones was imited 
in marriage with Miss Laura Harlow, then 
raid r.ow a resident of Picpia, but who was 
liorn in Tennessee, and who in her eight- 
e^'ntli year accompanied her parents, Rev. 
William D. and Kate (Tuttle) Harlow, to 
Miami County, Ohio. Their union has 
been blessed by the birth of one child, a 
daughter— Laura C. It is a matter of 
pride to Judge Jones that he has not had 
to go to some distant State to achieve suc- 
cess, but has carved out for himself an 
honorable career in the city of his birth 
and among those who know him best — the 
fiiends of his early years, and those of his 
own name and blood. 

L. C. NEWBY, a prosijerous merchant 
of West Milton, Miami County. Ohio, is 
proprietor of a grocery in partnership 
with Mr. P. A. Yonnt. He is a man of 



748 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



varied experience in the business world, 
and has at times been located in various 
parts of the United States. He was born 
in Indiana, in 1860, and is a son of A. 
Newby, who engaged in farming in that 
State and later in Kansas. 

L. C. Newby attended the common 
schools in Indiana, and later in Kansas, 
whither his parents moved in 1872, when 
he was twelve years old. In 1880 he went 
west to Colorado, where he engaged in 
mining for twenty years, then followed the 
same business in California. He then re- 
turned east to Ohio, and January 1, 1906. 
entered partnership with P. A. Yount in 
the groceries and hardware business, hav- 
ing a double store, groceries in one room 
and hardware in the other. In January, 
1909, they sold the hardware department 
to Mr. E. T. Wenger, its present pro- 
prietor, and the firm of Yount & Newby 
has since continued in the grocery busi- 
ness. They carry a complete line of gro- 
ceries and the usual side lines, and the 
patronage accorded them by the people 
has been indeed flattering. 

Mr. Newby was first married to Miss 
Minnie Kennedy, by whom he had two 
sons, Lawrence E. and Rajonond W. He 
formed a second union with Miss Belle 
Yount. Religiously he and' his wife are 
members of the Christian Church, but he 
is of Quaker ancestry. He is a Republican 
in politics, whilst fraternally he has been 
affiliated with the Knights of Pythias for 
twelve years. 

WILLIAM F. DEETER, superintend- 
ent of schools for Newton Township, is a 
well-to-do farmer and has a fine farm of 
eighty acres located in Section 2 of that 
township. He was born in Pleasant Hill, 



,/auuary liJ, ibUo, and is a son of Samuel 
L. and Susan (Freshour) Deeter, and a 
grandson of Jacob Deeter. 

Jacob Deeter was born in Pennsylvania, 
and at an early age settled at Pleasant 
Hill, in Miami County, Ohio, where he 
farmed until his death in 1865. He and 
his wife were buried at Sugar Grove Cem- 
etery. Her maiden name was Reed. Re- 
ligiously they were members of the Ger- 
man Baptist Church. 

Samuel R. Deeter, father of the subject 
of this record, was born in Pleasant Hill, 
Miami County, Ohio, December 28, 1829, 
and is now a venerated and respected cit- 
izen of Covington. He is living in retire- 
ment after a long and useful business ca- 
reer. He was a carpenter and cabinet 
maker by trade, and in addition followed 
house moving and undertaking for many 
years. Religiously he is a member of the 
Brethren Church, as is his wife. He was 
married to Susan Freshour, a daughter of 
George Freshour, and they became parents 
of the following : Elizabeth, wife of George 
Mohler, of Circle Hill; Ella, wife of J. 
W. Pearson, of Covington; Malinda, de- 
ceased wife of Samuel McBride; William 
F. ; Jacob E., who married Mary Patty, a 
daughter of Finley and Lucinda Patty; 
Callie, wife of W. H. Cassell, of Dayton; 
Charles S., who married Alice Thayer and 
resides in Indianapolis, Indiana; Lillian, 
wife of M. B. Ullery, of Covington; one 
who died in infancy; and Emma, who died 
young. 

William F. Deeter attended the schools 
of Newton Township, and then taught for 
wo von yoars. In 1889 he rented a farm of 
lii« father and followed farming for five 
y^nrs. He then took up teaching for eight 
v^nrs, siv years of which were spent in 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



749 



the Covington schools. In 1903 he went to 
farming for liimseif, locating on his pres- 
ent farm of eighty acres, where he has 
continued with unvarying success. The 
buildings were all standing at the time of 
its purchase by him, but he has made many 
other important improvements. He was 
elected superintendent of the township 
schools in September, 1905, and in that ca- 
pacity has done much to bring the schools 
to a higher plane of efficiency. He also 
served for a time as a member of the 
Board of Education. 

September 18, 1887, Mr. Deeter was 
•united in marriage with Miss Emma Pox, 
a daughter of John and Hannah (Mohler) 
Fox, and the following was the offspring 
of their union : One who died in infancy ; 
Calla, who is a teacher in the schools; 
Pearl, who is in attendance at Covington 
High School; and Clarence, who attends 
the public schools. Religiously they are 
members of the Brethren Church at Pleas- 
ant Hill. Politically Mr. Deeter is a Re- 
publican, as have been his father and 
grandfather before him. 

MYRON IDDINGS comes of an old and 
prominent family of Newton Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, where he is the owner 
of a fine farm of 183 acres, located in Sec- 
tions 33 and 34. He was born on the home 
place in Newton Township, June 20, 1865, 
and is a son of Benjamin and Sarah (Mc- 
Dowell) Iddings, and a grandson of Joseph 
Iddings. 

Josepli Iddings, the grandfather, was 
born in Tennessee, and in 1802 moved 
north to Miami County, Ohio, where he 
•was among the early settlers. He settled 
in Section 34 in Newton Township, where 
Myron now lives, and there passed the re- 



mainder of iiis days. He married a Miss 
Davis and they had the following children: 
WiUiam, John, Davis and Benjamin. 

Benjamin Iddings was born in Newton 
Township, July 31, 1815, and always fol- 
lowed farming. He owned the 183-acre 
farm in Sections 33 and 34 now owned by 
his son, and made many of the improve- 
ments on the place. He was first married 
to Barbara Hill, a daughter of Nathan 
Hill, and the follo\ving were their off- 
spring: Delany, A. J., Elizabeth. Mary, 
William, Henry, Jasper, Belle and James. 
Mrs. Iddings died and was buried at Pleas- 
ant Hill Cemetery. He formed a second 
union with Sarah McDowell, a daughter 
of Samuel McDowell, and she survives him 
and resides at Covington. Two children 
blessed this union, Seymour and Myron. 
Mr. Iddings lived on the home farm until 
his death, November, 1901, and was buried 
at Pleasant Hill. He was a member of 
the Shiloh Christian Church, and in poli- 
tics was a Democrat. 

Myi-on Iddings attended school in Union 
Township, after which he aided his father 
on the farm. At the time of his marriage, 
in 1890, he moved upon a twenty-three- 
acre tract, where he lived for about ten 
years, during that time farming the home 
place for his father. Upon the latter's 
death he purchased the interests of the 
otlKH- heirs in the farm, and moved into the 
old home. In 1902 he erected a fine new 
frame house, in which he now lives. He 
has made extensive improvements on the 
place, including the erection of a substan- 
tial tobacco shed and the laying of 1,200 
rods of tile for drainage. His father had 
previously laid some 1,000 feet of tile. He 
raises the various small grains, hay. po- 
tatoes and tobacco, having an average of 



750 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



from six to eight acres of the latter prod- 
uct each year. He also has a si^lendid 
orchard on the place. 

February 2, 1890, Myron Iddings was 
married to Miss Bertha Ingle, a daughter 
of Alexander and Sarah (Kendig) Ingle, 
and they are parents of the following: 
George, a member of the class of 1909 at 
AVest Milton High School; Howard Don- 
ald, who died in infancy; Robert Forest, 
a member of the class of 191.3 at West Mil- 
ton High School; Randall Morris; Joseph 
Calvin ; and Margaret Elizabeth. The 
three last named are attending the pu1)lie 
schools of Union Township. Religiously 
they are members of the Friends Church. 
Mr. Iddings is a Democrat, but is in no 
sense a politician. 

JOHN DODD, proprietor of a gen- 
eral store located on Main Street, in Con- 
over, Miami County, Ohio, has a large and 
well established business and draws trade 
from a large territory surrounding the vil- 
lage. He was born in Brown Township, 
Miami County, in 1859, and is a son of 
William and Honora (Griffin) Dodd. Will- 
iam Dodd was an old and well known resi- 
dent of this community. He was for twen- 
ty-eight years section boss on the Pan- 
handle Railroad, and then settled down on 
a farm which he purchased at the edge of 
Conover. There he farmed until his death 
at the age of sixty-five years. He married 
Honora Griffin, of Franklin County, Ohio, 
and they became parents of eight children, 
of whom four are now living. 

John Dodd attended the public schools 
of Brown Township, after which he worked 
on the home farm for a time. He pur- 
chased the store of J. N. Frazier at Con- 
over, and has since carried on this busi- 



ness in a highly successful manner. He 
has a large line of general dry goods and 
groceries and carries the many little side 
lines for which there is a demand in a 
small village. Mr. Dodd was united in 
marriage with Miss Retta Lauer, a daugh- 
ter of Dr. J. D. Lauer, of Conover, and 
they have a very comfortable home in the 
village. Religiously they are members of 
the Catholic Church at St. Paris. He is 
a Democrat in politics and served two 
years as treasurer of Brown Township. 

JOHN HOLFINGER, a prosperous 
farmer of Concord Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, is the owner of 144io acres 
of land, of which 67i{. acres are included 
in his home i^lace on the Pleasant Hill 
Road, about five miles west of Troy. The 
other farm is half way between Troy and 
Covington, and is the site of the old half- 
way house which was well known in earlier 
days. Mr. Holfinger was born in AVash- 
ington Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
October 23, 1853, and is a son of John 
Bernard and Agnes Barbara (Streib) 
Holfinger. 

John Bernard Holfinger was born at 
Moessingen, Wurtemberg, Germany, May 
9, 1820, and lived there for some years 
after his marriage. In 1853 they sold out 
in Germany and came to the United States, 
locating at once in Miami Coimty, Ohio. 
He purchased a farm in Washington Town- 
ship and, with the exception of five years in 
Darke County, lived ui)on it the remainder 
of his life, which closed September 3, 1899. 
He was married in Germany to Barbara 
Streib, who was born at Moessingen, Wur- 
temberg, January 7, 1823, and by whom 
he had children as follows: Sebastian, 
born November 5, 1843, at Moessingen ; 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



751 



Lewis, born February 15, 1846, at Moes- 
singen, died April 27, 1870; Geoi'ge, born 
March 7, 1848, at Moessingen; Barbara, 
born September 16, 1849, at Moessingen, 
died October 23, 1849 ; Christina, born De- 
cember 27, at Moessingen, died April 10, 
1855; Ag-nes, born September 15, 1852, at 
Moessingen, died August 19, 1855; John, 
born October 23,1853, inWasliington Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio; Eosina Reich- 
man, nee Holfinger, born March 8, 1856, in 
Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio ; 
Peter, born August 14, 1857, in Newberry 
Township, Miami County, Ohio; Mary 
Barbara, born July 15, 1859, in Franklin 
Township, Darke County, Ohio ; John Mar- 
tin, born September 29, 1860, in Franklin 
Township,' Darke County, Ohio ; Bernard, 
born June 24, 1863, in Washington Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio; Samuel, born 
August 20, 1865, in Washington Township, 
Miami County, Ohio; Hanna Patty, nee 
Holfinger, born November 28, 1867, ' in 
Washington Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, died May, 1901. The mother of these 
children passed away March 28, 1884. 

Mr. Holfinger, after the death of his 
first wife, formed a second union with 
Lucy Myers, who survives him. His death 
occiirred September 3, 1899, at the age of 
eighty years. 

John' Holfinger was reared on the home 
farm in Washington Township, and in 
early boyhood became inured to hard work, 
having little opportunity for schooling. 
He helped clear the home farm, which con- 
sisted of eighty acres, only six of which 
were cleared when the Holfingers located 
upon it. When he became of age he began 
shifting for himself, his entire posses- 
sions at that time being the clothing he had 
upon his back. After working a few days 



he earned enough to buy an ax, witii which 
he went into the woods and worked until 
spring. He then hired out to Samuel 
Reish for the summer, at $18 per month, 
and again the following winter worked in 
the woods. Thus he struggled along, work- 
ing and saving, until his marriage in 1877, 
when he rented a farm in Newton Town- 
ship, of Captain Rouser. He remained on 
that place six years, then lived in Darke 
County for two years, at the end of which 
time he traded with John S. Myers for 
his present home farm. He erected all the 
buildings on the place, made many desir- 
able improvements and placed it under a 
high state of cultivation. He purchased 
the Midway Farm on the Troy and Cov- 
ington Pike from the Musselmau estate. 
He is a man of great energy and enter- 
prise, and the success which has attended 
his etforts is due to his own perseverance 
and industry, and the faithful assistance 
of his wife. He is a man of wide acquain- 
tance and has many friends. 

January 1, 1877, Mr. Holfinger was 
united in marriage with EYim Mussehiian, 
a daughter of John and Sarah Mussehiian, 
and they have two children— Lula, wife of 
Henry Schlegel ; and Ira J., who lives on 
the Midway farm. The latter married 
Effie Wilson and they have one sou, John 
Francis. Religiously the family belongs 
to the Lutheran Church at Covington. Mr. 
Holfinger is a Democrat in politics. 

xVLFRED M. BRANT, attorney and city 
solicitor for the corporation of Bradford, 
and vice-president of the First National 
Bank of that city, was born in Bradford, 
June 17, 1882, son of David and Rachel 
(Swank) Brant. 'WHien he was six years 
old he went to reside with an uncle, Israel 



752 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Eoutsou, who lived north of Bradford in 
the country, and who, being childless, pre- 
vailed upon Mr. and Mrs. Brant to allow 
him the custody of the child. Here young 
Braut attended the township schools and 
afterwards became a student at the Brad- 
ford High School. For three years sub- 
sequently he was engaged in the occupa- 
tion of teaching, during which time he pre- 
pared himself for admittance to the Ohio 
Northern University. From this latter in- 
stitution he was later graduated with the 
degree of Bachelor of Science, and from 
the Law School of the University with that 
of L. L. B. — in June, 1907. During the 
summer vacation of 1906 he read law un- 
der Prosecuting Attorney Yount, at Green- 
ville, Darke County. After passing an ex- 
cellent examination before the State Board 
of Bar Examiners, he was sworn in as an 
attoruey-at-law before the Supreme Court 
of Ohio, June 18, 1907. Soon after he be- 
gan the practice of his profession in Brad- 
ford, where he is now located. He was ap- 
pointed city solicitor March 1, 1908, and 
was napji^^'iied in the following year. 
Early in 1908 he was made a director and 
elected vice-president of the First National 
Bank of Bradford, being probably the 
youngest bank official in the entire stale. 

Mr. Brant has thus made an auspicious 
entry into life's battlefield and has already 
secured an honorable place in the ranks of 
brain-workers. With his native enoi-,gy 
and mental equipment, his prospects for a 
successful career seem of the best, ami 
those who know him feel sure that the hon 
ors he has already secured and the re- 
sponsibilities he has assumed are but step- 
ping-stones to greater honors and respon- 
sibilities awaiting him in the not distant' 
future. 



Mr. Brant's political creed identifies him 
in ail essential respects with the Demo- 
cratic party, but he reserves the right to 
act independently whenever he may see 
good cause. He is a member of the Ger- 
man Baptist Church. 

E. VAN HORN is a well known farmer 
of Union Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
and resides on the farm of 151 acres known 
as the Horseshoe Bend farm, located one 
and a half miles northeast of Ludlow 
Falls. He was born at West Milton, Ohio, 
September 1, 1854, and is a son of John 
and Catherine (Kinkaid) Van Horn. He 
was about eighteen months old when his 
father went west to Kansas, and nothing 
was afterward known concerning him or 
his whereabouts. 

The subject of this record is one of five 
children born to his parents, namely : Rob- 
ert, of Terre Haute, Indiana; Julia, who 
lives in Kentucky; Frances, deceased; 
Amanda, deceased ; and E. Van Horn. The 
last named received his educational train- 
ing in the public schools of Warren Coun- 
ty, Ohio, where his mother was born and 
reared. Upon leaving school he worked 
out by the month until about 1880 or 1881, 
when he rented the Johns farm near Tip- 
pecanoe Citj^ He remained on that place 
nine years, then successively rented the 
Woodward Hills place four years and the 
Troop farm two years. Since that time 
he has lived continuously on the Hayner 
place, commonly known as the Horseshoe 
Bend farm. He is engaged in general 
farming and tobacco raising and is meet- 
ing with deserved success. He has a wide 
acquaintance throughout this section of 
the county and is very popular with his 
fellow men. 



AND REPRESENTATfVE CITIZENS 



r53 



Ml. Van Horn was united in marriage 
with MolJie Goepper, who was born in 
Ciuciimati, Ohio, and is a daughter of Leo- 
pold and Susan B. (Pendery) Goepper. 
Her father was born in Germany, July 4, 
1827, and was about fourteen years of age 
when he accompanied his parents to the 
United States, locating in Warren County, 
Ohio, where he now lives at the age of 
eighty-two years. Mr. Goepper married 
Susan B. Pendery, who was born in Ham- 
ilton, Ohio, July 23, 1834, and is now living 
at the age of seventy-five years. They 
became parents of the following children: 
Mollie and Clara, twins; Edward, de- 
ceased; William, deceased; Jefferson, de- 
ceased; Eugene, deceased; Albert; Fannie; 
Victor ; and Charlotte, who died in infancy. 
Edward Goepper was a sergeant of police 
in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Albert Goepper 
is in the railway mail service. 

Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn have had five 
children, namely: Charles, who is pro- 
prietor of a laundry at Lockland, Ohio ; 
Harry, who is in the employ of the Stem 
& Foster Manufacturing Company, at 
Lockland, Ohio ; Bradford, who is farm- 
ing the Hance place in Union Township; 
Mae E., who is at home with her parents ; 
and Fannie, who died at the age of six 
years. Religiously she is a member of the 
Presbyterian Church. Mr. Van Horn is 
a Republican in politics, and fraternally is 
affiliated with the Independent Order of 
Odd Fellows. 

HON. J. HARRISON SMITH, one of 
.the leading members of the Miami County 
bar, and a man who stands high in the es- 
teem of his fellow citizens, was born in 
Piqua, where he now resides, on Septem- 
ber 1, 1861, son of John Frederick and 



Mary (Sulleubarger) Smith. His father, 
who was born in Baden Baden, Germany, 
in 1833, after coming to America enlisted 
in the Union army and was killed at the 
battle of Stone River. John F. Smith liad 
not long been married when he thus met an 
untimely end, for it was but in 1800 that 
he was united in wedlock to Mary Sullen- 
barger, who had become a resident of this 
county some ten years previously, coming 
liither with her parents from her native 
county of Westmoreland, Peuusylvania, 
where she was reared. 

The subject of this sketch acquired his 
elementary education in the jniblic schools 
of Piqua, and graduated from the high 
school in the class of 1884. In the follow- 
ing year he became a student in the Ohio 
Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, 
where he remained for a year. He then 
entered Harvard University, where, be- 
sides taking the regular classical course, 
he studied philosophy, history, political 
economy, and law. The last mentioned 
study he pursued with special ardor, for 
he had resolved to ado])t the legal profes- 
sion as his future sphere of activity. After 
leaving college he commenced the practical 
study of law under the mentorship of the 
Hon. John ^^fcUouald, of Piqua. That he 
showed himself a young man of capacity 
may be gathered from the fact that he soon 
afterwards— in 1890 — received the ap- 
pointment as special agent in the United 
States census department to ascertain the 
mortgaged indebtedness of the states of 
^Mississippi and Arkansas, which work oc- 
cupied him for some six months. He was 
then offered a position at Washington, D. 
C, to assist in the classification of the 
mortgaged indebtedness of the United 
States, and was there engaged until 1893. 



754 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



"While a resident of the nation's capital he 
entered the Columbia Law School (now 
the George Washington Law School) and 
pursued his studies to such good advan- 
tage that he was graduated a bachelor of 
law in 1891, and received the degree of 
master of law in the following year. He 
was admitted to the bar at Richmond, Vir- 
ginia, in 1893. 

On returning to his home in Miami 
County, Mr. Smith, instead of immedi- 
ately taking up the practice of his pro- 
fession, spent two years working on the 
farm ; but in March, 1896, he was admitted 
to practice in his native state, and has 
since been engaged in the practice of law 
in the city of Piqua. In November, 1896, 
he was elected on the Republican ticket as 
prosecuting attorney, assuming the duties 
of the office in the following January, and 
serving two terms. He soon proved his 
efficiency, and it is the general opinion that 
the legal business of the county was never 
better taken care of than when in his 
hands. Mr. Smith was probate judge from 
November, 1902, and served one term. He 
was subsequently nominated for a second 
term, but on this occasion suffered defeat. 

For a number of years past Mr. Smith 
has taken an active and beneficial interest 
in local, state, and congressional politics, 
his aim being not merely the success of his 
party, but the carrying out of the popular 
will and the perpetuation of pure, stable 
and representative government. As a law- 
yer he takes a high rank, possessing not 
only the qualifications of a good attorney, 
but also a high degree of forensic ability 
and eloquence. He is also a keen judge of 
character and has been especially success- 
ful in jury cases. He has a convenient 
and well appointed office in the Orr Block. 



Mr. Smith belongs to various prominent 
fraternal orders, being a member of Day- 
ton Lodge, No. 147, F. & A. M.; Piqua 
Lodge No. 8, 1. 0. 0. F., and Piqua Lodge, 
No. 523, B. P. 0. E. ; also of Loramie Tribe, 
Improved Order of Red Men, No. 153, Pi- 
qua ; and Council No. 80, Junior Order of 
American Mechanics. 

He was married in 1895 to Miss Anna 
E. Ball, a daughter of William B. and 
Kate Ball, of Memphis, Tennessee. They 
have had two children — John H., who died, 
and Fred W., who was born August 1, 
1908. 

JOHN G. MYERS, grain merchant and 
tobacco dealer, residing at Pleasant Hill, 
is one of the leading business men of Mi- 
ami County, being a stockholder in the 
First National Bank at Troy, vice-presi- 
dent of the Pleasant Hill Banking Com- 
pany, president of the Myers Grain Com- 
pany, and manager of the Myers & Patty 
Elevator Company. He was born July 12, 
1854, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 
and is a son of Michael and Susan (Groflf) 
Myers. 

Michael Myers was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, August 25, 1831, 
and is a retired resident of Pleasant Hill. 
He remained in his native place until after 
his marriage and the birth of five children, 
when he came to Miami County, Ohio, and 
settled first at Pleasant Hill. Later he 
bought a farm of twenty-five acres, but sold 
it and then went to Brownsville, Nebraska, 
where he engaged in a butchering business 
for a time, after which he returned to 
Pleasant Hill and for twenty subsequent 
years was engaged in a huckstering busi- 
ness, purchasing twenty-six acres of land 
in Newton Township. He is a stockholder 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



755 



in the Pleasant Hill Banking Company. 
In politics he is a Democrat, and for a 
number of years he served in the Town 
Council, during which he advocated many 
of the reforms and improvements which 
have made the place an excellent one both 
for business and residence. He is a lead- 
ing member of the Christian Church. He 
married Susan Grolf, a daughter of John 
GrotT, and they had six children : John G. ; 
Amos and Monroe, Mary Ann, Isaac and 
Henry, who is a resident of Chicago, Illi- 
nois. Amos, Monroe and Isaac are now 
deceased. Mary Ann married John S. De- 
bray, lives at Dayton, and they have two 
children, Joe and Wanda. 

John G. Myers finished his education in 
the Pleasant Hill schools and then helped 
his father both in this section and during 
the time the family lived at Brownsville. 
Later he helped his father in the huckster- 
ing business and operated a wagon for 
about fifteen years. In 1879 he built the ele- 
vator known as the :\IyerS(S: Patty at Pleas- 
ant Hill and also bought one at Ludlow 
Falls, and at Maria Stein, Mercer County, 
and built one at Reiguville, all of these 
being owned by the Myers & Patty Com- 
pany. In 1893 he went into the tobacco 
business at Pleasant Hill. His interests 
are numerous and important, but he has a 
firm grasp of all their details and has the 
reputation of being one of the most far- 
seeing and able business men of this 
section. 

In October, 1874, Mr. Myers was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary Belle Patty, a daughter 
of Dr. William and Sarah Jane Patty. 
They had two sons, Charles M. and Will- 
iam M. The former is connected with the 
Myers Grain Company as manager, and 
operates track buying at Columbus, Ohio ; 



married Florence Favorite, and tliey have 
three children — Mary Belle, Carolyn and 
Ouida. William M. is manager of the 
Myers grain business at Lockburn, Ohio, 
and is treasurer of the Myers Grain Com- 
pany. The mother of these sons died June 
29, 1889. Mr. Myers was married (second) 
August 1-4, 1890, to Miss Alwilda Ellis, a 
daughter of James and Lydia Ellis, of 
Clinton Comity, Ohio, and they have one 
daughter, Vesta Marie, who is in school. 

GEORGE W. PLEASANT is a prom- 
inent farmer and tobacco grower of New- 
ton Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is 
the owner of a fifty-acre farm in Section 
26 of that township. He was born in Au- 
gusta County, Virginia, July 4, 1865, and 
is a son of William and Ellen Pleasant. 

William Pleasant, father of the subject 
of this record, was born in Virginia and 
lived there until his death, which occurred 
in 1867 while in middle life. His widow 
now resides in Dayton. Ohio. They became 
parents of the following children: Will- 
iam, Robert, James, George W. and Jane. 

George W. Pleasant was very small 
when his mother moved to Ohio, and he re- 
ceived his first schooling near Dayton, in 
Montgomery County. He subsequently 
attended the Penny Creek school in Darke 
County, Ohio, and after leaving school was 
engaged for hini.self in the general store 
l)usiness at Painter Creek, in Darke Coun- 
ty. At the end of four years he sold out 
and purchased his present farm of fifty 
acres in Newton Township, Miami County. 
All of the buildings were standing on the 
place at the time of its purchase by him, 
except the tobacco shed, which he built. 
He has done considerable tiling and made 



756 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



other improvements of an important na- 
ture, and has a well kept and attractive 
property. He follows general farming 
and tobacco raising, having an average 
acreage of about eight acres in tobacco 
each year. He is progressive in his meth- 
ods and a hard worker and is meeting with 
deserved success. 

December 24, 1891, Mr. Pleasant was 
joined in marriage with Miss Olive Miles, 
a daughter of Samuel Miles, and they have 
one son, Willis, who is a member of the 
class of 1912 in Pleasant Hill High School. 
Beligiously they are members of the 
Friends Church. In fraternal affiliation 
Mr. Pleasant is a member of the Knights 
of Pythias at Laura. He is a Democrat 
in politics, but has no political aspirations. 

E. N. SNYDER, a leading citizen of 
Newberry Township, residing on his valu- 
able farm of eighty-seven acres, which lies 
on the Range line road, near the Shelby 
County line, about five and one-half miles 
north of Covington, was born in Preble 
County, Ohio, March 16, 1833, and is a son 
of Henry and Eva Parmelia (Mow) Sny- 
der, both of whom spent their worthy lives 
there. 

E. N. Snyder attended the district 
schools and grew to manhood a practical 
farmer. Following his marriage he set- 
tled on one of his father-in-law's farms, in 
Montgomery County, but one year later, in 
1858, moved to his present farm in New- 
berry Township. Mr. Snyder has resided 
on this place for fifty-one years, during 
which long period he has made many im- 
provements in the way of erecting farm 
biiildings, but the same house shelters the 
family no\7 that stood on the place when he 
and wife moved here. Its appearance, 



however,^is entirely different, but the foun- 
dation is the same. Its original construc- 
tion was of logs and to the first structure 
Mr. Snyder added, later put in new floors, 
ceilings, etc., and it has all the appearance 
of a modern house. 

On March 16, 1856, Mr. Snyder was mar- 
ried to Miss Huldah Wysong, a daughter 
of Valentine Wysong, and they had three 
children born to them, namely: Anderson 
Snyder, a prominent farmer in this town- 
ship, married (first) Harriet Rhoades, who 
died leaving three children, and (second) 
Mina Stiver, and they have one child ; Val- 
entine, who died just as he reached man- 
hood ; and Lucy Ann, who married William 
Palsgrove, has had three children, two 
daughters surviving. From his long resi- 
dence here and on account of his high per- 
sonal character, Mr. Snyder has been one 
of the township's influential as well as use- 
ful men and it was mainly through his ef- 
forts that the mile of turnpike passing his 
house, on the Range line road, was finally 
built. He made three different trials be- 
fore this public-spirited enterprise was put 
through. 

GEORGE B. MORROW, general farmer 
and stock raiser, who owns and success- 
fully operates a farm of 110 acres, is a 
leading citizen of Brown Township. He 
was born in Brown Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, January 6, 1881, and is a son 
of R. C. and Jane (Caven) Morrow. 

R. C. Morrow was born in Shelby Coim- 
ty, Ohio, where the Morrow family settled 
at an early day. For a number of years he 
engaged in agricultural pursuits in Shelby 
and in Miami Counties and then embarked 
in a livery business at Piqua, where he has 
a large establishment on North Street,, 



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A^D REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



759 



near the center of the city. He was mar- 
ried (first) to Jane Caven, who, at death 
left one child, George B. Mr. Morrow was 
married (second) to Sallie Stockstill, who 
died without issue, and (third) to Molly 
Falser. In politics R. C. Morrow is a Re- 
publican. 

After completing his school attendance, 
George B. Morrow located on his present 
farm and has since given his entire atten- 
tion to developing its resources. His prod- 
ucts are the usual ones of this section, and 
he gives special attention to raising first 
class stock. In 1904 Mr. Morrow was mar- 
ried to Miss Rachel Wilgus, a daughter of 
Thomas Wilgus, and they have one son, 
Caven W., who was born Pebruarj' 12, 
1905. Mr. and Mrs. Morrow are members 
of the Presbyterian Church. Politically 
he is identified with the Democratic party. 

G. JACOB ZIMMERLIN, a retired 
farmer and most highly esteemed citizen 
of Piqua, residing in that part of the city 
known as the Rossville Addition, was born 
in 1832, in Germany, and is a son of 
George Jacob and Sally (Jenney) Zim- 
merlin. 

In 1846 the parents of Mr. Zimmerlin 
came to America and settled in Miami 
County, on the land on whiok their son 
now lives, and made this the old home- 
stead. Here they died in advanced age, 
leaving the farm of fifty acres to their son, 
G. Jacob. In 1858 he bought a farm of 
eighty acres in Washington Township and 
lived on that until the parents died, when 
he moved back to the old homestead and 
has lived here continuously ever since his 
marriage. He has been a farmer all his 
mature life and continued to personally 
operate his land until within a few years. 



Mr. Ziunnerlin married Miss Magdalena 
Jenney, and they have three children: 
George H., who resides on the Washington 
Township farm; Emma, who is the wife 
of A. Schultz, who famis the old home- 
stead; and Catherine, who is the wife of 
William Roeser, an ice dealer at Piqua. 
Mr. Zimmerlin is a leading member of the 
German Lutheran Church at Piqua. 

JOSEPH B. BRANDT, one of New- 
berry Township's representative citizens, 
engages in farming and threshing and re- 
sides on a valuable farm of 100 acres, 
which he owns jointly with his wife. This 
property is favorably situated on the Still- 
water Turnpike Road, two and one-half 
miles north of Bradford. Mr. Brandt was 
born on a farm in Darke County, Ohio, 
January 23, 1859, and is a son of Melchi 
and Frances (Brown) Brandt. 

Joseph B. Brandt was reared and at- 
tended school in Darke County, and ever 
since old enough to use farm implements 
has been engaged in work of an agricul- 
tural nature. He owns a threshing-ma- 
chine and does a large business in that 
line. In 1901 he and wife purchased this 
farm, which formerly belonged to Abra- 
ham Miller, his father-in-law, and here he 
carries on general farming. 

In 1887 Mr. Brandt was married to Miss 
Eliza Miller, who was born and reared on 
this farm, and they immediately settled 
here. Her parents were Abraham and 
Sallie (Bashore) Miller, the latter of whotn 
was born in Virginia, and died in 1895. 
Alirahnm l^filler was born on what was 
then included in this farm but had been 
portioned off into another farm, and spent 
bis wliole life here, dying in 1899. Mr. 
and !^Irs. Brandt have five children, name- 



760 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ly: Arthur, Clarence, Fern, Alta and 
Alma, the two last named being twins. Mr. 
Brandt and family are members of the 
Brethren Church. 

WILLIAM KELLEE, a well known cit- 
izen of Newberry Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, is owner of the old Moses Wise 
farm of 119 acres, located just north of 
Bradford. At the time he purchased it 
some five years ago, it consisted of 123 
acres, four acres having since been sold off 
in town lots. 

Mr. Keller was born sis miles from 
York, in York County, Pennsylvania, June 
20, 1867, and is a son of Jacob and Mary 
(Wanbaugh) Keller, both of whom were 
born and raised in York County. He was 
reared on a farm and always engaged in 
agricultural pursuits; he became the 
owner of a farm of 137 acres in his native 
county, on which he lived until he sold 
out and moved to Miami County, Ohio, 
arriving February 18, 1901. He has a 
good home and a well improved farm, the 
land being devoted to general farming. 
He also is engaged in dairying, keeping 
an average of about twelve cows. Since 
the purchase of his present place he has 
twice lost his barn by fire. The barn 
which stood on the farm at his coming took 
fire from a threshing-engine on August 9, 
1904, and was destroyed. It was almost 
immediately replaced by a new one, the 
dimensions of which were 40x80 feet. This 
too was burned, November 24, 1907, and 
a new one of equal size was erected in its 
place. 

Mr. Keller was married in York County, 
Pennsylvania, to Miss Ameda Baker, who 
was a native there, and they have reared 
live children, Aaron, Mary, Jacob, Euth 



and Florence. He is a man of exceptional 
business capacity, and through close appli- 
cation to work and careful investment, has 
prospered. 

GEOEGE 0. SIMMONS, a substantial 
and representative citizen of Brown Town- 
ships, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of 
a farm of seventy-six acres, located just 
west of the village of Fletcher. He was 
born in that township in 1866, and is a son 
of Charles and Phoebe (Eeeder) Simmons, 
both natives of Miami County. 

Charles Simmons was born on the farm 
on which the subject of this record now 
lives, and was a son of Peter Simmons, 
who came to Miami County at a very early 
period and settled on that farm. Charles 
followed agriculture here throughout his 
active period and died on the homestead 
in 1884. He was married to Phoebe Eeeder 
and they became parents of a large family, 
fourteen in number. 

George 0. Simmons was educated in the 
public schools of Brown Township, and 
from boyhood assisted in the work on the 
fann. He farmed the home until his mar- 
riage and seven years after, then for a 
period of seven years owned a farm in 
Brown Township, which he sold in 1908. 
In the spring of 1909 he purchased his 
present farm of seventy-six acres, which 
he devotes to general agriculture. He is a 
man of substantial worth and has been 
active in the affairs of the community; he 
has served a number of years on the School 
Board, and has three times been honored 
with election as township trustee. Mr. 
Simmons was united in marriage with Miss 
Louella Giesseman, a daughter of AVilliam 
Giesseman, of Miami County, and they 
have three children, namely: Edgar, who 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



rei 



assists in running the home farm; Ray- 
mond ; and Kathryn. Politically Mr. Sim- 
mons is a Democrat. He is affiliated with 
the Knights of Pythias at Fletcher. 

DAVID D. YOUNG, who is engaged in 
geneva! farming in Elizal)etli Township, 
Miami County, owns 205 acres, wliich are 
situated in Section 13, and he is one of the 
Township's repi'esentative men. He was 
horn June 22, 1827, in Bethel Township. 
Miami County, Ohio, one mile north of 
Brandt, and is a son of Daniel and Eliza- 
beth (Schroyer) Young. 

The paternal grandfather was George 
Young, who lived at Boonesboro, Mary- 
land, until after the death of his wife, 
when he came to Ohio and settled in Mont- 
gomery County, not far distant from Day- 
ton. The grandparents on the maternal 
side were Jacob and Susan Schroyer, who 
lived two and a half miles north of Brandt, 
Ohio. The children of George Young, all 
of whom are deceased, were Daniel, Sarali, 
George, Benjamin, Hezekiah. ^largaret 
and Lewis. 

In 1826 the parents of Mr. Young were 
married and took up their residence in 
Miami County. They had a family of si.K 
children, as follows: David D., subject of 
this sketch; Louisa, who married Jose])h 
Rudy, of Bethel Township; Susan, who 
man-ied Samuel Kingore, of Donnelsville. 
Clark County; Sarah Elizabeth, who died 
in childhood; Benjamin Franklin; and 
Maiy H., wife of H. E. Hawver, of Tippe- 
canoe. 

David D. Young was taught his first les- 
sons by his great grandmotlier, in the 
house in which he was born. When he 
grew older he was sent to the Hickory 
Grove School and still later to the Hughs 



School, which is now known as the Center 
School in Betliel Townshij). Being the eld- 
est in the family he early became veiy use- 
ful to liis father on the farm and con- 
tinued to work for him until he was over 
thirty years of age. Mr. Young's mem- 
ory goes far back and he can remember 
many interesting things about the early 
settlements through this part of Ohio and 
of the customs and ways of living. He re- 
calls a little walking trip he once had in 
early manhood, when he drove a cow all 
the way from Bethel Township to Cincin- 
nati. Tlie distance was sixty-five miles, 
mainly through the woods and sparsely 
settled regions. "When he reached the vil- 
lage of Dayton he was quite ready to rest 
and partake of a substantial meal at a 
public house. He remembers how much 
amusement was caused when the innkeeper 
offered to bring around the guest's horse 
when the time for departure came and Mr. 
Young replied, "My horse has two horns 
and is generally called a cow." 

After his mariiage in 1857, ISIr. Young 
settled on a farm of thirty-five acres which 
he owned in Bethel Township, two and a 
half miles north of Brandt, and continued 
to cultivate his land there until the out- 
break of the Civil War. He then went into 
the army, enlisting in Comiiany A, 147th 
Regiment, 0. V. I., in which he sen-ed for 
100 days, afterwards returning to peace- 
ful pursuits. For a short time he resumed 
farming in Bethel Township and then 
moved to his mother-in-law's farm, which 
was situated north of Tadmor, in Miami 
County, and remained there for seven 
years. Mr. Young then removed to Tip- 
pecanoe City and was there engaged in a 
grocery business for four years ; when he 
sold out to return to the country he pur- 



762 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



chased Lis present fine farm of 205 acres. 
At that time a frame stable and log house 
stood on the place, but thej- ^vere later de- 
stroyed by fire and the present substantial 
structures were built by Mr. Young. This 
place has been his home since March 9, 
1875. The Tippecanoe City and the Car- 
lisle Turnpike roads give easy means of 
travel in any direction, and are very dif- 
ferent from the wood paths by which Mr. 
Young once made his way to Cincinnati. 

On September 30, 1857, Mr. Young was 
united in marriage with Miss Henrietta 
D'Long, a daughter of George and Eliza- 
beth D'Long. He and his wife have been 
the parents of four children, namely: 
George D., Ada Arkansas, David Franklin 
and Sarah. 

David Franklin died in infancy. Sarah 
died November 30, 188-t. George D., 
who married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob 
and Elizabeth Zile, has seven children — 
Mai-y Etta, Harry Edward, Albert David, 
Ada Belle, Jacob William, Sarah Aletha 
and George Hilton; Ada Arkansas, who 
married John C. Drake, of Piqua, Ohio, 
has one son, John C. 

Mrs. Henrietta D'Long Young was born 
January 1, 1831, in Miami County, Ohio, 
and died at the home of her son, George 
W. Young, in same eoimty, April 15, 1909, 
aged seventy-eight years, three months 
and fourteen days. She was converted in 
early life and joined the Gennan Reformed 
church. About twenty years ago she be- 
came a member of the Cove Springs Chris- 
tian church and remained a consistent 
member until death. At her funeral serv- 
ices a sermon was preached from a text of 
her o'WTi selection. She was a woman high- 
ly esteemed by her neighbors and dearly 
loved by all the members of her family. 



Mr. Young is a member of the Christian 
church at Cove Springs. He is Eepublican 
in his political views but has never been 
willing to accept office. He has passed all 
the chairs in the local lodge of Odd Fel- 
lows but is no longer active in the order. 

JOE F. COPPOCK, who, in partnership 
with W. O. Pattey, operates the largest 
grain elevator between Pittsburg and 
Indianapolis, at Fletcher, Ohio, was born 
in Newton Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
in 1868, and is a son of Allen and Maria 
E. (Furnace) Coppock. 

Allen Coppock, now a most highly es- 
teemed retired citizen of Pleasant Hill, is 
a veteran of the Civil War, in which he 
served witu honor. The greater part of 
his life was spent on his property in New- 
ton Township, where he still owns a farm 
of 120 acres. He married Maria E. Fur- 
nace, who is a sister of B. E. Furnace, 
county auditor, and they reared a family 
of nine children. 

Joe F. Coppock was reared on the home 
farm and educated in the public schools. 
He engaged in farming until 1896 and then 
started into the grain business at Ludlow 
Falls, with Myers, Pattey & Company, and 
continued there until 1900, when, in part- 
nership with W. O. Pattey, the present 
elevator business was started. In April, 
1903, the first elevator at Fletcher was 
burned, but in the same year the present 
fine structure was put up, which is prac- 
tically fire-proof, the walls being covered 
with galvanized iron. It is the most mod- 
ern and best equipped elevator in this 
section of the country and is located on 
the Panhandle Railroad, on the border of 
Fletcher. Its capacity is 80,000 bushels. 
The property is the possession of Joe F. 



AND REPRESENTATIA'E CITIZENS 



763 



Coppock and W. 0. Pattey aud Mv. Cop- 
pock is general managei- of the business. 
Mr. Coppock married Miss Ida Molder 
and the}^ have one daughter, Josephine. 
He is a member of the Society of Friends. 
In polities he is a Republican but never 
has been willing to accept office. Fra- 
ternally he is associated with the Masons 
and the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Coppock 
is one of the county's most enterprising 
and active business men. 

ELWOOD M. DAWS, who is an enter- 
prising farmer of Newton Township, own- 
ing a good sixty-acre farm, was born on 
his present property, April 11, 1859, the 
son of Jonathan and Eleanor C. (Jones) 
Davis. The father, Jonathan Davis, was 
born in ]iliami County, and spent his life 
here engaged in farming. His wife, 
Eleanor, mother of the sul>ject of this 
sketch, was a native of Orange County, 
Indiana. Both parents are now deceased. 
Their family numbered the following chil- 
dren : Albert, who is now deceased ; Eliza, 
who married John Coat and resides in 
^liami County; William, deceased; 
Amanda, who married Anson Hildebrand 
and lives in Miami County; Alary, now de- 
ceased, who married Amos Brandon, who 
was captain of a company in the Civil 
A¥ar; and Elwood M., who was the young- 
est of his iiarents' children. 

Elwood M. Davis, after completing his 
school studies, turned his attention to agri- 
culture and subsequently purchased the 
home fann from his father. lie has im- 
proved the ijroperty by building an addi- 
tion to the residence as well as a new barn. 
Besides general farming he raises tobacco 
and potatoes, these two latter branches of 
his work being specialties with him. He 



has about ten acres in tobacco and from 
eight to ten acres i)lanted with potatoes 
each year, and as he is a good practical 
farmer, his crops are usually plentiful and 
of excellent (juality. 

On October 15, 1880, Mr. Davis was 
united in marriage with Florence Teeter, 
daughter of Elias and Susannah (Moore) 
Teeter, who were farming people of Miami 
County. Mrs. Davis's father is now de- 
ceased. Mr. and Airs. Davis are the par- 
ents of children as follows: Nellie Zoic 
married Elmer Cool; they live in Da>-ton 
and have two children — Lenora and 
Lowell. Glenn is an engineer, residing at 
Dayton. Jessie is attending the Pleasant 
Hill High School. Wilma, the youngest 
child, is attending the Pattytown School in 
Newton Township. 

Mr. Davis is a Republican in his political 
views. He has served the township as 
school director and as pike superintend- 
ent. He is a member of the Friends' 
church. Mrs. Davis, who wiis a school 
teacher in Aliami County prior to her mar- 
riage, belongs to the Progressive Brethren 
Church of Pleasant Hill. 

THE WOOD SHOVEL & TOOL COM- 
PANY, of Piqua, is one of the city's pros- 
perous and important business enterprises. 
Its establishment dates from June, 1902, 
and it was incorporated under the laws of 
the State of Ohio, with a large investment 
of capital. Its officers are: H. K. Wood, 
president ; S. S. Gould, vice-president ; and 
William W. Wood, secretary. The main 
office is maintained at Piqua, with factories 
at the same place, while the following cities 
have branch offices: New York, Chicago, 
St. Louis, Louisville, Denver, Los Angeles, 
San Francisco, Portland and Mexico City. 



764 



HISTORY OF ^IIAMI COUNTY 



The scope of manufacturing covers every- 
thing in the way of shovels, scoops, drain- 
ing tools, etc. The plant's dimensions are 
62 by 300 feet and they occupy about 25,- 
000 square feet of floor space. Employ- 
ment is afforded some eighty men in the 
works and eight traveling men cover the 
United States, while for exports represen- 
tatives are kept in England, Switzerland, 
Sweden, Australia, Mexico and Central 
America. To achieve success in pushing 
and maintaining a business of such large 
proiiortions, men of great ability and 
force, strong and self reliant, practical and 
experienced are required and these have 
been secured for this enterprise. 

H. K. "Wood, president of the "Wood 
Shovel & Tool Company, was born in 1847, 
in Miami County, Ohio, a son of William 
"W. Wood, who was born in Hollis, New 
Hampshire, and was a representative of a 
family that came to New England from 
Amesbury, England, in 1638. William AY. 
Wood became one of the pioneer manufac- 
ture-rs of Miami County and as such 
brought the first car of coal to Piqua. He 
was prominent in all the early public af- 
fairs of the county, and was the first presi- 
dent of its board of education and took 
iipon himself many of the early responsi- 
bilities which brought subsequent good to 
his fellow citizens. In 18.50 he made the 
overland trip to California, by ox team, 
returning in 1852 liy way of Nicaragua. 
For many years he controlled the cooper- 
age business in this section. For thirty- 
one years, with his son, he was engaged in 
the linseed oil business. He married Caro- 
line Kirk, who was born in Ohio, a daugh- 
ter of William Kirk, and they had four 
children, only two of whom lived to ma- 
turity, H. K. and William Albert. The 



latter was engaged for many years in the 
wholesale tobacco business at St. Louis, 
and died in California, in September, 1881. 
The death of William AV. AVood occurred 
in 1905, at the advanced age of eighty- 
eight years, his birth having taken place in 
1817. On both sides he had come from 
Eevolutionary ancestry. 

H. K. AYood was married on September 
6, 1873, to Miss Frances Adelaide AVilson. 
Her father was Judge AVilliam Martin 
AVilson, a very prominent man, and her 
mother was a daughter of Judge Dorsey, 
who was the first treasurer of Miami Uni- 
versity. Mr. and Mrs. AA^ood have one son, 
AV. AV. AA'ood, 3d, who is treasurer and sec- 
retary of the AVood Shovel & Tool Com- 
pany. Mr. AVood is a member of the Green 
Street Methodist Episcopal Church, in 
which he is a steward. In the early history 
of the Y. M. C. A. he was its president, and 
he was chairman of the building commit- 
tee when the present building was erected. 
For eighteen years he was president and 
general manager of the Piqua Electrical 
Company, and he is vice-president and a 
member of the board of directors of the 
Piqua National Bank. He has served on 
many civic boards and has belonged to 
numerous commissions aj^pointed for the 
general welfare. He is a Thirty-second 
Degree ]\Iason and belongs also to the 
Piqua Club and to the Sons of the Amer- 
ican Revolution. 

A. C. CARBOLL, who conducts the larg- 
est general store in Laura, Union Town- 
ship, was born in this township, January 
25, 1855, son of James and Barbara (Pip- 
pinger) Carroll. The father, James Car- 
rol], was born in Maryland, and was a 
butcher by trade. He came to this section 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



765 



■when young, settling on a farm, where he 
resided for a while. Most of his time was 
spent in Georgia, however, where he died 
at the age of thirty-six years. His wife, 
Barbara, was from Preble County, Ohio. 
She bore her husband six children, name- 
ly: Vanade and Minerva, who died when, 
young; A. C, the subject of this sketch; 
Albert, Orlando and Oliver. 

A. C. Carroll received his education in 
the schools of this township. He learned 
the butcher's trade under his father and 
also worked for some time as a clerk. 
In 1895 he started in business for himself 
at his present location, where he carries 
on a general mercantile business, his stock 
including hardware. He owns his com- 
modious store, which is located in a fa- 
vorable position on Main Street and is well 
patronized by the people of the village and 
the surrounding country. He has always 
adhered to strictly honest methods in his 
business transactions and has thus gained 
the coniidence of the people, who know 
they can depend upon him to treat them 
fairly. 

In ]wlitics Mr. Carroll is a Republican. 
He belongs to the Christian Church and 
was formerly a member of the Junior Or- 
der of American Mechanics. December 
28, 1886, he married Lyda Ditmer, and 
they have been parents of four children — 
Bertha; one that died in infancy; Clyde, 
who assists his father in the store; and 
Marie. The family are among the sub- 
stantial and respected residents of the vil- 
lage of Laura. 

E. S. MOHLER, secretary of the Coving- 
ton Building and Loan Association, at Cov- 
ington, is engaged in a general tire insur- 
ance and real estate business and is a rep- 



resentative and valued citizen, lie was 
born in Newton Township, Miami Count}', 
Ohio, September 15, 1860, and is a son of 
Ephraim and Aima (Nill) Mohler. The 
parents of Mr. Mohler were residents of 
Newton Township until 1890, when they 
left the farm and came to Covington, sub- 
sefjuently removing to ]\Iissouri, where 
both died. 

E. S. Mohler resided on the home farm 
until he was twenty-four years of age. He 
secured a public school education and aft- 
erward made practical use of the same, 
for some twenty years following teaching 
as a profession. AVhen he came to Coving- 
ton he embarked in his present business 
and since the fall of 1899 has been con- 
nected with the Covington Building and 
Loan Association, succeeding John Ullery 
in the office of secretary. This is a very 
flourishing organization and receives the 
support of the leading business men of the 
l^lace. 

Mr. Mohler married ^Miss Alice Cable, 
now deceased, who is survived by four 
children, Blanche, Roger, Homer and Ada. 
]\[r. ]\[ohler is social in his nature and is 
identified with the Masons, the Odd Fel- 
lows and the Ancient and Honored Order 
of Gobblers. He is not a zealous politician, 
but he takes an active interest in the de- 
velopment of local enter|irises and in move- 
ments tending to add to the importance of 
Covington. 

AARON H. DEETER, one of Newton 
Township's substantial citizens, a stock- 
holder in both the Stillwater and the Pleas- 
ant Hill Banks, carries on farming on 
twenty-nine acres, which he has improved 
and lived on since 1874. lie was born 
April 13, 1847, in Newton Township, 



766 



PIISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Miami Couuty, Ohio, and is a son of Daniel 
H. and Mary Ann (Hoke) Deeter. 

The Deeter family was a pioneer one in 
Newton Townshija, where Daniel H., father 
of Aaron H., was born, not far from the 
Stillwater Eiver, July 25, 1816. He im- 
proved land when he reached man's estate 
and became a substantial citizen. He mar- 
ried Mary Ann Hoke, a daughter of David 
Hoke, and they had four children : Eliza- 
beth, Cornelius H., Aaron H. and Joseph. 
They were members of the German Bap- 
tist Church. They died about four years 
ago and now rest in Sugar Grove Ceme- 
tery. 

Aaron H. Deeter remained at home until 
his marriage and obtained his education in 
the common schools of Newton Township 
and the High School at Pleasant Hill, at- 
tending the latter institution for two 
years. Following his marriage he resided 
for two years on his father-in-law's farm 
and two years on his father's x^lace and 
then came to his present place, containing 
twenty-nine acres, ten of which he has only 
a life lease on, that portion belonging to 
his children. He erected all the farm 
buildings and put in 400 rods of tile, thus 
insuring excellent drainage, and cleared 
about eight acres after settling here. He 
devotes about six acres each to tobacco, 
clover, corn, potatoes and oats. Mr. Deeter 
also owns land in Kansas, a fine farm of 
160 acres situated in Garfield Township, 
Norton County. He has also done much 
county and township contract work, public 
roads and ditches during the years that 
have elapsed since 1868. 

Mr. Deeter was married April 25, 1868, 
to Miss Angeline Myers, a daughter of 
David Myers, and the following children 
were born to them : Jody, who married 



George Martin, and has eight children, the 
names of three of which are Ida, Harry 
and Mabel; a babe that died; Pearl, who 
married Oliver Snowberger and has two 
children, Glenn and Joice ; Zelda, who mar- 
ried William Speagh and has two children, 
Lewis and Herbert; and Mazie, who mar- 
ried Albert Fritz and has one child, Etoil. 
The mother of these children died April 
6, 1884, and her burial was in the Coving- 
ton Cemetery. 

Mr. Deeter is a Eepublican in politics 
and has been an active and useful citizen. 
For twenty-nine years he has been a mem- 
ber of the Newton Township School Board, 
and for five years served as township trus- 
tee. He is one of the members of the Ger- 
man Baptist Church in this section. 

CHAELES E. NEWMAN, of Laura, 
Union Township, who, in partnership with 
H. E. Ehler, operates a well appointed gen- 
eral store at the corner of Main Street and 
the Arcanum Pike, was born in Dayton in 
1849 — on April 9th — and is a son of Daniel 
and Mary Ann (Soule) Newman. 

Daniel Newman, the father, was born in 
Connecticut, but subsequently removing 
west, followed the trade of shoemaker at 
Dayton, Ohio, for a number of years. He 
later removed to Milton and still later to 
Laura, this county ; then to Henry County, 
Indiana, and was in the butcher business. 
He was killed on the Panhandle Eailway, 
March 19, 1880. He was a Civil War vet- 
eran, enlisting in April, 1861, in the Elev- 
enth Ohio Eegiment for the three months' 
sex'vice. He subsequently re-entered the 
service for three years at Camp Denison. 
Again he went out in the fall of 1864 as a 
substitute for one year, his service lasting 
in all some four vears and five months. 



I« 




J. W. MORRIS 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



769 



His second enlistment was also in the 
Eleventh Ohio Regiment and his last in 
the Forty-seventh Ohio. He accomi^anied 
Sherman on his march to Atlanta and the 
sea, and saw plenty of fighting, being once 
wounded. Though possessing an excellent 
military record, he never received a pen- 
sion nor has his widow and children ever 
profited by Government aid. He married 
Mary Ann Soule and their children num- 
bered three sons and two daughters, of 
whom there are three now living. 

Charles E. Newman received his educa- 
tion in the district schools of Miami 
County. When he began to be self-sup- 
porting he first followed farming for a 
while and afterwards engaged in the 
butcher business in Indiana in partnership 
with his father. Then returning to Ohio, 
he went into the flour and feed business 
and so continued until 1904, when in com- 
pany with his son-in-law, L. E. Coate, he 
engaged in his present business at a neigh- 
boring location. He later removed to his 
present more commodious quarters in the 
village of Laura, taking as a new partner 
Mr. H. E. Ehler. They carry a full line 
of all the usual commodities in demand in 
an agricultural community. They sell the 
J. EUwood fence and have handled as 
many as twenty-five carloads of fence and 
posts at one time. Their stock also in- 
cludes a fme line of shoes and dry goods. 

Mr. Newman, our subject, married 
Esther Ann Hildebran, a daughter of John 
H. Hildebran, of Miami County, and their 
family has numbered eleven children, as 
follows : Ollie, who became the wife of I. 
N. Long and resides at Stillwater, Ohio; 
John, who resides with his parents ; Alta, 
who married L. E. Coate and lives in EU- 
wood, Nebraska; Ora, residing at home; 



"Walter, who married a Miss Hall and lives 
in this townsliip; iillie, who is the wife of 
H. E. Ehler; Raymond, residing at home; 
Carrie, who married Warren Fasick of 
this county; Harley, a blind son, who lives 
at liome with his parents; Bessie, also re- 
siding at home, and one that died in in- 
fancy. 

Politically Mr. Newman is a iiepublicau. 
He has served one term as justice of the 
peace in Newton Township, but otherwise 
has not devoted much time to public of- 
fice. He served three years in the Third 
Regiment, Ohio National Guards. He is 
numbered among the township's best citi- 
zens, and his opinions on matters affecting 
the public weal are always based on sound 
judgment and meet with due consideration 
from his fellow citizens. 

J. AV. MORRIS, for many years mayor 
of the city of Troy, Ohio, is a lawyer bj 
profession and is the head of the Enter- 
})rise Foundry Company. He comes of 
an old and prominent family of Troy, 
where he was born in 1840. J. \\". Morris 
is a son of Charles Morris, wiio for many 
years was a distinguislied lawyer of Troy. 
The latter was born in New York City, and 
was but a child when in 1813 his parents 
moved witli him to Troy. Here he was 
reared to maturity and educated, and after 
a careful preliminary training l)egan the 
])ractice of law here. He met with excep- 
tional success in practice, and also attained 
considerahk' i)roniinence in jmlitics. He 
was a delegate to the Re])ublican National 
Convention at l'hiladel])liia, wliidi chose 
John C. Fremont as the lirst He])ublican 
candidate for the presidency. 

J. W. Morris has always been a resident 
of Troy. He attended the public schools 



770 



HISTORY OF i\lIAMI COUNTY 



of the city, and afterwards comijleted a 
course in Miami University at Oxford, 
Ohio, fi'om which he was graduated in 
1861. He was soon after admitted to the 
bar, but during the war was connected 
with the army, although not as a regularly 
enlisted soldier. After the close of the 
Civil War he opened an office for practice 
in Troy and gained an enviable prestige 
at the bar. He became very active in poli- 
tics, and although a Democrat in a Repub- 
lican county, was frequently honored with 
public office. Upon ten different occasions 
he was elected mayor of the city, his ad- 
ministration never failing to meet with 
public approval. He represented the dis- 
trict in the State Senate four years, and 
was made postmaster by President Cleve- 
land, filling that office capably for nearly 
five years. He is owner of the Enterprise 
Foundry Company, manufacturers of gray 
iron castings, and the foundry is one of 
the large and important industries of the 
city. 

Mr. Morris was in 1862 united in mar- 
riage with Miss Sully F. Poor of Cincin- 
nati. They had one son, Charles W., who 
died in New York City in 1905, aged forty- 
four years. Mr. Morris is a member of 
the order of Elks, and enjoys great popu- 
larity among his fellow citizens. 

A. W. FEENCH, president of the 
French Oil Mill Machinery Company, of 
Piqua, of which he was the organizer, is 
also interested in the Piqua Handle Manu- 
facturing Company, and is one of the 
city's most representative business men. 
He was born and reared in Connecticut. 
From the public schools of his native place, 
Mr. French entered the Massachusetts 
School of Technologj^, at Boston, and was 



graduated there in the class of 1889, re- 
maining in the school for two years longer 
as an instructor. Following this came 
three years of work in the employ of the 
Government and he was then connected in 
an official capacity with an engineer's office 
in Boston. Just prior to coming to Piqua 
he was connected with the National Lin- 
seed Oil Company. 

The French Oil :\Iill Machinery Com- 
pany, of Piqua, was organized and incor- 
porated in 1900, with an authorized capital 
stock of $172,000, and with A. W. French 
as president; J. W. Brown, vice-president ; 
and AVilliam Cook Eogers, secretary and 
treasurer. The business is the manufac- 
ture of oil-mill machinery. The plant is 
situated at No. 1014 West Ash Street, 
where a new building has recently been 
erected, with dimensions of 319 by 70 feet, 
two stories high, with perfect equipment, 
while the foimdry is another large struc- 
ture with dimensions of 75 by 80 feet. Em- 
]iloyment is given from fifty to sixty men, 
and as the wages of these are mainly spent 
in Piqua, this plant contributes largely to 
the city's commercial prosperity. The ma- 
chinery produced by this plant is pi'otected 
by patents and it includes automatic 
change valves, cake trimmers, cake pack- 
ers, continuous cookers, Faherty cylinder 
knives, accumulators, cake formers, as well 
as presses, power pumps, rolls, hullers, 
etc., these machines representing the high- 
est standard of perfection in workmanship 
and material. Although the company has 
been operating for only a comparatively 
short time, it has placed its machinery in 
mills all over the United States, in Can- 
ada, Great Britain, Germany and Norway, 
and keeps representatives at many other 
points. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



771 



NATHANIEL KEISEE, owner of a line 
farm of 131 acres, upon which he lives and 
which is situated just north of Clayton, 
carries on general farming and meets with 
the success that results from a combina- 
tion of industry, agricultural experience 
and fertile soil. Mr. Keiser was born De- 
cember 11, 1862, on a farm in Shelby 
County, Ohio, and is a son of David and 
Mary (Rhodeheft'er) Keiser. 

The i^areuts of Mr. Keiser were both 
born in Montgomery County, Ohio, where 
they were married and then moved to 
Shelby County. They had six children, 
namely: Mrs. Catherine Ai^ple, William, 
Mrs. Lydia Ann McGreevy, Mrs. Margaret 
Isabel Voisard, Nathaniel and Mary Alice. 
David Keiser was a farmer in Shelby 
County, where he died in 1865. His widow 
survives and resides with her sou Na- 
thaniel. 

Nathaniel Keiser grew to manhood in 
Shelby County and there olitaiued his edu- 
cation. He was only a child when his 
father died. When he reached manhood, 
he moved with his mother to Miami County 
and they rented a farm in Washington 
Township, near Piqua, for four years. He 
was married in 1895 and in the following- 
year moved to a farm in Mercer County, 
containing eighty acres, and there he re- 
mained until he bought his present farm 
in Newberry Township, a property that 
fonnerly belonged to Sanmel Crowel. Mr. 
Keiser then sold his fiercer County farm 
and in March, 1908, took possession of his 
present one. 

On December .'U, 1895, ^Mr. Keiser was 
married to Miss Anna Kinmies, a daughter 
of Philip and Mary (Winter) Kimmes, of 
W^ashington Township. Mrs. Keiser was 
born in Montgomery County, Ohio, but 



was reared in iMiami County. Mr. and 
Mrs. Keiser have an interesting, intelli- 
gent family of five children, namely : Wal- 
ter N., John F., :\lary Magdalene, Gertrude 
Isabel and Barbara Alice. Tlie older chil- 
dren attend school and enjoy many advan- 
tages that their father did not have in his 
youth. 

DAVID DAVIS, a prosperous fanner 
residing one mile north of West Milton, 
Ohio, has 148 acres in his home farm and 
also is the owner of a fifty-acre tract situ- 
ated one-half mile west of that place, both 
lying in Union Township. He was born in 
that township January 27, IS.'}], and is a 
son of Benjamin and Margaret (Ware- 
ham) Davis. 

Tlie paternal grandfather of the suliject 
of this record was Abiather Davis, who 
was a native of Wales. Upon coming to 
the United States he first located in 
Georgia, and in 1802 made his way north to 
Miami County, Ohio, then to Elktou, 
Prelile County, where lie remained for 
two years. He later settled a section of 
land in Union Township, west of West Mil- 
ton, Miami County, and there lived the re- 
mainder of bis days, farming and follow- 
ing his trade as a carpenter. 

Benjamin Davis was al)out ten years old 
at the time his parents came to Union 
Township, and here he was reared to ma- 
turity, undergoing the hardshijjs of 
l)ioneer life. lie always followed farming 
and acquired 240 acres of land in Miami 
County, the most of which he cleared and 
inii)roved. In 1856 he sold his farm and 
went to Iowa, where he i)urchased 300 
acres. He was in Iowa at the time of his 
death, which occurred at the age of eighty- 
four vears. He married Margaret (Ware- 



772 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ham) Fetters, of Pennsylvania, and they 
became parents of eleven children. Her 
death occurred at the age of forty-nine 
years. 

David Davis, after completing his edu- 
cation in the schools of West Milton, took 
up the occupation of a farmer. He 
worked for his father until he became of 
age, and thereafter worked for himself 
with all the energy and thrift characteris- 
tic of the Welsh race. On his home farm 
he erected one of the largest residences in 
the vicinity, it being occupied by his son, 
who farms the place, and he also made 
most of the other improvements now on 
this farm. After many years of unceasing 
activity, he is now practically retired to 
enjoy the fruits of his toil. He is fond of 
travel and spends most of his winters in 
Florida to escape the severity of the north- 
ern climate. 

Mr. Davis was first married to Miss 
Anna Mote, whose death occurred in 1891, 
and they became parents of five children, 
as follows: J. 0. Davis, of Troy, Ohio; 
Lambert, deceased; J. Warren, who lives 
on the home place; Laura, of Dayton, 
Ohio ; and Mary, who lives at Springfield, 
Ohio. He formed a second union with Miss 
Mary Kelly. Mr. Davis is a Republican in 
politics and served as a member of the 
school board for a number of years. 

THE COVINGTON WOOLEN MILLS, 
which are owned and operated by W. J. 
and C. E. Lewis, is the leading industry of 
Covington, and was established in about 
1850 by William Van Gorden, the mill 
which then stood on the site of the present 
mills having burned in 1852. 

Alfred J. Lewis, fatlier of AV. T. and 
C. E., was born near Richmond, Indiana, 



reared in Hillsboro, and in January, 1865, ' 
came with his stepfather, Samuel Nixon, a 
native of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to | 
Covingion and purchased the Covington 
Mills, which have since that time been | 
owned and operated by the Lewis family. 
Alfred J. Lewis married Barbara Ruppert, 
a native of Bavaria, Germany, who came 
to this country when eight years old with 
her parents, who located on a farm near 
Pleasant Hill, Miami County, Ohio. Two 
children blessed their union — W. J. and 
C. E. Lewis, proprietors of the Covington 
Woolen Mills, both of whom were Tjorn in 
the house now occupied by W. J. Lewis, 
Mrs. Lewis died September 5, 1908. W. J. 
Lewis married Susie Grove and has two 
children, Alfred J. and Ruth M. C. B. 
Lewis was united in marriage with Carry 
Byrd and their union resulted in the birth 
of two children, Waldo and Helen Jeanette. 
After the death of their father, W. J. 
and C. E. Lewis, then aged seventeen and 
fifteen respectively, took charge of the 
mills, which they have since that time op- 
erated with uninterrupted success. They 
employ an average of fifteen hands and 
make a specialty of all fine wool blankets, 
the quality and durability of their goods 
finding them a ready market all over the 
United States. 

THE ATLAS UNDERWEAR COM- 
PANY. This splendid plant is located on 
three streets, facing on Downing Street 
and runs along Ruudle Avenue to Wayne 
Street. The building is 300 feet long, has 
an extreme width of 110 feet and is four 
stories high in addition to a fine basement. 
It is a counterpart of one of the buildings 
of the National Cash Register Company 
and is built of concrete and first quality of 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



73 



buff pressed brick aud is especially piauued 
for tbe wants and requirements of the un- 
derwear business. It is unquestionably the 
best planned and handsomest underwear 
plant in the country and is the largest 
])lant in the world devoted exclusively to 
the manufacture of union suits. The total 
floor space exceeds 150,000 square feet. It 
is thoroughly equipped with all the latest 
up-to-date machinery and has many con- 
veniences for the employees, including a 
rest and recreation room and a dining 
room. The general construction of the 
plant was designed with the idea of giving 
the many employees the most comfortable 
working quarters. The business was es- 
tablished in 1899 and the officers are as 
follows: President, L. M. Flesh; vice- 
president. Gen. W. P. Orr ; secretary, H. E. 
Sims ; treasurer, E. A. Todd. 

C. S. PETRY, who in association with 
Mr. S. L. Brumbaugh conducts the largest 
hardware business in West Milton, Miami 
County, Ohio, is a native of Darke County, 
Ohio, where he was born in 1869. He is a 
son of :Michael M. and Kate N. (Stump) 
Petry, aud is one of twelve children born 
to his parents. Michael M. Petry was born 
in Preble County, Ohio, but later was a 
resident of Darke County, Ohio, for some 
years. He returned to Preble County when 
his son, C. S. Petry, was seven years of 
age, and there lived until his death at the 
age of sixty-three years. 

C. S. Petry received Lis education in the 
public schools of Preble County, and at 
Monnt Morris College, where lie attended 
one year. Upon leaving school he taught 
for two years, then in partnership with his 
brothers engaged in the tile business. He 
was twentv-seven vears old when he came 



to Miami County, and in connection with 
Mr. Brunil)aiigli emi)arke(l in the hardware 
business. In 1899 they located where the 
postoffice now is, but in 1901 moved to their 
present location because more commodious 
quarters were necessary for their ra])idly 
growing business. They carry a full line 
of general liardware, tinware, stoves and 
acetylene apparatus, and occupy two 
stories and the basement. Both he and 
his partner are stockliolders in the Gem 
City Acetylene Generator Company, of 
which Mr. Brumbaugh's brother is man- 
ager. The company is incorporated at 
$100,000 and owns property at Dayton 
valued at $25,000. The Gem City Acetylene 
Generator, which can be placed in any 
residence or business house, is a great im- 
provement over the gasoline plants and can 
be operated at a less cost; this fact has 
given a great impetus to the company's 
business, which never was in a more flour- 
ishing condition. 

Mr. Petry was united in marriage with 
Miss Alma Flory, of near Center, Ohio, 
and they have four children : Flora, Naomi, 
Wilbur and Ruth. Politically, he is a Pro- 
hibitionist. In religious attachment, he 
and his wife are members of the Church 
of the Brethren. 

JOHN ZI^LMER^IAN, who is engaged 
in farming in Newton Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, is the owner of a forty-acre 
farm located in Section 24 of that town- 
ship. He was born Iti Butler Township, 
Montgomery County, Ohio, October 28, 
1858, and is a son of Charles and Sophia 
(Trost) Zinunerman, both natives of Wit- 
tenberg, Germany. 

After his marriage, Charles Ziimnennan 
came to the I'nited States aud first located 



774 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



at Dayton, Ohio, where he worked by the 
day for about three years. He then en- 
gaged in farming in Montgomery County 
for several years, after which he moved to 
Miami Count}'. Here he purchased a farm 
of eighty acres in Newton Township, 
where he lived and farmed the remainder 
of his days. He was also the owner of 
forty acres northwest of the home place, 
which he subsequently sold. Charles and 
Sophia (Trost) Zimmerman became par- 
ents of the following children: Charles, 
Henry and Fred (twins), Katherine, Jo- 
seph, John, Samuel, Margaret, Mary and 
Emma. 

John Zimmerman attended what was 
known as the Quaker School in Butler 
Township, later the Inglewood School, and 
finally the Fall Branch School in Newton 
Towushii), receiving a good common school 
education. He continued to work for his 
father until he reached the age of twenty 
years, when he began working by the 
month for "William Slioultz. Returning 
home, he worked one summer by the month, 
and farmed on one-third share for two 
years. He worked on a farm near Troy 
two years, and served for a similar period 
as helper on a thresher. After his mar- 
riage in 1887, he was for a time located on 
his father's farm and then went to Darke 
County, where he rented and farmed for 
eight years. At the end of that time he 
returned to j\Iiami County and lived four 
years on the Fink farm. He then farmed 
the forty-acre tract owned by his father 
for two years, at the end of which time he 
purchased his present farm from his 
father. There were but one and a half 
acres of timber on the place and this he 
cleared, and he also put in about 500 rods 
of tile for drainage. He erected all the 



buildings on the place and has a well im- 
proved and fertile farm. He follows gen- 
eral farming and has about three acres 
out in tobacco each year. He is classed 
with the substantial citizens of Newton 
Township and is one of the stockholders of 
the Stillwater Valley Bank of Covington. 
Politically, he is a Democrat and for sev- 
eral years served on the School Board. 

June 16, 1887, Mr. Zimmerman married 
Sarah Luella Jennings, a daughter of "Will- 
iam and Sarah Ann (Kern) Jennings, and 
they have had two children — Franklin Ray, 
who lives on the home jjlace ; and one who 
died unnamed. Religiously, they are mem- 
bers of the Christian Church of Pleasant 
Hill. 

ALONZO HARTLEY, proprietor of the 
Hillside Nurseries and owner of 1,300 
acres of farm land, together with a large 
amount of valuable city realty, has been a 
resident of Troy for thirty-six years and 
is a notable type of the self-made business 
man. He was born in the village of Allen- 
town, Allen Covmty, Ohio, August 1, 1850, 
and at the age of ten years accompanied 
his parents to Columbus Grove, Putnam 
County, where he obtained his schooling. 
Mr. Hartley learned the tinners' trade at 
Columbus Grove. Beginning January 1, 
1869, he served three years' apprentice- 
ship. During the first year his salary was 
$36.00 per year ; during the second, $50.00, 
and for the third year's work he received 
$75.00. In 1873 he entered into the hard- 
ware business at Troy and was so engaged 
for three years. He first engaged in the 
tree business in 1883, in the capacity of 
salesman, and became so interested in this 
line that he decided to embark in the 
nursery business for himself. In 1903 he 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



775 



establislied tlie Hillside Nurseries, having 
a plant at Casstown and also one at Troy. 
At present bis Troy plant has a cellar with 
dimensions of 33 by 63 feet, while a sec- 
ond one is in course of construction, the 
dimensions of which will be 86 by 105 feet. 
Mr. Hartley has been an unusually success- 
ful business man and this success must be 
attributed to his own efforts and the pos- 
session of natural good judgment and fore- 
sight. He says that when he came to Troy 
it was on borrowed money, and now, in ad- 
dition to his large business interests, he 
owns large tracts of land in the farming 
districts and pays city taxes on thirty- 
three town lots. 

In 1874 Mr. Hartley was married to 
Miss Lizzie M. Lewis, a daughter of Ed- 
mond Lewis, of Casstown. Mrs. Hartley 
died March 16, 190-lr, leaving three children 
—Mary Lizzie, Alonzo Lewis and Kuth. 
Mr. Hartley is a Knight Templar Mason 
and is also a member of the Odd Fellows. 
Alonzo Lewis Hartley married Lina Yount, 
June 15, 1904, and they have one daughter, 
Elizabeth Kyle. They live in Troy. 

B. J. FORD, who conducts the only drug 
store in West Milton, Miami County, Ohio, 
is an enterprising and progressive busi- 
ness man and commands a large trade. He 
was born in West Manchester, Preble 
County, Ohio, October 15, 1878, and is a 
sou of Orlando and Margaret (Stude- 
baker) Ford. 

Orlando Ford, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in Greene County, 
Ohio, and in early life learned the trade 
of a brick mason. He later followed this 
trade in Preble County, whither he moved, 
and his home continued there until his 
death at the age of fifty-nine years. He 



married Margaret IStudebaker, and they 
became parents of two children: Aldu.s, 
who is deceased; and B. J. Ford. 

B. J. Ford attended the ])ublic schools 
of his native county, after which he worked 
in a drug store for a time. He then en- 
tered Ohio Northern University at Ada, 
Ohio, and completed a two-year course in 
pharmacy. On November 9, 1899, he pur- 
chased the store in West Milton of which 
he is now proprietor; he carries a complete 
line of drugs and wall i)aper and enjoys 
the patronage of the people for many miles 
surrounding the village. The store is lo- 
cated on Miami Street. ]Mr. Ford was 
united in marriage with Miss Sylvia Davis, 
of Preble County, and they have one son, 
Byron, who is attending the public schools. 
Politically, he is a Democrat. In fraternal 
affiliation, he is a Mason, an Odd Fellow 



and a Pythian Knight. 



JOHN ODA, a leading agriculturist of 
AVashington Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, has a well improved farm of fifty 
acres located about three and one-half 
miles southwest of Piqua. He was born 
near Dayton, Ohio, November 22, 1858, and 
is a son of Fi-ederick and Louisa (Trost) 
Oda. His parents were natives of Ger- 
many and wei'e married prior to their re- 
moval to the United States. They located 
on a farm in Alontgomery County, Ohio. 

John Oda was reared on the home farm 
in JMontgomery County, and at the age of 
nineteen years moved to Darke County, 
Ohio. There he engaged in farming a short 
time, then moved to a farm near Coving- 
ton, in :Miami County. He later sold his 
farm tliere and in 1902 purchased his pres- 
ent excellent projierty of fifty acres. He 
renjodeled the brick house on the place and 



(76 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



now has oue of the best unproved farms 
in that locality. Mr. Oda was united in 
marriage with Miss Elizabeth E. Wolf, a 
daughter of Ephraun Wolf, and they have 
two children, namely : Minnie C. and Eus- 
sel C. Eeligiously, they are members of 
the Lutheran Church of Piqua, of which he 
is an elder. 

JOHN E. BILLINGSLEY, owner of 
eighty acres of excellent farm land, which 
is situated two miles east of Covington, 
on the old Covington-Piqua Eoad, on the 
Washington Township line, in Newberry 
Township, has always lived on this farm, 
on which he was born, June 28, 1850. His 
parents were Thomas and Mary E. 
(Luckey) Billingsley. 

Thomas Billingsley was born in 1823, 
near Cincinnati, Ohio, and was a boy of 
nine years when his father came to this 
county, April 5, 1832, and settled in the 
woods. At that time, Grandfather John 
Billingsley was an old man, being then sev- 
enty-five years of age, but it is said of him 
that he was still so vigorous that he bore 
hardships better and did more work than 
any of his sons. He lived to be ninety- 
seven years of age. His wife was also of 
the old type of women, strong and courage- 
ous, and she lived to be ninety-five years 
of age. Thomas Billingsley followed farm- 
ing all his life and died on the old home- 
stead on November 8, 1886. He married 
Mary E. Luckey, who was born in Athens 
County, Ohio. Her father was John 
Luckey, who brought his family to Wash- 
ington Township, Miami County, in her 
girlhood. 

John E. Billingsley was an only child 
and never had any occasion to leave the 
old farm, which came to him through in- 



heritance. He has greatly improved it, 
having fine buildings and modern comforts. 
He carries on general farming and stock 
raising, making a s^Decialty of fast horses. 
He keeps fourteen head of horses and 
raises fifty head of hogs yearly. Mr. Bil- 
lingsley 's agricultural methods are along 
modern lines and he proves on his own 
farm that the best grade of stock is the 
most profitable. 

Mr. Billingsley married Miss Emma C. 
Harwood, who was born in the State of 
New York, and died here March 12, 1909. 
She was a daughter of Eev. John Har- 
wood, a minister of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. Mrs. Billingsley is survived 
by three children, Thomas, Eoy and Bert, 
the two younger sons residing at home. 
Thomas Billingsley, who is now city solici- 
tor of Versailles, Darke County, and is a 
law partner with J. Guy 'Donnel, of Cov- 
ington, was admitted to the bar in 1902 
and is looked upon as one of the rising 
young men of his section. He spent two 
years in the Ohio Wesleyan University at 
Delaware, and one year in the Ohio State 
University, at Columbus. He married Ottie 
Hartle and they have one child, Eichard. 

FEED SCHUESSELIN conducts the 
meat market of the firm of Charles F. 
Schuesselin & Sons at West Milton, and 
is a member of that firm, which also has a 
market at Pleasant Hill. He was born in 
Pleasant Hill, in 1885, and is a son of 
Charles F. and Louise (Staehlin) Schues- 
selin, both natives of Germany. 

Charles F. Schuesselin was reared to 
maturity ia his native land and learned 
the trade in Greenville, Ohio. He came to 
this country, in 1883, prior to his marriage, 
and located at Pleasant Hill, Miami 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



777 



County, Ohio, where he began butchering. 
He was married at Dayton, Ohio, to Miss 
Louise Staehlin, and they became parents 
of six children, as follows : Fred ; Albert ; 
Emilie, deceased; Edward; Arthur; and 
Hermina. Mr. and Mrs. Schuesselin reside 
at Pleasant Hill. 

Fred Schuesselin attended the public 
schools at Pleasant Hill, and afterward the 
Dayton Commercial College, where he com- 
l^leted a thorough business course. He 
then became a jDartner in the firm of 
Charles F. Schuesselin & Sons, and in 
1908 came to West Milton and opened their 
IDresent shop. They have a neat and at- 
tractive place of business, and as they 
slaughter all the meat that goes over the 
counter, the trade receives none but the 
best. They run one wagon from West 
Milton, another being run from Pleasant 
Hill, and also attend Piqua Market every 
Saturday, having a stand on the corner 
of Wayne and Market Streets. They have 
a full line of fresh meats there and have a 
regular trade built up. 

Mr. Schuesselin was united in marriage 
with Miss Laudie Hunt, of Dayton, Ohio, 
and they have a comfortable home at West 
Milton. Religiously, they are members of 
the Christian Church. He is a Eepublican 
in politics. Fraternally, he is a member of 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 

LEVI DIVENS, residing on a farm of 
eighty acres in Section 23, of Newton 
Township, is a progressive farmer and a 
well known citizen. He was born in New- 
ton Township April 18, 1864, and is a son 
of Samuel and Mary (Switzer) Di\'ens. 

Samuel Divens was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, April 13, 1811. He 
came from Pennsylvania when a young 



man twenty-one years of age, and at the 
age of forty-nine years— September 16, 
I860— he was married to Miss Mary Swit- 
zer and settled down in Newton Town.ship, 
where he lived the remainder of his life. 
He died there April 17, 1885, and lies 
buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. He was 
a member of the German Baptist Church. 
In politics he was a Republican. His wife 
Mary was a daughter of William and 
Elizabeth (Konkle) Switzer, and they had 
three children, Ella, Levi and William. 
Mrs. Divens now resides at Pleasant Hill. 

Levi Divens attended the Fairview 
School west of Pleasant Hill, and after 
leaving school farmed for his father until 
his marriage. He then located on the 
sixty-five-acre farm on which his father 
had lived, and continued to reside there for 
thirteen years. He and his wife then pur- 
chased the eighty-acre farm where they 
now live from Frank M. Blackmore. It is 
a well improved farm, provided with a 
good comfortable residence and other sub- 
stantial buildings, and is under a high 
state of cultivation except four acres, 
which is still in timber, ^fr. Divens is en- 
gaged in general farming and tobacco rais- 
ing, having about eight acres devoted to 
the latter commodity each year. 

October 1, 1891, Levi Divens was mar- 
ried to Huldah Mowery, a daughter of 
Martin L. and Elizabeth (UUery) Mowery, 
and they have had seven children whose 
record in brief is as follows : May Virgil 
and Ray Virgin (twins) were born June 
30, 1892. Ray Virgin died July 8, 1892, 
aged eight days; May Virgil died July 17, 
1892, aged seventeen days. Leroy was 
born August 24, 1893, and died May 31, 
1894. aged nine months and seven days. 
The livins: children are: Treva Blanche, 



778 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Iva Pearl, Hazel Irene, Clarence Arthur, 
all of whom are attending the public 
school. Religiously, the family attends the 
Brethren Church. Politically, the subject 
of this sketch is a Eepublican. 

COKTEZ M. SMITH, one of Troy's 
most enterprising and successful young 
business men, who has been identified with 
the horse and mule business for many 
years, was born in 1873, at Casstown, Ohio, 
and is a son of the late INIartin P. Smith. 
The father of Mr. Smith was born in Mary- 
land and came to the vicinity of Casstown, 
Ohio, in 1854, where he followed farming 
during his active years. He died in 1906. 

Cortez M. Smith attended school at 
Casstown during boyhood and very early 
learned to depend entirely upon his own 
efforts to advance himself. He earned his 
first capital by working by the day and 
then traded for a time in Bantam chickens, 
which was the stepping-stone to his larger 
operations subsequently in the handling of 
horses and mules. This business he has 
carried on with much success and he now 
owns a fine farm of 190 acres in Miami 
county, besides improved i^roperty at 
Troy, including his own handsome resi- 
dence on East Main Street. For some 
time, in addition to his horse and mule 
business, which he built up entirely by 
liimself, he has been handling real estate, 
his excellent business qualifications being- 
shown also in this line. Mr. Smith is en- 
tirely a self-made man and takes justifiable 
pride in the fact. In 1894 Mr. Smith was 
married to Miss Lucy E. Hathaway, and 
they have two sons, Carlton Clay and Mel- 
vin Frederick. Mr. Smith is a member of 
the Troy Club and the Troy Business 
Men's Association. 



THOMAS L. DRAKE was a prominent 
farmer and respected citizen of Washing- 
ton Township, Miami County, Ohio, and 
his death, which occurred November 7, 
1897, was mourned as a loss to the com- 
munity. He was born on the farm of 220 
acres on which his widow now lives, Au- 
gust 23, 1847, and was a son of Daniel 
Drake, who was prominent among the 
early citizens of Washington Township. 

Thomas L. Drake was reared and edu- 
cated in W^ashington Township, and spent 
his entire life on the home farm. He at- 
tended the district schools and Piqua High 
School, leaving the latter institution six 
weeks before the time for him to graduate. 
He then taught school for two terms, after 
which he farmed the remainder of his life, 
meeting with a high degree of success. 
The farm consists of 220 acres and is lo- 
cated about two and one-half miles south 
of the Piqua postoffice. In 1893 he erected 
one of the finest brick houses in the town- 
ship and the farm was maintained on the 
same high plane as to its other improve- 
ments. 

April 4, 1878, Mr. Drake was united in 
marriage with Miss Jennie Knouff, a 
daughter of George and Lettie A. (Mc- 
Klveen) KnoulT. George Knouff was born 
in Pennsylvania and was a son of John 
Knouff, who died in the eastern part of 
Ohio. The father of Mrs. Drake was a 
young mau when the family moved to Har- 
lisou County, Ohio, and after his marriage 
he came west to Miami County, Ohio, set- 
tling on a farm in Washington Township. 
Here he lived until his death on February 
10, 1885, being survived by his widow, who 
passed away on October 3, 1893. Mrs. 
Knouff was born in Westmoreland County, 
Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of 




THOMAS L. DRAKE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



r9 



Thomas McKlveeii. who came to this coun- 
try from Irehind. Mrs. Drake was horn 
in Harrison County. Ohio, and was ten 
years of age when her parents came to 
Miami County. 

Mr. and Mrs. Drake had a son horn to 
them, Forest, who died at the early age of 
nine months and seven days. Religiously 
he was a member of the Presbyterian 
Church, to which Mrs. Drake also belongs. 
She is a lady of refinement and excellent 
business qualifications, and has many 
friends in this community, in which she 
has lived since the early days of her life. 

HENRY REH^IERTH, a representa- 
tive citizen and business man of Staunton 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, is the 
owner of a splendid farm of 189 acres. He 
was born in Prussia, Germany, January 5, 
1845, and is a son of John Henry and 
Sophia (Dohni) Rehmerth, both natives of 
Germany. 

John Henry Rehmerth learned the trade 
of a blacksmith when a young man and 
then engaged in making cutlery, principal- 
ly knives, forks and files. Upon coming to 
the United States in 1853, he abandoned 
liis trade and took up farming. Their voy- 
age across the ocean consumed six weeks' 
time, and they passed another week at 
Dayton, Ohio, in-ior to becoming residents 
of Staunton Townshi]!, in Miami County. 
Here Mr. Rehmerth purchased a small 
]ilnce and farmed the remainder of his 
days, dying at the age of seventy-three 
years. He was twice married, his first 
union l)eing with Henrietta Hidison, who 
died in Germany, leaving ihi-ee children, 
as follows: ^Fary. Avife of Charles ^liller; 
Caroline, deceased wife of Henry Martin; 
and William. His second marriage was 



with Sophia Dohm, who survived her hus- 
liand some years; they had two sons, 
Henry and Frederick. 

Henry Rehmerth was a little i)a.st the 
age of eight years when brouglit by his 
parents to this country. He attended school 
one year in his native laud and but one 
week in this country. Imt notwithstanding 
his limited training is a broad-mindod and 
well informed num. He worked about 
home until he was fourteen, then worked 
out by the month. He was in the employ 
of Henry Eikmeier one year, of Henry 
Ladage two years, and of Benjamin 
Enyeart seven years. He turned his earn- 
ings over to his parents until he was 
twenty-one, after which he began saving 
his money. The earnings he saved during 
the first summer, together with $125 that 
he borrowed from John Farver, he in- 
vested in the rhubai-b wine business in 
partnershi]) with Mr. Enyeart. There 
proved to be no demand for their i)roduot 
and at the end of one year his entire capi- 
tal was gone. He then continued to work 
out by the month until he was twenty-six, 
when he and his brothers began farming 
together. He had in the meantime saved 
iil)out $5()(), with which, added to what his 
brothers could command, they i)urc]iased 
land in the southern i)art of Staunton 
Township. Industrious and ambitious, of 
fiugal and saving habits, they prosi)ered 
and added to their holdings until they were 
]iossessed of 450 acres of the most valuable 
land. They continued in association until 
1S9!>, when the land was divided, Henry 
Rehmerth receiving 180 acres as his share. 
He erected the home in which lie now lives 
ami made many imin-ovements on the 
lilace. He may well take pride in the suc- 
cess he has attained, which came .solely 



780 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



through his own efforts and the helping 
hand of his wife and sons. 

December 21, 1871, Mr. Eehmerth was 
united in marriage with Miss Mary 
Horther, who was born in Butler County, 
Ohio, and is a daughter of Jacob and Mar- 
garet (Herzog) Horther. Three children 
were the issue of this union: William 
Jacob ; I\Iartin J., who married Emma Mc- 
Cool, January 13, 1904, and has one son, 
named Herbert ; and George, who was mar- 
ried January 24, 1906, to Elsie Davis, who 
formerly was a teacher in the public 
schools. Eeligiously, the family is German 
Lutheran, and for twenty years Mr. Eeh- 
merth served as a deacon of the church. 
He is a Eepubliean in politics, and was at 
one time pike superintendent. 

W. A. ZINK, well known as a prosper- 
ous business man of West Milton, is pro- 
prietor .of the oldest meat market in the 
village and in addition deals quite exten- 
sively in live stock, hides and tallow. He 
was reared to the business, in which his 
father and his grandfather were engaged 
before him. Some of his mother's family 
also followed that occupation, his brothers 
all are butchers, and his sisters married 
butchers. 

Mr. Zink was born in Montgomery 
Coimty, Ohio, in 1873, and is a son of Jo- 
sept and Mary (Gergens) Zink, being one 
of twelve children born to his parents, of 
whom ten are now living. Joseph Zink 
was born and reared in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, his father being the oldest 
butcher in that county. He started his 
market and conducted it some years, then 
moved to Vandalia, Ohio, where he con- 
ducted a market one year. About the year 
1888 he became a resident of West Milton 



and actively continued butchering here un- 
til 1907, since which time he has led a re- 
tired life. 

W. A. Zink attended the public schools 
at West Milton, and from his boyhood days 
has been identified with the butchering 
business. In 1902 he purchased the shop 
of his father and has since continued with 
great success. He has a new cement front 
building under course of construction, ad- 
joining the postoflfice, and when completed 
it will be one of the most up-to-date build- 
ings of the place, and a credit to the town. 
He has a large and well established trade, 
running two wagons and giving employ- 
ment to three men. He is a man of hustle 
and enterjDrise, and is exceedingly popular 
among his fellow citizens. Mr. Zink was 
united in marriage with Lora Iddings, a 
daughter of William Iddings, of Ludlow 
Falls, and they became parents of two 
children, Oneda and Harold. Politically, 
he is a Democrat. 

WILLIAM JACOB EEHMEETH, son 
of Henry and Mary (Horther) Eehmerth, 
was born in Staunton Township, January 
19, 1875, and received his education in the 
public schools. He assisted his father on 
the farm from the time he was quite young, 
and for the past nine years has carried on 
the operations thereon. He has always 
evinced a deep interest in political atfairs 
and been a consistent supporter of Eepub- 
liean principles. He made an unsuccessful 
campaign for the office of township as- 
sessor, ])ut at the succeeding election was 
elected to that office and served one term. 
In 1905 he was appointed township trustee 
to fill the unexpired term of Joseph West, 
who moved away, and in November, 1907, 
was elected to that office. His colleagues 



AND REPRESENTATWE CITIZENS 



781 



in office are Democrats. He was appointed 
as a member of the Board of Education to 
fill the unexpired term of E. B. Duncan. 
Eeligiously, he is a member of the German 
Lutheran Church. 

WILLIAM W. WOOD, who is secretary 
and treasurer of the Wood Shovel & Tool 
Company, of Piqua, Ohio, was born in this 
city in March, 1878, and is a son of H. K. 
and a grandson of William Webster Wood. 

The Wood family is an old colonial one 
that came to New England from England 
in 1637 and established itself in New 
Hampshire. William Webster Wood, the 
grandfather of William W., came from 
Hollis, New Hampshire, to Piqua, Ohio, in 
1837, and shortly afterward the father of 
William W. Wood was born, the latter be- 
ing in the third generation of the family 
in this city. 

William W. Wood went from the Piqua 
High School to Phillips Academy, at Exe- 
ter, New Hampshire, where he was gradu- 
ated in the class of 1898. "^Tien he re- 
turned home he went to work for the Piqua 
Electric Company, remaining until Decem- 
ber, 1899, and then entered the employ of 
the Philadelphia Clay Manufacturing 
Company, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Two 
years later he retired from that company 
and came back to Piqua and soon after- 
ward was one of the incorporators of the 
Wood Shovel & Tool Company, of which 
he continues to be secretary and treasurer. 
The industry is one of importance and Mr. 
Wood possesses the energy and enterprise 
to make it a leading one of this section. 

In politics, Mr. Wood is an ardent Re- 
publican and stands very high in the coun- 
cils of his party. He is chairman of the 
Republican County Central and County 



Executive Committees and possesses the 
tact and diplomacy which are so necessary 
to make these offices effective in maintain- 
ing party harmony and securing tangible 
results. Socially he is a member of the 
Piqua and the Cosmopolitan Clubs, and 
fraternally he is a Mason. He has mem- 
bership in the Green Street Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 

A. J. IDDINGS, president of the Citi- 
zens' Bank of West Milton and for many 
years a prominent citizen of Union Town- 
ship, is located on a farm between West 
Milton and Pleasant Hill and is the owner 
of 440 acres of land, all located in Miami 
County. He was born in Newton Town- 
ship, in 1842, and is a sou of Benjamin and 
Barbara (Hill) Iddings. His grandfather 
was one of the pioneers of Newton Town- 
ship. 

Benjamin Iddings was born on the same 
farm as the subject of this sketch and lived 
in Newton Township all his life. He al- 
ways fanned as a business and lived to 
reach the age of eighty-eight years. He 
married Barbara Hill, and ten children 
were the offspring of their imion. 

A. J. Iddings attended the district 
schools of his native township, and then 
turned his attention to agricultural pur- 
suits which he has always followed. A 
man of great industry and foresight, he 
made steady advancement and accumu- 
lated land piece by piece until he was pos- 
sessed of 440 acres of valuable land. He 
was one of the organizers and second 
president of the Citizens' Bank of West 
Milton, which was incorporated with a 
capital stock of $30,000. The other officers 
are : A. Pfifer, first vice president ; C. Em- 
erich, second vice-president; Ira Minnich, 



782 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



cashier; and Ada Gnagey, assistant cash- 
ier. The Citizens' Bank, backed as it is 
by men of snbstance and officered by men 
of demonstrated business capacity, takes 
high rank among the financial institutions 
of Miami County. At the jiresent time 
there is in the course of construction on 
Miami Street a new building, with marble 
front, to be devoted entirely to the busi- 
ness of this institution. 

Mr. Iddings was united in marriage with 
Miss Melinda Haskett, wlio prior to her 
marriage lived west of West Milton, in 
Miami County. They have one son, Esty, 
who lives across the road from his father 
and follows farming. The last named was 
married to Miss Lulu Coate and they have 
two children, John and Nellie. The sub- 
ject of this record is a veteran of the Civil 
AVar, having enlisted in 1864 as a member 
of Company H, 147th Regiment, Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry. He served until the ex- 
]~)iration of his term of enlistment. In 
politics, he is independent and not bound 
hj any jiarty ties. Fraternally he is affili- 
ated with the Masons, and also the Pat- 
rons of Husbandry. He and his wife are 
consistent members of the Christian 
Church. 

JOSEPH M. FINK, county commis- 
sioner-elect of Miami C'ounty and a rep- 
resentative business man of Piqua, was 
born in Washington Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, in 1853, and is a son of the 
late D. P. Fink, who came to Perry Coun- 
ty, Ohio, when a small boy, from Pennsyl- 
vania, and to Miami County about 1845. 
He engaged in farming in Washington 
Tnwnshi]i, where lie died in 1880. 

AVhen his school days were over, Joseph 
M. Fink learned the machinists' trade, 



serving an apprenticeship of three years 
with Bowdel Brothers, and then going to 
Dayton, where he worked for three years 
more as a machinist. Mr. Fink then moved 
to a farm near Piqua and was engaged in 
agricultural pursuits for the next twenty- 
two years. In 1904 he sold his farm and 
came to Piqua, where he has since been en- 
gaged in a general contracting business, 
doing a large amount of woi'k for the coun- 
ty in the Avay of ditching and making a 
specialty of sewer construction. He has 
always taken an active interest in politics, 
liis father l)eing also an ardent Republican, 
and Mr. Fink has frequently been elected 
to responsible offices. For six years he 
served as township trustee of Washington 
Township, for fourteen years was a mem- 
ber of the township board of education, 
and for two years was president of the 
Piqua Farmers' Institute. In November, 
1908, he was elected a county commission- 
er of Miami County and will assume the 
duties of this office in September, 1909. 
In 1881 Mr. Fink was married to Miss 
Lida M. Hunter, wlio was born and reared 
in Miami County and is a daughter of 
James W. Hunter. Th^y have two daugh- 
ters, Fannie M. and Elsie B. Mr. and Mrs. 
Fink are members of the First Presby- 
terian Church at Piqua. 

JOHN MUMMERT, one of Newberry 
Township's most respected retired citi- 
zens, resides on his valuable farm of 131^2 
acres, which lies on the Stillwater Turn- 
]iike Road, two miles north of Bradford, 
Ohio, was born in York County, Pennsyl- 
vania, October 6, 1844, and is a son of Jo- 
se])h and Catherine (Orris) Mummert. 

The father of Mr. Mummert died in 
Darke County, Ohio, when aged twenty- 



AND REPRESENTATrVE CITIZENS 



783 



five years. His widow later married Jo- 
seph Risser, and she died in March, ]901. 
She was brought to York County from (jer- 
many, in infancy, and tliere grew to wom- 
anliood and )narried Josejih jMummert. 
Tliree years later they came to Miami 
(*ounty, Ohio, and settled lirst at Troy but 
later moved to near Horatio, in Darke 
C^ounty. 

John Mnmmert was reared by his step- 
father, on his farm in ])arke County, and 
there he attended the district schools in 
his boyhood. He continued to live at home 
until he married, and remained in Darke 
County until 1878, when lie came to Miami 
County and bought his ))resent farm in 
Newberry Township, ^li'. ]\Iummert found 
the buildings in ])Oor shape on the place 
and replaced neaily all of them, building a 
fine frame residence, and has made many 
excellent improvements. He no longer en- 
gages in farm labor himself, having rented 
the property to a good tenant. 

In Novemlier, 1868, ^Ir. Mummert was 
mari'ied to Mis Eliza Ann ]\Iiller, who died 
July 19, 1908. This estimable woman was 
born in York County. Pennsylvania, but 
was reared in Miami County, Ohio, by her 
parents, who were David and Nancy Miller. 
j\[r. and IMrs. ]Mummert had four children, 
of whom the only survivor is the youngest, 
Kathryn, who is the wife of John Eiken- 
herry; tliey reside with Mr. Mummert. 
The three older children — a babe, Joseph 
and David, all died in infancy. Mr. Mum- 
mert is a deacon in the Brethren Church. 

CHARLES A. HARSHBARGER is en- 
gaged in general farming and tobacco 
raising on his farm of fifty acres, located 
two miles northwest of AVest Milton, and 
is a rejiresentative of one of the old and 



prominent families of tliat vicinity. He 
was born in I'nion Townslii]) in 1870, and 
is a sou of l.loyd and Electa (Sherer) 
Harshbarger, and a grandson of George 
and Mary (Penny) Harshbarger. His ])ar- 
ents now reside about two and one-half 
miles west of West Milton. 

C'harles A. Harshbarger attended the 
jiublic schools of Union Township and at 
an early age took up agricultural pursuits. 
He farmed in dilfei'cnt jiarts of the town- 
ship until ]!)()(), when he jJiirchased liis 
present excellent farm of iifty acres. He 
remodeled the house and erected a tobacco 
shed, and has one of the most attractive 
places in this section of the county. He 
has always followed general farming and 
at the present is meeting with much suc- 
cess at tobacco growing. In January, 1891, 
Mr. Harshbarger was united in marriage 
with Florence E. Black, a daughter of Jo- 
seph E. Black, who is a well known resi- 
dent of Miami County. They have one 
daughter, Gladys. In religious attach- 
ment they are members of the Methodi.st 
Episcojial Church of West Milton. Polit- 
ically, he is a Republican. 

GEORGE SIEGEL, owner of 150 acres 
of farm land in C'oncord Township, located 
on both sides of the Troy and Covington 
Pike, about one and a half miles north- 
west of Troy, comes of an old and prom- 
inent family of INliami County. He was 
born in the outskirts of the city of Tmy, 
Fel)ruary 22, 1870, and is a son of William 
and Mary (ShatTer) Siegel. who were na- 
tives of (lermany. The i)aternal grand- 
father of tlie sul).iect of this sketch was 
engaged in farming in that country. 

William Siegel, the father, lived in (ier- 
manv until after his nuirriage and tlie 



784 



HISTOKY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



birth of three of their children, and at that 
time set sail for the United States. Upon 
arri^dng in New York City, he bought 
transportation to Troy, Ohio, and arrived 
at this place with but one dollar in his 
pockets. He went to work in a brick yard 
at a salary of but fifty cents per day, and 
continued at that employment for three 
years. Although the wages were small, by 
a rigid practice of economy and a denial of 
all but the necessaries of life they made 
steady progress toward better things. For 
some years they used their old trunk for 
a dining table, and it is now numbered 
among the treasured possessions of their 
son, George. At the end of the three years 
he went with his family to live in a log 
cabin on the farm of old Mr. Harter in 
Elizabeth Township, by whom he was paid 
to clear the land. He was paid for cutting 
and hauling cord wood, and was given 
what he could raise on the place. Upon 
leaving that farm, he for thirteen years 
was in charge of the big farm of Mr. Har- 
ter 's, which now is included within the in- 
corporated limits of Troy, at that time a 
small place. AYhile living there he pur- 
chased the farm of Lee Hollands, which 
was mostly cleared and is located in Con- 
cord Township. He erected all the build- 
ings now standing and lived on this farm 
the remainder of his days. From an hum- 
ble beginning he attained a respected posi- 
tion in the community. His death occurred 
on the morning of the inauguration of 
President Cleveland in 1893, he being at 
that time seventy years of age. His widow 
still survives him and at the advanced age 
of eighty-one years makes her home with 
her daughter, Mrs. Mary Connor. William 
and Mary (Shaffer) Siegel were parents 
of the following children: Floyd; Tiny; 



John; Caroline, deceased; Mary; Charles; 
William ; George ; and Joseph. 

George Siegel spent his boyhood on the 
home farm and attended the nearby dis- 
trict school, which his two daughters also 
have attended, the eldest graduating in 
the spring of 1908. At an early age George 
began working upon the home farm and 
managed its affairs for some years before 
his father's demise. He then resided in 
Clark County for a period of three years, 
after which he again took up his residence 
at the old home. He has 150 acres of good 
land which he devotes to general farming 
and is meeting with good results. He has 
four acres devoted to tobacco culture, and 
has found it a remunerative crop. 

February 28, 1892, Mr. Siegel was united 
in marriage with Miss Ella Martin, who 
was born in Newton Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Levi 
and Catherine (Lewis) Martin. Her 
mother died at the age of fifty-six years, 
and her father still lives in the county at 
the advanced age of eighty-six. She is one 
of the following born to her parents : Mary, 
John, Marilda, George, Harrison (de- 
ceased), Ella, Barbara and David. Our 
subject and his wife have two daughters — 
Grace, who has been educated in the Troy 
High School; and May. Fraternally, Mr. 
Siegel is a member of the Odd Fellows. He 
is a Democrat in politics. 

ISAAC N. HILL, one of Newton Town- 
ship's sterling citizens, a general farmer 
residing on his valuable property of nine- 
ty-four acres, ten of which are still cov- 
ered with timber, was born April 4, 1848, 
in Newton Township, Miami County, Ohio. 
His father was John William, his grand- 
father was Nathan and his great-grand- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



785 



father was Thomas Hill. This is an old 
American family. 

Nathan Hill was born March 15, 1788, 
near Ellicott Mills, Maryland, and from 
there in 1800, he came in company with 
Michal Williams (later his father-in-law), 
to Miami County, taking up a half section 
of land southwest of Pleasant Hill, in 
Newton Township. He was married to 
Francis Williams on June 29, 1809. On 
that farm was born his son, John William 
Hill. The latter spent his life in Newton 
Township and was a man who was well 
and favorably known. Although he seem- 
ingly enjoyed excellent health, being of 
robust appearance and weighing 317 
pounds, he was a sufferer from Bright 's 
disease of the kidneys and from a severe 
attack of this he died, after a sickness of 
a few days, on March 5, 1891, at the age 
of sixty-six years. He was twice married, 
(first) to Susan Weddle, a daughter of 
Isaac Weddle, who died January 4, 1874, 
and was buried in the Pleasant Hill Ceme- 
tery. The eight cliildren of this marriage 
were: Henry H., Sarah, Isaac N., John 
Calvin, Madison J., Eunice, Mary Eliza- 
beth and John. He was married (second) 
to Miss Josie Banty, a daughter of Peter 
Banty. She survives and resides at Pleas- 
ant Hill. 

Isaac N. Hill attended school at Pleas- 
ant Hill and spent one winter in an excel- 
lent school in Illinois. After he came back 
to Newton Township, he assisted his fath- 
er on the home farm imtil he married, then 
lived for a time on the homestead, moving 
from there to a farm situated on the oppo- 
site side of the river. He cultivated that 
land for nine years and then came to his 
present farm, purchasing all but twenty- 
five acres, which he has since added, from 



the old Jacob Stichter estate. He has 
made many improvements here but bad 
little clearing to do. He has two sets of 
buildings on the farm, some of which he 
has put up and all of which he has re- 
paired. In order to ensure good drainage, 
Mr. Hill put down 250 rods of tile. 

On January 1, 1866, Mr. Hill was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary E. Stichter, a daughter 
of Jacob and Louisa Stichter, and they 
have tbree children : Cynthia, Charles and 
Isaac W. Cynthia married Arthur Teage 
and they have three children, I. J., Mary 
and Echo. Charles married Mary Bald- 
ridge and they have five children, Viola, 
Charles, Leo, ]\Iarie and Edward. Isaac 
W. married ^lyrtle Coate, a daughter of 
Dorsey and Ida Coate, and they have two 
children, Boyd and Verne. Mr. Hill and 
family are members of the Christian 
Church at Pleasant Hill. He is a Repub- 
lican in his political views but is in no 
sense a politician, only a good citizen. 

A. H. KESSLER, a railway postal clerk 
running between Springfield, Ohio, and 
Indianapolis, Indiana, on the Big Four 
Railroad, resides just south of Ludlow 
Falls, Miami County, Ohio. He was born 
in Miami County, July 2, 1861, and is a 
son of William B. Kessler, coming from 
an old and prominent family of the county. 

Mr. Kessler received his early educa- 
tional training in the district schools, after 
which he attended Ohio Northern Univer- 
sity at Ada, Ohio. During his early days 
he engaged in teaching school and contin- 
ued for some eight years, at the end of 
which time he entered the Cincinnati Law 
School. He graduated from that institu- 
tion and practiced his profession in Troy, 
Ohio, for a period of ten years. He then 



786 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



aeeejited aitpointmtMit to tlie railway mail 
service at which he has since continued, 
being now clerk in charge of the car. His 
duties keep him on the road continiiously 
for six days, and then he remains at home 
eight days. The latter time is sj^ent on his 
tract of three and a half acres south of 
Ludlow Falls and is devoted to the raising 
of fancy poultry, at which he has met with 
much success. He erected the tine home 
which stands on the place, and also made 
the many other improvements. 

Mr. Kessler was united in marriage 
with Miss Anna C. Fritz, a daughter of 
John Fritz of Miami County, and they 
have one daughter, Bertha K., who mar- 
ried Harvey B. Boyer, a painter residing 
in Piqua. Politically the subject of this 
record is a Republican and has frequently 
in the past served in official positions. He 
served as constable and also one term as 
justice of the peace at Laura, and when 
living at Pleasant Hill served two terms as 
clerk of Newton Township. He is a mem- 
ber of the Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., at 
Pleasant Hill, and the Chapter at West 
Milton. Religiously, he and his wife are 
members of the Christian Church. 

ANSON HILDEBRAN. n representa- 
tive citizen of Newton Town-shiji, Miami 
County, Ohio, has a farm of eighty a<'i-es 
in Section 26 of this townshi)) and a tract 
of twenty acres lying south of tliat loca- 
tion, hut is now retired from business ac- 
tivity. He was horn in Newton Townshij), 
August 16, 1848, and is a son of Jolm. .Ir.. 
and Rachel (Tucker) Hildel)ran, and a 
grandson of .John Hildehran, Sr. 

John Hildehran. Sr., was horn in Penn- 
.sylvania. where l.e lived until after I'.is 
marriage, and then moved west to ^foiit- 



gomery County, Oliio. He later located in 
Newton Town.ship, Miami County, and 
many years later removed to "White Coun- 
ty, Ohio, where he was living at the time 
of his death in 1881, at the age of eighty- 
four years. He was born in 1797. He was 
united in marriage with Esther Long, who 
was 1)oin in Pennsylvania in 1791, and 
they had the following children: -Michael; 
Solomon, who died in infancy; Solomon 
(second); Labemau ; /John, Jr.; Mary; 
Anna; Sarah; Elmira; and Harriet. Mrs. 
Hildehran died in March. 1864, at the age 
of seventy-three years. Religiously they 
were memliers of the Christian Church. 

John Hildehran, Jr., was born in ]\Iiami 
County, Ohio, about the year 1826, and 
always lived in Newton Township. He 
was a successful farmer and at the time of 
liis death was the owner of 160 aci'es of 
good land. He was a man of high stand- 
ing in the community, and his death, which 
occurred March 5, 1909, was mourned as 
a loss to the community. He was buried 
at Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Mr. Hilde- 
liran was united in mari'iage with Miss 
Rachel Tucker, a daughter of Nicholas and 
Charity Tucker, and they became parents 
of two children, Anson and Esther. Mrs. 
Hildehran is living and passes the time at 
the home of her son in Newton Township 
and that of her daughter at Laura. Re- 
ligiously, she is a member of the Societ.y 
of Friends, to which her husband also be- 
longed. He was a Re])uhlican in politics. 

Anson Hildehran attended school at 
Possxmi Hollow and Pattytown, after 
which he assisted his father on the farm. 
.\fter his marriage he settled on a farm 
south of the home ])lace, but later moved 
to the old homestead, wIk'ic he has since 
resided. \\v erected all the huildina-s now 



AND REPRIESENTATIVE CITIZEN'S 



787 



standing on tlie jjlnce and set out ail the 
trees. He follows genei-al farming and 
stock raising. 

May 22, lS(iH, iMr. ]lildcl)ran niani.-il 
Amanda Jane Davis, a daughter of Jona- 
than and Xeliie Davis, and they became 
parents of tlie foUowing children: (Miarles 
E., who married Anna Street, a daughter 
of Joseph Street; Lulu May, wife of I*]lzie 
Coppock, who is a son of Wesley and Jane 
Coppock; Jolin Walter, who married Eliz- 
abeth Trost, daughter of Joseph Trost ; 
Clara Belle, who is the wife of John Noll, 
son of P. S. Noll; William, who died at 
the age of four years; and ^liimie, Avho 
died in infancy. Religiously, they are 
members of the Society of Friends and Mr. 
Hildebran has been an elder of the church 
for many years. He is a tJeimhlican in 
politics. 

J. C. HENDERSON, who resides on a 
farm of eighty acres in Union Township, 
is a man of prominence and affluence and 
was at one time commissioner of Miami 
County. In addition to the farm named, 
he is the owner of three good farms in 
Darke County, Ohio, and of a half interest 
in a farm of 147 acres located near Laura. 
He was born in Brown County, Ohio. July 
22, 1837, and is a sou of Jonathan and 
Nancy (Carl) Henderson. 

Jonathan Henderson was born in Lan- 
caster County, Pennsylvania, and was a 
young man when he moved west to Brown 
County, Ohio. He followed farming all 
his days and died in 1865, at the age of 
sixty-eight years. His marriage to Nancy 
Carl resulted in the birth of eight children. 

J. C. Henderson attended the i)ublic 
schools of his native county and worked 
on the home place until 1862, when he got 



up a train and went with the army, lie 
was with Burnside at Kno.willc at the time 
of the siege. I pon returning from the 
front, he located in Hamilton Cdunty, 
Ohio, and shortly afterward in Miami 
County, where he engaged in the sawmill 
Inisiness. While engaged in that business 
he lived for tive years in Darke County, 
and during that time served a term as 
trustee of Twin Township. In 187.') he 
imrcliased the farm of eighty acres ou 
which he now lives, and from time to time 
added other i)roperty until he now is the 
owner of several hundred acres. He 
erected all the buildings on his home farm 
and has followed general farming and to- 
bacco raising, having some fifty acres iu 
the latter commodity. He is a man of great 
energy and oversees the work on his vari- 
ous ])roperties, in addition to which he is 
with his son proprietor of a tobacco ware- 
house at AVest ]\niton. He has always been 
active in the affairs of the township, which 
he has served several terras as trustee. He 
was elected county commissioner on the 
Democratic ticket, receiving a majority of 
olO votes in Union Township, notwith- 
standing the fact the township is normally 
Republican by from 500 to 700 votes. He 
also served in that office through appoint- 
ment to fill a vacancy, and during his in- 
cumbency the i)resent court house was 
erected. 

Mr. Henderson was first married to Miss 
Elizabeth Markley, who died in 188-t, and 
they had three children: Caroline, de- 
ceased; Emma; and J. W. Henderson, who 
is in the elevator business at West Miltou. 
He formed a second union with ^liss Mary 
Harmon. They spend their winters in 
Florida, where he has a comfortable home, 
and thus tliey escape the rigors of the 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



northern climate. Eeligiously, they are 
members of the United Brethren Church. 
He is a member of the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows at West Milton. 

JOSIAH W. EUHL, president of the 
Citizens' National Bank of Covington, is 
a man of large and varied interests in the 
business world and has been prominently 
identified with the growth and develop- 
ment of the village in wliich he lives. He 
is i3roprietor of the well known Eocky 
Branch Quarry at Covington, dealing in 
crushed stone, lime and ground limestone, 
and has large realty holdings. In addi- 
tion to the twelve acres in Covington, on 
which the quarries are located, he has a 
farm of 215 acres in Newberry Township, 
which he farmed until two years ago and 
on which are located three separate sets of 
farm dwellings. He and his wife also own 
another tract of sixty-five acres in New- 
berry Township, which is well improved. 

Mr. Euhl was born at Gallon, in Cra^y^- 
ford County, Ohio, February 18, 1837, and 
is a son of Levi and Mary (Folckemer) 
Euhl, and a grandson of John Euhl, who 
removed from York County, Pennsylvania, 
to Crawford County, Ohio, in 1828, and 
purchased 1,300 acres of land, on which the 
city of Galion now stands. The parents 
of the subject of this sketch in 1848 moved 
to Springfield, Ohio, where they died. 

Josiah W. Euhl was reared to maturity 
in Springfield, and in 1861 moved to Cov- 
ington, Miami County, Ohio, where for a 
few years he devoted his energies solely to 
farming. In 1869 he opened his quarries 
in Covington, and after a time operated 
them on an extensive scale, employing a 
force of forty men. He in 1871 erected 
his present home near the quarries. In 



1876 Mr. Euhl and his brother, Albertus 
M., opened a general store, which they op- 
erated about nine or ten years in Coving- 
ton. He was for ten years a member of 
the City Council, seven years trustee of 
Newberry Townshiij, and for ten years a 
member of the School Board. He is at the 
present time president of the Board of 
Public Safety, and president of the High- 
land Cemetery Association. 

Mr. Euhl was first married to Zipporah 
Lindsey, and they became parents of two 
children: Dr. L. A. Euhl, a successful 
physician and surgeon, of Covington, and 
vice-president of the Miami County Med- 
ical Association; and Eva M., wife of E. 
W. Shiunan, secretary of the Y. M. C. A. 
at Camden, New Jersey. Mrs. Euhl died 
in 1888, and Mr. Euhl subsequently formed 
a second marital union with Miss Sarah 
Eoyer. Eeligiously they are members of 
the Presbyterian Church, of which he is 
a deacon. He has been an officer and di- 
rector of the Citizens' National Bank ever 
since it was established in 1900, serving 
as \nce-president until January 1, 1909, 
when he was elected president of the insti- 
tution. He is a man of sterling worth and 
integrity, and is most highly esteemed by 
his fellow men. 

FEANK X. HEMM, who resides on a 
splendid farm of eighty-eight acres lying 
just south of the corporation line of Piqua, 
is a prominent citizen of Washington 
Township, Miami County, Ohio. He was 
born in Germany, February 12, 1845, and 
is a son of John and Catherine (Ott) 
Hemm, who farmed in their native land 
and conducted a country hotel. The moth- 
er died there on October 16, 1865, and the 
father on August 9, 1867. 




JOSIAH \V. KI'MI, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



789 



Frank X. Hemm was reared in Ger- 
many and was twenty-four years of age 
when, in 1869, he came to the United 
States. He located at Sidney, Ohio, and 
was employed by his brother, George 
Hemm, who was engaged in the nursery 
business there. He remained in Sidney 
twelve years and then came to Aiiami 
County and engaged in the nursery busi- 
ness. He purchased his present farm, 
which then consisted of 121 acres, from 
Dr. Warren Dorsey. He built an addition 
to the fine old historic house which adorned 
the place, and has resided on this farm 
since March 9, 1889. He sold off a portion 
of his property to the Statler Stone Quar- 
ries, and retains eighty-eight acres. He 
engaged in the nursery business with a 
high degree of success until 1896, since 
which time he has followed general farm- 
ing. On two different occasions he made 
pleasure trips to Germany, visiting mem- 
bers of the family who remain in that coun- 
try. After coming to Miami County, Mr. 
Hemm was joined in marriage with Miss 
Barbara Butz, also a native of Germany, 
and seven children were born to them: 
Anthony; Mary, wife of Stephen Mc- 
Carty; Philip; John; Frank; Valentine; 
and Nettie, who is Sister in a convent at 
Cincinnati. Eeligiously, the family be- 
longs to the German Catholic Church at 
Piqua. 

CLAEINDON A. HAWORTH, residing 
on a farm of ninety-two acres located two 
and one-half miles southwest of West Mil- 
ton, has been a resident of Union Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, all his life ex- 
cept for a period of three years spent in 
Indiana. He was born in that township 
September 27, 1868, and is a son of Harvey 



and Marietta (Albaugh) Haworth. His 
grandparents came from the east and lo- 
cated near Georgetown at a very early 
period. 

Harvey Haworth was born in Miami 
County, Ohio, and has farmed all his life 
except the last five years, during which 
time he has been living in retirement at 
Georgetown. He still owns a line farm of 
eighty acres. He was married to Marietta 
Albaugh and they became parents of the 
following children: Clarindon A.; Dr. 
Albert H., who is in practice at AVest jSIil- 
ton; Preston, who resides near Bradford; 
Zerelda, who lives near Pittsburg, Ohio; 
Nora, who lives near Potsdam; and Ellis, 
who lives on the old home place. 

Clarindon A. Haworth attended the pub- 
lic schools of his native townshij) and con- 
tinued to live on the home i^lace until after 
his marriage. He then began farming the 
property owned by his wife's mother in 
Union Township, but after a time moved 
to Indiana, where he remained three years. 
At the end of that time he returned to 
Union Township and in 1905 rented his 
father's farm. Two years later he pur- 
chased ninety-two acres of Mr. M. Dohner, 
and he has since lived upon this place. He 
follows general farming and tobacco rais- 
ing and is meeting with considerable suc- 
cess. He is a Republican in politics, and 
served some time as constable and truant 
officer. I^Ir. Haworth was united in mar- 
riage with Miss Ida AVellbaum of Miami 
County and they have a son and a daugh- 
ter, namely, Lee and Mabel. 

JEFFERSON S. COMBS, vice-presi- 
dent of the Hobart Electric Manufactur- 
ing Company, and a highly esteemed busi- 
ness man of Troy, Ohio, has been a resi- 



790 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



dent of this city several years. He was 
born at Leonardtowu, St. Mary's County, 
Maryland, in 1S70, and received his edu- 
cational training in the public schools. 

At the age of twenty years, jVfr. Combs 
moved to Washington, D. C, where he was 
engaged in the dry goods business some 
eight years, and at the end of that time 
moved west to Dayton, Ohio. He was iden- 
tified with the Hayner Distilling Company 
for five years, and then for three years 
represented the Burroughs Adding Ma- 
chine Company in New York City. At 
the solicitation of several friends, he came 
to Troy, Ohio, and began his connection 
with the Hobart Electric Company as sec- 
retary. At the election of officers for this 
company in September, 1908, Mr. Combs 
was made vice-president, which office he 
now fills. He is a stockholder and director 
of the First National Bank of Troy, and 
was a member of the building committee 
when that institution erected one of the 
finest bank buildings in the state of Ohio. 
He also is a stockholder and director in 
the Troy Carriage Sunshade Company. 

November 22, 1905, Jefferson S. Combs 
was intermarried with Miss Sybil Harter 
Coleman, who comes of one of the oldest 
and most respected families. Her maternal 
grandfather, S. K. Harter, was one of the 
most prominent and influential men of 
Miami County, and resided in Troy. Mr. 
Combs is a member of the order of Elks, 
and the Troy Club. 

DAVID C. FALKNOR is a progressive 
citizen and prosperous farmer of Union 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is lo- 
cated on a farm of fifty acres two and one- 
half miles southwest of West Milton. He 
was born in Clay Township, Montgomery 



County, Ohio, October 12, 1S50, his pater- 
nal grandparents having moved there at 
an early date from Pennsylvania. 

Levi Falknor, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, and lived there all his life, 
dying at the age of eighty-two years. He 
always followed farming. He married 
Nancy Herr, also a native of Montgomery 
County, and the following were the off- 
spring of their union : One who died in in- 
fancy; Carris, who lives in Montgomery 
County, Ohio; David C; Frances (Good); 
Loren E., who lives at AVest Milton; Mary 
A. (Martindale) ; Theodore, who is en- 
gaged in farming; and Jerome, who lives 
in Dayton, Ohio. 

David C. Falknor attended the district 
schools of Clay Township, after wliich he 
learned the trade of a painter. He fol- 
lowed that trade in the vicinity of Dayton 
for eight years, after which he turned his 
attention to agricultural pursuits. He 
rented property in Montgomery County 
some fourteen years, and in 1891 moved 
to Union Township, Miami County, where 
he pi;rchased his present farm from Dan- 
iel Wheelock. He has made most of the 
improvements on the place, set out all of 
the trees, erected tobacco sheds, and built 
the first silo in this part of the country. 
He follows general farming and tobacco 
raising, and by his untiring industry and 
jirogressive methods has met with de- 
served success. 

Mr. Falknor was united in marriage 
with Miss Clara Morse, who was born in 
Darke County, Ohio, but was reared on the 
farm west of whei^ she now lives. Po- 
litically, he is a Democrat and takes a deep 
interest in the success of that party. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



r91 



D. B. MAUREK, a leading business citi- 
zen of Bradford, dealing in dry goods, no- 
tions and groceries, and carrying a com- 
plete stock in each line, has been estab- 
lished here since June, 1882. He was born 
on a farm in Darke County, Ohio, three 
miles from Bradford, May 3, 1857, and is 
a son of Henry and Julia Ann (Bigler) 
Maurer. 

D. B. Maurer was reared on the home 
farm and trained in agricultural pursuits 
by his father, who was one of the sixbstan- 
tial farmers of Darke County. When he 
left the farm he learned the carpenters' 
trade and worked at that for five years, 
after which he came to Bradford. His 
older brother, A. B. Maurer, had been en- 
gaged in a mercantile line at this place for 
twelve years and sold out to 1). B. Maui-er, 
in 1882, who continued at the same loca- 
tion, and for forty years the Mauror store 
has been one of the principal ones in Brad- 
ford. Their town patronage is satisfactory 
and they do an innnense country Inisiness. 
Their honorable methods have always 
commanded the confidence of the public 
and their stock is bought with i)articular 
attention to the demands of their trade. 
Families have dealt with the ]\laurers from 
the time when the store was a small one. 
with a stock representing the outlay of a 
few hundred dollars, up to the present, 
when thousands have been expended. Mr. 
Maurer was married in ^Miami County to 
Miss Lavina Hartle, a daughter of James 
Hartle and a sister of 0. L. Hartle, a 
prominent hnnber merchant of Covington. 

Tn i)olitics, Mr. ]\Iaurer is a Democrat. 
He has -served two terms as treasurer of 
Bradford and one term as mayor, and at 
present is deputy tax collector, a position 
he has held for two vears. He is always 



more or less interested in iniblic matters 
when the welfare of the community is at 
stake and in all that is of importance he 
is sure to make his influence felt. He has 
held many offices of trust, having settled 
several estates and acted as guardian for 
a number of wards. 

Since the above was written Mr. J. B. 
Walker has purchased a half interest in 
the business and the firm name now is 
Maurer & Walker; the firm will carry on 
the business in the same agreeable man- 
ner as formerly, with Mr. Maurer as gen- 
eral manager. 

ROBERT F. WILSON, a trustee of 
Concord Township and a representative 
citizen of Miami County, Ohio, resides on 
tlie McKaig Road, where he has a fine 
home and ten acres of land. He owns a 
farm of eighty acres located on the Wilson 
Pike in Concord Township, and also faions 
the one hundred acre farm of his father's, 
which adjoins. He was born in that town- 
shi)). April 4, 1852, and is a son of William 
W. and Bathena (Dilts) Wilson. 

The Wilson family is an old one in Mi- 
ami County. Robert Wilson, grandfather 
of the subject of this record, was born and 
reared in England, where in early life he 
followed the trade of a weaver. Upon 
coming to the United States, he first lo- 
cated in Maryland, where he entered the 
('nii)l()y of a man who bore the name of 
W ilson, but who was not related to him. 
He subsequently married Susan Wilson, 
daughter of his employer, and continued 
to live there for some years. He left be- 
cause of his antipathy to slavery, although 
his father-in-law, who was a prosi)eron3 
man and slave owner, urged him to re- 
main. He first located in Montgomery 



792 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



County, Ohio, but shortly after became es- 
tablished in Miami County, settling on 
what is now the Troy and West IMilton 
Turnpike, on the farm now owned by An- 
son Williams, in Concord Township. It 
was a heavily timbered tract which was 
cleared by his boys, while he followed his 
trade as weaver. He knew nothing of 
farming, in fact could scarcely hitch a 
horse. He later disposed of the farm and 
purchased one in Shelby County, south of 
Sidney, Ohio. Upon retiring from busi- 
ness activity he moved to Sidney, where 
he passed away at the ripe old age of 
eighty-eight years. His widow died at 
the same age, but survived him about 
eight years. They had ten children, all 
born in Ohio except the eldest; their 
names were as follows : John, deceased ; 
William W. ; Martha; Eobert, deceased; 
Christopher; James; Eichard; and three 
daughters who died within one week of 
each other. 

William W. Wilson was born on the 
old homestead in Concord Township in 
1828 and until he retired and moved to 
Troy, where he now lives, never lived out 
of the township. He helped clear the 
farm and did most of the teaming. Deer 
and other wild animals abounded during 
his boyhood and he derived much pleasure 
in hunting. He and his brother, John, 
often hunted at night and many times they 
were chased home by panthers. He always 
farmed and bought and sold stock during 
his active career and met with more than 
average success. After his marriage he 
left the home place and his first purchase 
was a tract of forty acres near the farm 
he now owns. This he sold and purchased 
eighty acres of his present farm, to which 
he added from time to time. His first 



marriage was with Bathena Dilts, whose 
father, Francis Dilts, came from Pennsyl- 
vania to Montgomery County, Ohio, and 
later located in Concord Township, in Mi- 
ami County. Mr. Dilts was a timber man 
and a large land owner. William W. and ' 
Bathena Wilson had the following chil- 
dren : Susan, wife of John Shoupp of Troy, ' 
Ohio ; Eobert Francis, who was named in 
honor of both his grandfathers ; Alfred of 
Troy; Ella, wife of J. H. Brown of Troy; 
and Margaret, wife of J. T. Houser of 
Troy. Mr. Wilson's second marriage was 
with Mary Jane Dilts, half-sister of his 
first wife, and she died leaving one daugh- 
ter, Gertrude, who is the wife of Ellis 
Gillespie of Troy. 

Eobert F. Wilson has always lived in 
Concord Townshii^; he helped clear the 
farm and when a young boy hauled wood 
to Troy, which was then a small place. He A 
attended the public schools and lived at 
home until his marriage. His father then 
turned the farming operations over to him, 
but they continued the stock buying and 
selling in partnership. He later purchased 
thirty acres from his father and fifty acres 
of the old Jennings farm from E. Neves 
Weaver. He continued to make his home 
on that place until 1906, when he bought 
his present home on the McKaig Eoad. 
He has frequently been honored with vari- 
ous township offices, was land appraiser in 
1900, and since that time has served capa- 
bly as township trustee. 

In May, following his twenty-first birth- 
day anniversary, Mr. Wilson was united 
in marriage with Eosanna Brown, a daugh- 
ter of Andrew Brown, who is well known 
in Darke County, Ohio. Six children were 
born to them: Minnie (Favorite) ; Fred, a 
farmer residing on the Fenner Turnpike 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



793 



in Newton Township, who mai-ried Bessie 
Shuman and has a daughter, Reva. Ber- 
tha, who is the wife of Edward Sweitzer, 
and lives on Pleasant Hill in Concord 
Township; Emma, who is the wife of 
Adolphus Jones of Concord Township, and 
has a son, Robert; Effie, wife of Ira Hol- 
finger of Concord Township, who has a 
son, John; and Edward J., who married 
Marie Gillis and resides on his father's 
farm. Minnie Wilson first married Henry 
Kropp, by whom she has a daughter. Ha- 
zel Kropp. He died four years after mar- 
riage and she formed a second union with 
Charles Favorite and lives in Washington 
Township, Miami County. 

Mr. Wilson is a Republican in politics, 
and takes an active interest in the success 
of that party. He is a progressive and 
public-spirited man and has always been 
among the foremost in the development 
and improvement of the township. 

JOSEPH ZIMMERMAN is engaged in 
farming operations in Newton Township, 
]\fiami County, Ohio, and is the owner of 
fifty-four acres located in Section 14 of 
that township. He was bom in IMontgom- 
ery County, Ohio, November 3, 1856, and 
is a son of Charles and Sophia (Trost) 
Zimmerman. 

Charles Zimmerman was born in Ger- 
many, Febiaiary 11, 1822, and after his 
marriage came to the United States. He 
located at Dayton, Ohio, and for some 
three years worked out by the day. He 
then bought a farm of thirty acres in 
Montgomeiy County but after a couple 
of years sold out and farmed on shares 
near Harrisburg for two years. At tlie 
end of that time he moved to Newton 
Township, Miami Coimty, Ohio, where he 



purchased an eighty-acre farm. He was 
subsequently the owner of a forty-acre 
tract in tliat township, which he afterward 
sold. He continued to live on the former 
place imtil his death on January 2.3, 1896. 
He was married in Gerraanj^ to Sophia 
Trost, a daughter of .John and Dora Trost, 
and they reared the following children: 
Charles, Fred and Henry (twins), Kather- 
ine, Joseph, John, Samuel, Margaret, 
Mary, and Emma. Religiously, they were 
members of the Lutheran Church. Mrs. 
Zinmierman died in the fall of 1894, and 
both she and her husband were buried in 
Pleasant Hill Cemeterj'. 

Joseph Zimmerman attended the Quaker 
School and the Inglewood School in Mont- 
gomery County, and the Fall Branch 
School in Miami County. He worked on 
his father's farm until lie reached the age 
of twenty years, after which he worked 
out by the month for four years. At the end 
of that 'time he fanned the home place one 
year for one-third of the crop. After his 
marriage in 1881 he settled on a farm 
south of the home place and there rented 
and farmed for- a period of twenty-two 
years. He then purchased his present 
farm of fifty-four acres from John Cox. 
He has added to the house and bam and 
has made many desirable improvements 
throughout the place. He follows general 
farming and has about two acres out in to- 
bacco. He rents out seven acres to others 
for tobacco raising. Mr. Zimmennan is a 
wide-awake and progressive citizen and 
takes a deep interest in public affairs. He 
is a Republican in politics, and has sei-\-ed 
twelve years as school director, suiiorvisor 
one year and pike superintendent eight 
years. He also sensed two terras on the 
Petit Jury. 



(94 



HISTORY OF MIAill COUNTY 



January 29. 1881, the subject of this 
sketch was united in marriage with Miss 
Annie E. Jay, a daughter of Jonathan M. 
and Mary Ann Jay, and they have been 
blessed with the following children : Edna, 
who married Frank Zumbriuk and has two 
children, Glen and Herbert; Meda, who is 
the Avife of Lewis Slegle and has a daugh- 
ter, Mildred; Jud C; and Roxie. Relig- 
iously, the family attends the Christian 
Church at Pleasant Hill. Mi'. Zimmer- 
man is a member of the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows at Pleasant Hill. 

LLOYD HARSHBARGER is a promi- 
nent farmer of Union Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and resides two and one-half 
miles west of West Milton, where he owns 
a farm of fifty-six acres. He is a native of 
the township in which he lives, having been 
born April 11, 1848, and is a son of George 
and Mary (Penny) Harslibarger. 

George Harshbarger was born seven 
miles from Dayton, in Montgomery Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and was a young man when he 
moved to Miami County. He engaged in 
farming in Union townshiii thereafter 
until his death at the age of sixty-four 
years. He was married after his removal 
to this county to Mary Penny and they had 
the following children: Mary Jane of 
Piqua ; Samuel of Ludlow Falls ; Lloyd ; 
George of Bradford, Ohio; and Anna, who 
died young. 

Ijloyd Harshbarger received a good com- 
mon school education and in the meantime 
assisted his father in the work about the 
farm. He farmed various places in Union 
Township until 1895, when he f)^^i"cl^i^sed 
his present farm of iifty-six acres. He put 
up most of the Iniildings on the ]3lace, set 
out a good orchard and made various im- 



provements of an important nature. Mr. 
Harshbarger was married to Electa 
Sherer, who was born in ?»Iontgomery 
County but lived in Miami County prior to 
her marriage. They have had eight chil- 
dren, namely: Charles; Anna; William; 
John, deceased; Lorain; Howard, whose 
death resulted from drowning at the age 
of twenty-two years; Roy; and Russell. 
Religioush', they are members of the 
Friends' Church. Politically, he is a Re- 
publican. 

WILLIAM WILGUS, SR., one of Lost 
Creek Township's most sulistantial farm- 
ers and business men. is the owner of 250 
acres of well improved farm land, located 
about ten miles northeast of Troy, on the 
Lost Creek Extension Pike. He was born 
on this farm, June 20, 1837, and is a son of 
Thomas and Hannah (Robinson) Wilgus, 
and a grandson of William Wilgus. The 
membei's of the family were in early days 
Quakers and have long been established on 
American soil. 

William Wilgus, the grandfather, was 
born in New Jersey and was a tailor by 
trade. At an early date lie moved with 
his family to Cincinnati, Ohio, in wagons. 
Not liking that city, he started to make the 
return trip to New Jersey. About four 
miles east of Lebanon, in Warren county, 
( )lii(), he encountered a Quaker settlement 
and one of his horses dying while there, 
it was necessary for him to remain for the 
winter. Being himself a Quaker and the 
surroundings and people congenial, he 
finally decided to make this his home. He 
])nrchased the farm of 120 acres on which 
he first stopped, and for a period of eighty 
years this farm continued in the Wilgus 
name. He carried on his trade for a nuni- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



795 



ber of years aud engaged iu raising horses 
extensively, meeting witli veiy good suc- 
cess. About the year 1833 lie came to 
Miami County, Ohio, and with his sou, 
Thomas, purchased a farm of 320 acres in 
Lost Greek Township; of whicli a part now 
forms the home place of the subject of this 
sketch. He also purchased three other 
quarter sections for his other sons in 
Miami County. However, he continued to 
make his home in Warren County until his 
death, at the advanced age of ninety-two 
years. His wife, Elizabeth Wright iu 
maiden life, died some years before. They 
liad the following children: Thomas; 
AVilliam; Dr. Samuel; James; Daniel; 
Henrietta; Angeline, wife of M. McKinley; 
Mary, wife of Joseph Nedrey; Lydia, wife 
of William Dunan; and Harriett, wife of 
Arnold Sabin. All of this family are now 
deceased. 

Thomas Wilgus, father of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in New Jersey and 
was a baby of aliout three years wlien he 
Avas brought by his pai-ents to Warren 
County, Ohio. There he grew to manhood 
and was married, living there until he aud 
his father purchased the half section of 
land in Lost Creek Township in 1834. He 
received a fair education in the district 
.schools, and his son. William, now has in 
liis pos.session a book his father used in fig- 
uring when in school. He became a suc- 
cessful farmer and affluent citizen in 
]\liami County. His first marriage' was 
consummated October 28. ]83(), and was 
with Miss Anna Hunt, who died October 
29, 1834, about three weeks after their ar- 
rival in Miami County. They had two chil- 
dren : John, deceased ; and ^Mary, deceased 
wife of John Babb, who also is deceased. 
Mr. AVilgus foiiiu'd a second union with 



Hannah Robinson, who was one of four 
children brought from New Jer.sey by their 
widowed mother. Four children were born 
to them : William ; ^Michael, who resides at 
Casstown; Thomas, of Fletcher, Miami 
County; and Anna, deceased wife of H. 
Brecount. 'Sir. AVilgus died in March, 
1885, having .survived his wife about two 
years. 

William Wilgus has always resided in 
Lost Creek Township. He attended the 
district schools and when young began 
helping his father on the home farm. After 
his marriage he started out for himself by 
buying of his fatlier 100 acres, which is 
now being farmed by his son, Carl. Later 
he and his brother, John, purchased the in- 
terests of the heirs to the home farm, and 
finally he bought out the latter. He has 
followed general farming and stock-raising 
and has been more tlian ordinarily suc- 
cessful. The house whicli stands on the 
farm, the largest on this road, was erected 
by his father in ]8(i2 to rejjlace the one 
desti'oyed by fire. The other structures 
on the place are in keejiing with it. and 
makes it one of the best inii)roved farms 
in the town.ship. He is a Republican in 
politics and has served several years on 
the school board. He was for twelve years 
a member of the Aliami Agricultural 
Board. 

September (i. 18()4. Mr. Wilgus was 
united in marriage with Mi.ss Afary 
Throckmorton, a daughter of George and 
Sarah (Lafferty) Throckmorton, who were 
of (j)uaker families and came west from 
New Jersey to Warren County, Ohio. The 
following children blessed this union: 
Howard, of Clark County, Ohio, who mar- 
ried Delia Jenkins and has two children, 
Iloi-ace and Lucile; Sallie, wife of Daniel 



796 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Drake, of Lost Creek Township, by whom 
she has a son, Harry; Hannah, who mar- 
ried Frank Lane and lives in Fletcher; 
Lydia, who is teaching in the high school 
at Franklin, Ohio ; Carl, a twin, who mar- 
ried Clara Pruden and has one child, Vir- 
ginia; Carrie, a twin to Carl, who lives at 
home; Ellen, wife of Lewis Roberts, of 
Michigan; and three who died in infancy. 
Eeligiously, the subject of this sketch is a 
Methodist and a member of Wesley 
Chapel, which was started by his father on 
the Wilgns estate. 

ALBERT B. JONES, who is general 
manager for the firm of Henderson & Cop- 
pack, elevator operators of Laura, Union 
Township, was born in Franklin Town- 
ship, Darke Coimty, Ohio, April 14, 1876, 
a son of H. H. and Jane (Graham) Jones. 
The father, H. H. Jones, was a native of 
Darke County and a carpenter by trade. 
He followed his trade most of his life but 
for the last few years of it was station 
agent for the Big Four Railroad at Laura, 
Miami County. His death took place in 
1903 — April 11th. He married Jane Gra- 
ham, of Missouri, and their family num- 
bered thirteen children. 

Albert B. Jones was educated in the 
schools of Laura and eighteen j^ears ago 
began industrial life in the employ of the 
firm with which he is now connected. He 
was then but fifteen years of age. Be- 
ginning in an humble station, he has 
worked his way up until he is now a part- 
ner in the company, and has full charge of 
the Laura branch of the business. The 
company's elevator at this point has a ca- 
pacity of 20,000 bushels and is located on 
the Big Four tracks. It is the only one in 
this section and does an excellent business. 



Mr. Jones is a Republican in politics. He 
belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge in 
Laura and to the Masonic lodge at West 
Milton. He has taken a useful part in 
local affairs, has been councilman for six 
years and has served as town treasurer 
four years. Mr. Jones married Lauda 
Jones, a daughter of Albert Jones of this 
coimty. He and his wife reside in Union 
township. They have a daughter, Frieda, 
who is attending school. 

JOHN MAURER, the genial proprietor 
of the Dewey Hotel, at Bradford, Ohio, is 
one of the town's prominent and substan- 
tial citizens. He was born in Germany, 
March 22, 1838, and is a son of Philip and 
Catherine Maurer. 

Mr. Maurer was reared on a small farm 
and remained there until he was twenty- 
seven years of age. Finding it impossible 
to accumulate any considerable fortune in 
that place and condition, he decided to 
cross the Atlantic Ocean and find out if his 
industry could not advance him faster in 
America. He landed at the port of New 
York almost without capital, August 14, 
1865, and from there went to Philadelphia 
for two months. He then found farm work 
near Piqua, Ohio, and when the season was 
over, secured work in a livery stable. On 
March 16, 1867, he entered the employ of 
the Pan Handle Railroad, and in this con- 
nection found that his qualities of honesty 
and industry were recognized and for over 
thirty-one years he remained with that 
road, becoming a well paid and thoroughly 
trusted employe. He retired from rail- 
road work on March 23, 1898. In 1873 he 
established his home at Bradford and for 
twenty-six years was car inspector for the 
Pennsylvania system. Mr. Maurer at 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



797 



different times invested in property and 
besides owning his hotel, a first class house 
containing sixteen rooms, which he has 
been operating since February, 1899, he 
has six valuable town lots and a substan- 
tial ten-room house which brings him a 
good rental. Mr. Maurer is an entirely . 
self-made man and through his own per- 
sonal effort has accumulated enough to 
make him an independent capitalist. 

Mr. Maurer was married (first) at 
Piqua, Ohio, to Catherine Billiger, who, at 
death, left three children, George, Charles 
and Mrs. Catherine Weldy. His second 
wife, now deceased, was Catherine Hoover. 
His third marriage was to the estimable 
lady who assists in the management of the 
hotel, Mrs. Barbara Staub. As an indica- 
tion of the confidence felt in him by his 
fellow citizens, Mr. Maurer has served 
three terms in the Town Council. He is a 
member of the Improved Order of Red 
Men and of the Odd Fellows. 

0. C. MOTE, who for many years was 
engaged as an instructor in the schools of 
Miami County, is at the present time en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits in Union 
Township, where he owns a farm of forty- 
eight acres about two miles from West 
Milton. He was born near Laura, in 
Union Township, in 1870, and is a son of 
Daniel and Lavina (Glunt) Mote. 

Daniel Mote, who has been a resident of 
Union Township for many years and is 
now past sixty-five years of age, is a vet- 
eran of the Civil War. He enlisted in 1862 
as a member of the 110th Regiment, Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry, and served with 
credit until the close of the war, partici- 
pating in many of the important engage- 
ments. Upon his return from the front 



he took up farming, which he has always 
followed. He was united in marriage with 
Lavina Glunt, also of Miami County, and 
they became parents of the following chil- 
dren : Cora, who died young ; Clara ; 0. C. 
Mote, whose name heads this record; 
Edith; Jasper, deceased; Elizabeth; Jen- 
nie; William, deceased; and Minnie. 

0. C. ]\Iote received a good educational 
training in the public schools of Union 
Township, and Darke County, and at 
Pleasant Hill, after which he engaged in 
teaching. He taught school for a period 
of seventeen years and with marked abil- 
ity. In 1905 he began devoting his entire 
time to farming, and by following modern 
and approved methods has been more than 
ordinarily successful. He follows general 
farming and tobacco growing. 

Mr. Mote was joined in marriage with 
Miss Emily Pearson and they have had 
six children, namely: Harry; RoUie; Nel- 
lie; Delia, deceased; Portia; and Donna. 
Religiously, they are members of the 
Church of Christ. He is an independent 
in politics, exercising his franchise in 
favor of the man he deems best fitted for 
the office in issue. 

FRED ZIMMERMAN is a prosperous 
farmer and tobacco grower of Newton 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is the 
owner of a tract of forty acres located in 
Section 23. He was born at Dayton, Ohio, 
December 12, 1853, and is a son of Charles 
and Sophia (Trost) Zimmerman. 

Charles Zimmerman was born in Ger- 
many and lived in that country until after 
his marriage. Upon coming to the United 
States he located at Dayton, Ohio, where 
his first work was in helping to clean the 
canal and build the railroad. He worked 



798 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



by tlie day in the vicinity of that city for 
three years, then bought tliirty acres of 
laud east of Little York, which he farmed 
some years. He sold that place and then 
for two years farmed near Harrisburg, at 
the end of which time he purchased eighty 
acres in Newton Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, of which one-half is the forty acres 
now owned by the subject of this sketch. 
He cleared some twelve acres of the laud 
and made various improvements. He also 
was the owner of the Trost farm, which he 
later sold to Z. Pierce. He was a hard 
worker and jjrospered. His wife, who also 
was born in Germany, died in August, 
1894, and he survived her about seven- 
teen mouths. He died January 23, 189(5, 
and both were liuried in the Pleasant Hill 
Cemetery. Tliey were parents of the fol- 
lowing children: Charles, Fred, Henry, 
Katheiine, Joseph, John, Samuel, Mar- 
garet, Mary and Emma. In religious at- 
tachmeut they were members of the Lu- 
theran Cliuich. Mr. Zimmerman was a 
Democrat in politics. 

Fred Zimmerman tirst attended the 
Quaker school near Chambersburg, and 
afterward the Harrisburg and Fall 
Branch schools. U])on leaving school, he 
worked at farming by the month, lieing in 
the employ of one man for nine years. 
After his marriage he settled on his fath- 
er's farm in Newton Township, where he 
has resided continuously since. He has 
remodeled the buildings and in addition 
erected a good tobacco shed. In addition 
to general farming, he has in from three 
to five acres of tobacco each year, and has 
been very successful with that cro]). He 
has put in about 800 rods of tile for drain- 
age purposes and has a well im])roved 
place throughout. 



December 20, 1885, Mr. Zimmerman 
married Miss Mollie Jennings, a daughter 
of William and Sarah (Karns) Jennings, 
and they have one son, AVilliam, who is 
unmarried and lives at the home place. 
Religiously, they are members of the 
Christian Church. He is a Democrat in 
politics and is a member of the Fair 
Board. 

ROLLAND R. DU BOIS, one of Brad- 
foixl's enterprising young business men, 
dealing in notions and groceries and carry- 
ing a full and well selected stock, was born 
at "Wapakoneta, Auglaize C'ounty, Ohio, in 
1881, and is a son of L. T. and Mary Ellen 
(Brown) Du Bois. 

L. T. Du Bois, one of Bradford's lead- 
ing citizens, a member of the Town Coun- 
cil and president of the Bradford Build- 
ing & Loan Association, was born in "War- 
ren County, Ohio, May 16, 1849, and is a 
son of Tunis and Elizabeth Dia Bois. In 
his lioyhood his ])areuts moved on a farm 
in Darke Coimty and lived there i;ntil he 
was a young man. They then retired to 
AVai)akoneta, where Mr. Du Bois lived for 
eight years and then, having married in 
Da ike County, he shortly afterward set- 
tled on his farm there and remained until 
1907, when he came to Bradford. At 
Greenville, Ohio, he married Mary Ellen 
Brown and they have had seven children, 
namely: Laura, who is the wife of Ed- 
Avard Moore and has one child, Rachel; 
Benjamin, the only member of the family 
who died; Elizabeth, who is the wife of 
( Juy "Weybright ; Rolland R., of Bradford^ 
Carrie, who is the wife of Alton Camp- 
bell; Lottie, who is a teacher in the public 
schools of New Harrison, Darke County; 
and Harry, who makes his liome in Colo- 




T. C. SHILLING 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



801 



rado. Mr. IHi Bois still retaius his farm 
of eighty acres in Darke County. Both 
he and wife are members of the Presby- 
terian Church. 

Bolland R. Du Bois was seven years old 
when his parents took possession of their 
farm in Adams Township, Darke County, 
and there he was reared. He attended the 
country schools and taught school through 
one winter in Adams Township. In 19()7 
he established his business at Bradford 
and to this he has given the larger part of 
his attention ever since, displaying a large 
amount of l)usiness capacity in its man- 
agement. There are other concerns in his 
line l)ut he has demonstrated that there is 
always room for one more if that one is 
superior, in any branch of trade. Mr. Du 
Bois married Miss Cora Ullery, a daugh- 
ter of David Ullery. and they have one 
son, Myron. :Mr. and :\Irs. Du Bois are 
members of the Presbyterian Church, in 
which he is a deacon. He is ideiitiiied 
with the Masonic fraternity. 

J. M. SWITZER. who conducts the only 
establishment in West J^Iilton devoted ex- 
clusively to the sale of agricultural imple- 
ments, is located on Hayes Street. He was 
born near Pleasant Hill, in Miami County, 
Ohio, May 26, 1874, and is a son of Jacob 
and Marv (Kunkle) Switzer. 

Jacob Switzer, father of the subject of 
this record, was eight years old when he 
accompanied his parents from Pennsyl- 
vania, to Miami County, locating on the 
farm he now owns. He engaged in farm- 
ing throughout bis active career and is 
now living in retirement at (\nMngton. As 
a result of his marriage to Mary Kunkle, 
thev became parents of seven children. 

J ^l. Switzer received his educational 



training in the district schools of llie coun- 
ty, and upon leaving .school took up farm- 
ing, which he followed successfully for 
eleven years. November 3, 1906, he moved 
to AVest Milton and purchased the imi)le- 
nieiit store of ^linnick & Miller, located 
on Hayes Street. He carries a full line of 
agricultural imi)lements and farm tools, 
and the volume of business transacted is 
exceeding his expectations and is con- 
stantly increasing. Mr. Switzer was united 
in marriage with Miss Vinnie Black and 
they have three sons, namely: Harry, 
who is attending school; Wilbur; and Har- 
lold. rolitically, he is a Repul)lican. in 
fratciiial affiliation he is an Odd Fellow. 

T. C. SHILLING, of the linn of Shill- 
ing & Roberts, leading furniture dealers 
and undertakers of Troy, Ohio, has been 
engaged in the mercantile business in this 
city for a ])criod nf over forty years. He 
was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 184.'), and 
is a son of Jesse Shilling, who prior to his 
death was one of the prominent and active 
citizens of Troy. 

Jesse Shilling, a s(m of AVilliam and 
Hannah Shilling, was born in Maryland, in 
1825, and was about two years of age when 
his parents removed to Columbus, Ohio. 
Tlieie he was reared and educated, and 
when twenty-one years old was foreman 
of the Ilaydcn Foundry, at Columbus, 
Ohio. He ac<iuired coiisideralile skill as 
an engineer and followed that occupation 
for years. In ]8r)4 he moved to Troy and 
soon afterward agitated the establishment 
of a iire department here. I>argely through 
his activity the project was favorably act- 
ed upon and he was installed as the first 
engineer of the deinutment. He was al- 
Win-s among the foremost in furthering 



802 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



the city's interests, being one of the found- 
ers of the present water works system, 
and was most highly esteemed by his fel- 
low-citizens. During the war he was pro- 
vost-marshal of Miami County under Cap- 
tain A. C. Duel. He also served as a 
member of the City Council. 

T. C. Shilling attended school in Colum- 
bus until his parents moved to Troy in 
185-i, and then attended school here until 
the Civil War was in progress. He en- 
listed as a member of Company H, 147th 
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Upon 
his return from the front he engaged in 
the dry goods business for some years, and 
then formed a partnership with Mr. Bond, 
under the firm name of Bond and Shilling, 
in the furniture and undertaking business. 
The partnership continued sixteen years, 
when upon the death of Mr. Bond, Mr. 
Roberts became a partner, the firm name 
being changed to Shilling & Roberts. This 
is the oldest firm of furniture dealers and 
undertakers in the city, and commands a 
liberal patronage at the hands of the 
people. 

Mr. Shilling was married at Fort 
Wayne, Indiana, to Miss Jennie Hartzell, 
and they have two sons, Eugene and Wade, 
both of whom are identified with the busi- 
ness of Shilling & Roberts. Mr. Shilling 
takes a deep interest in local politics, but 
with the exception of service on the School 
board, has filled no public office, being 
strictly a man of business. Fraternally, 
he is a member and has filled all the chairs 
of the following lodges : Blue Lodge, F. & 
A. M. ; Chapter ; Odd Fellows ; Knights of 
Pythias; also a member of the Knights 
Templar. He is also past commander of 
the local post, G. A. R. Religiously, he is 
a member of the Baptist Church. 



WILLIAM J. JONES, who comes of an 
old and prominent family of Union Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, resides about 
one mile southwest of West Milton, where 
he has a splendid farm of 163 acres. He 
was born in Union Township, a short dis- 
tance below his present place, October 16, 
1852, and is a son of Samuel Jones. 

Samuel Jones also was born in Union 
Township, where his father was among 
the pioneer settlers, having come from 
Georgia at an early date. He was always 
engaged in agricultural pursuits and oc- 
cupied a place of high standing and af- 
fluence in the conmiunity. He lived for 
many years on the farm now owned by the 
subject of this record, and died there at 
the age of eighty -three' years. He was 
married to Miss Anna Jay, who also was 
a native of Miami County, and they be- 
came parents of ten children. 

William J. Jones attended the district 
schools of Union Township, also one term 
in Grant County, Indiana, and three terms 
in Henry County, Indiana. After his 
school days were over, he remained on the 
home farm and has farmed there ever 
since. The buildings were erected before 
he came into possession of the place, but 
he has made many improvements and has 
one of the best kept places in this section. 
He has met with a high degree of success 
in general farming and stock raising. Po- 
litically, he is an ardent Republican but 
takes no active part in political affairs. 
In religious attachment he is a member of 
the Friends Church. 

T. C. BROWN, one of Miami County's 
representative citizens and a commissioner 
of the same for the past four years, re- 
sides on his farm of 185 acres in Wash- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



803 



ington Township, where he was bom in 
1845. He is a son of B. F. and a grandson 
of James Brown. 

James Brown was born in Virginia and 
was one of the hardy woodsmen and pio- 
neers who accompanied Daniel Boone to 
Kentucky. In 1807 he pressed onward into 
Miami County, Ohio, foimding the family 
in Washington Township. There his son, 
the late B. F. Brown, was born, in 1811, 
who died in 1887. Although he lived on his 
farm throughout a long life, he was well 
known all over the county, being a man of 
sterling character and noted public spirit. 
He capably filled all the township offices 
and for a number of years served also as a 
county commissioner. 

T. C. Brown, like his late father, has 
always identified himself with agricultural 
pursuits in Washington Township. For 
some years he has been one of the leading 
stock raisers of Miami County, his Short- 
horn cattle and thoroughbred horses taking 
prizes wherever exhibited. He makes a 
specialty of trotting horses and has ani- 
mals of which he is justly proud. One of 
the noted oeciipants of his stables is Dele- 
gat, a fine trotter with a record of 2:19 
and the sire of a number of fine animals. 
Mr. Brown purchased Delegat in Lexing- 
ton, Ky., when he was a two-year old. 

In 1876 Mr. Brown was married to Miss 
Alice Sawyer, of Boston, Massachusetts, 
who died on April 1, 1907. Mr. Brown has 
taken an active part in politics ever since 
he reached the age of discretion, and has 
never failed to cast his vote at an impor- 
tant election, with one exception, when he 
was away from his own State. He has 
served in his present office since Septem- 
ber, 1904. 



\^^\ 



WIRT KESSLER, a successful dealer 
in real estate and insurance at West Mil- 
ton, is postmaster of the village and has 
frequently in the past been called upon to 
serve in official capacity. He is a man of 
wide acquaintance and takes high rank 
among the foremost business men of the 
community. 

' Ml-. Kessler was born in Union Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, in 1856, and is 
a son of William B. and Mary A. (Al- 
baugh) Kessler, his father also being a 
native of Union Township. The family 
originally came to the United States from 
Switzerland, and the grandfather of the 
subject of this record was among the pio- 
neer settlers of Union Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, having come from the state 
of New York. William B. Kessler fol- 
lowed farming throughout his active ca- 
reer and died on the home farm at the age 
of eighty years and seven months. He was 
at one time a very extensive land owner. 
He and his wife were parents of eight chil- 
dren, of whom seven sons and a daughter 
are now living. 

Wirt Kessler was educated in the public 
schools and in the normal school at Ada, 
Ohio, receiving a thorough educational 
training. He engaged in teaching and 
farming until 1890, when he came to West 
Milton and entered upon his duties as 
township clerk. He served in that capacity 
seven years, and was also mayor of the 
village for a period of six years, giving 
the public a good and efficient business ad- 
ministration. He then engaged in the real 
estate and insurance business, represent- 
ing many of the strongest fire, accident and 
sick benefit companies in existence, among 
them being The Home Insurance Com- 
pany, New York Underwriters, the Royal 



804 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Insurance Comi)any. the North American, 
the National, the Spring-field, the German- 
American and the Etna. He has served as 
l)ostmaster of "West Milton continuously 
since 1898. 

Mr. Kessler was united in marriage with 
Miss Harriet Corner and they are parents 
of the following children: Maud, wife of 
A. S. Swank, who is a civil engineer and is 
at i)resent engaged in building an irriga- 
tion plant at Hamilton, Montana; Estella, 
wife of W. C. Keck, a rural mail carrier at 
West Milton ; C. Raymond, who married 
Edna Cassel and is emjjloyed as teleg- 
rapher by the Pennsylvania Railroad 
Company; and Morris, a railway mail 
clerk, wlio makes his home with his par- 
ents. In politics Mr. Kessler is a Repub- 
lican. He is affiliated with the Masonic 
fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, and 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. 
Religiously, he is a member of the Chris- 
tian Church at AVest ]\Iilton. 

II. W. SMITH, proprietor of Smith's 
Bakery and president of the city council at 
Bradford, Ohio, is one of the town's older 
business men and a re]:)resentative of its 
best citizenship. Mr. Smith was born in 
Montgomery County, Ohio, August 23, 
IS^yl. and is a son of Christian and Susan 
(Williamson) Smith. The father of Mr. 
Smith followed house carpenter work at 
Buffalo, New York. In 1824 he settled in 
Montgomery County, Ohio, where his wife 
died in 18.").^. His death occurred years 
later in ^liami County. 

H. W. Smith was taken to the liome of 
his great-uncle, Henry Williamson, when 
liis mother died, and he was reared on a 
farm near Gi'eenville, Darke County, and 
attended the district schools. In 1873 he 



accompanied his great-imcle and family to 
Bradford, where the uncle subsequently 
died, and in May, 1875, he embarked in 
Inisiness for himself and has continued 
here ever since and for twenty-five years 
of this period he has been engaged in the 
baking business. He has always been one 
of the cit.y's most progressive citizens and 
has served usefully in many public offices. 
For ten years he served as a member of 
the school l)oard, and for eighteen years he 
has been a member of the city council and 
at present is president of this mimicipal 
body, an office for which his good judg- 
ment and civic pride particularly fit him. 
Mr. Smith married Harriet Yount, a 
daughter of Enos Yount, and they have 
one child, Claude C. 

Claude C. Smith is the electrician who 
has charge of the Bradford-Gettysburg 
Electric Lighting Company and is a young 
man wlio has honorably borne the name 
of his country and his State into far dis- 
tant parts of the world. He was born on a 
farm five miles north of Bradford. Feb- 
ruaiy 21, 1877, and was educated in the 
Miami County schools. He sjient seven 
years of his life in the United States Navy 
and that his early inclinations were in the 
direction of a military life, indicated the 
infinence of heredity. His great-great- 
grandfather, John Williamson, was a 
Revolutionary patriot. His great-grand- 
father, Henry Williamson, came down the 
Ohio river on a flat-boat, landing at Fort 
Washington, near the present city of Cin- 
cinnati, and he was an Indian fighter under 
General Wayne, fought in the AVar of 1812, 
under General Harrison, did a soldier's 
duty in the Mexican War and lived to send 
two of his sons into the Civil War, while 
two of the other sons served in the Mexi- 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



805 



can War. J)()ul)tless his loyal heart would 
have been cheered liad he witnessed his 
great-grandson's services during the 
Si^anish-American War, in the Philippine 
Islands and in China, when greater dan- 
gers were enooiintered and more comijiete 
victories gained than the old veteran had 
ever known. Claude C. Smith joined the 
navy at Norfolk, Virginia, in July, 1807, 
and was assigned to the battleship Nash- 
ville, which, in the following month, was 
attached to the West Indian Station, and 
he was one of the first gun crew tliat fired 
the opening shot in the Spanish-American 
War. He was made chief of the electrical 
department of the battleshi]), made the 
tour around the world, is a veteran of the 
Philippine insurrection and of the Boxer 
uprising in China, and later was one of the 
electricians on the battlesliip Kentucky, 
under Admiral Evans. With credit he 
retired from the navy in October, 1!)04, 
since wlien his home has been at Bradford. 
He married Miss Enmia Brookman 
and they have had three children, Har- 
riet, Harvey and Charles, Harvey being 
deceased. 

A. M. P^'KV, a leading general contractor 
at Piqua, Ohio, has been a resident of this 
city since the s])ring of 1890 and has thor- 
oughl}' identified himself with its interests. 
He was born in 1861, in Montgomery Coun- 
ty, Ohio, l)ut was reared to manhood on a 
fa I'm in Darke County. 

AVhen aged twenty-one, Mr. Fry learned 
the carpenter trade and continued to work 
at it until 1888, when he l)egan contracting 
at Versailles, Ohio, coming from there to 
Pi(|ua, in 1890. Here he went into general 
contracting and has been so successful that 
he has easily taken a place among the lead- 



ing men in that line in this section. Many 
of his contracts liave been for large oil- 
mills and substantial grist-mills, and he 
built Mays' Opera House, the Atlas Vu- 
derwear Building, the I'nion Underwear 
Building oi- woolen mills, the (_)rr & Flesh 
Building, the J. \V. Pirown Building and 
others at Picpia, churches and schools at 
Ma\-\vood, the Forest School at Troy, the 
Manual Training Sclutol at West Milton, 
the Piqua Business Men's Club Building, 
and some of the finest i>rivate residences 
in the State. Mr. Fry is interested in a 
business way in the French Oil-Mill Ma- 
chine Works. 

in 1887 Mr. Fry was married to Miss 
.Mary A. Koutson. who died in September, 
1898, surviveil by four children — Alvin 
Victor, ^Margaret Irene. Raymond Ches- 
ter and Annie Elizabeth. Mr. Fry is a 
member of the First Presi)yteriau Church, 
in which he is a deacon. He is connected 
with the Business Men's Club, and is a 
representative nuui in all that pertains to 
good citizenship. 

P. A. YOl'NT, one of the leading mer- 
chants of West Milton, Oliio, is a member 
of the firm of Yonnt and Newby, ]iro- 
prietors of a flourishing grocery business. 
He was born in Miami County, south of 
West Milton, in 1872, and is a .son of S. K. 
and Mary P. (Peck) Youut. His grand- 
father, Elam Youut, was one of the pio- 
neers of ^liami County, coming from 
Pennsylvania in the early days. 

S. K. Yount in his early days followed 
farming, but for many years has followed 
carpentering and operated a thresiiing ma- 
chine, making his home in AVest Milton. 
He niiirried Mary P. Peck and they have 
two sons, P. A. Vount; and T. 0. Yonnt. 



806 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



who follows farming and is located near 
Rockford. 

P. A. Yount received liis schooling at 
West Milton, and then began his business 
career as a clerk in the store of which he 
is now one of the proprietors. In 1896 
he went to Indiana and there opened a 
grocery, which he ran for three years. 
Upon his return to West Milton he pur- 
chased the interest of H. A. Ireland in the 
business of the firm of Ireland & Smith- 
man. Mr. Smithman later sold his inter- 
est to Mr. L. C. Newby, and the tirm name 
became Yount & Newby and has continued 
as such to the present time. They origin- 
ally had a stock of hardware, which they 
sold out to Mr. E. T. Wenger, and have 
since conducted a grocery exclusively. 
They are located opposite the post office, 
in the old Randall Building, and carry a 
large stock of goods, such as their exten- 
sive patronage warrants. Mr. Yount was 
united in marriage with Miss Stella Cress 
of Miami County, and they have one son, 
Howard, who is attending the public 
schools. Politically, Mr. Yount is a Re- 
publican and served five years as a mem- 
ber of the village council. He was elected 
treasurer of West Milton in 1908, and is 
now capably discharging the duties of that 
office. Fraternally, he is a member of the 
Knights of Pythias and of the Masons. 

JACOB B. STICHTER, general farmer 
and representative citizen of Newton 
Township, who owns one farm of seventy- 
six acres and has a one-half interest in a 
second farm, of eighty acres, both situat- 
ed in Newton Township, was born in 
Clark County, Ohio, August 18, 1850. His 
parents were Jacob and Louisa (Brown) 
Stichter. 



Jacob Stichter was born in Union Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio in 
early manhood and for some years oper- 
ated a distillery at Medway, Clark Coun- 
ty, in partnership with his brother. After 
his marriage he settled on a rented farm 
near New Carlisle and in 1856 moved from 
there to Miami County, buying 160 acres 
of land in Newton Township. It was then 
a poor property with no improvement on 
it except a little log cabin. He took pos- 
session of that and went right to work to 
clear up his land and by 1860 was able to 
build a comfortable residence and good 
barn. He did all the draining necessary 
on this and his other land, constantly add- 
ing to his possessions until he had 400 
acres. He was a member of the Christian 
Church and was a man of many sterling 
virtues. He died in 1880 and both he and 
wife were interred in the Pleasant Hill 
Cemetery. He married Louisa Brown and 
they had eight children — William, Mary, 
Jacob B., Amelia, Sarah, Frank, Rebecca 
and Margaret. 

Jacob B. Stichter, in his boyhood, lived 
one and one-quarter miles from the near- 
est' school, which was at Pattytown, but 
he was willing to walk that distance as he 
was anxious to secure an education. He 
worked for his father until he was twenty 
years old and since then has been engaged 
in attending to his own affairs. For six 
years following his marriage, he resided 
on his father's farm in Newton Township 
and then bought the farm on which he 
has lived ever since. He cleared almost 
the whole of the seventy-six acres and has 
all under cultivation with the exception 
of five acres of second growth timber. Rec- 
ognizing the value of drainage, Mr. Stich- 
ter has put down about 1,000 rods of tile, 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



807 



and the large returns lie gets from his 
land proves the practical value of the early 
expenditure. His farm is one of the best 
in Newton Township. He grows tobacco, 
corn, wheat, oats and hay. 

In February, 1877, Mr. Stichter was 
married to Miss Mary Mullany, a daugh- 
ter of Patrick and Catherine Mullany, and 
they have had five children, namely: 
Charles, who is assistant editor of the 
Dayton Journal; James, who is engaged 
in the butchering business in Kansas; 
Clara and Harley, both residing at home; 
and Stella; who is now deceased. Mr. 
Stichter is a Eepublican in politics and 
has served as turnpike superintendent for 
twenty-five years but has refused other 
public offices which his friends in the town- 
ship have offered him. 

F. M. COPPOCK is a well-to-do agri- 
culturist of Union Township, Miami Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and resides three-quarters of a 
mile southwest of Ludlow Falls on the 
place entered by his great-grandfather at 
the time of his arrival in 1804. He was 
born in Franklin Township, Darke Coun- 
ty, Ohio, in 1857, and is a son of David C. 
and Emeline (Niles) Coppock, and a grand- 
son of James Coppock. 

James Coppock, the grandfather, was 
born in South Carolina in 1799 and was 
five or six years old when brought by his 
parents to Miami County, Ohio, in 1804. 
He lived here the remainder of his days 
and died on the home place in 1867, at the 
age of sixty-eight years. He married Jane 
Huntsman and they were parents of 
twelve children, of whom eight were sons. 

David Clark Coppock, father of the sub- 
ject of this record, was bom on the home 
farm in Union Township, April 13, 1832. 



He attended the primitive schools of that 
early period and then followed farming 
until he entered the Union Army during 
the Civil War. He enlisted in 1862 as a 
member of Company G, 110th Regiment, 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served with 
credit until the war closed. He then en- 
gaged in stock dealing, in which he was 
expert, and followed that business suc- 
cessfully during the remainder of his act- 
ive career. In 1882, he moved west to Ne- 
braska and still later to Oklahoma, where 
he passed his declining years in retire- 
ment. He and his wife both died in that 
territory in 1895. They had the follow- 
ing children: One who died in infancy; 
F. M. Coppock, whose name heads this 
record; Angenetta, wife of W. Honey- 
man; and Lewis M., a resident of Iowa. 

F. M. Coppock attended the public 
schools of Union Township and during his 
early years farmed for a time. He then 
became identified with stone quarrying, 
an industry in which he continued until 
1907. For sixteen years he operated a 
quarry himself and on the date mentioned 
closed it down and turned his attention 
to farming. The place on which he lives 
consists of seven acres and has been in the 
family name since the pioneer days when 
the family became established here. He 
also is the owner of two other tracts in 
Union Township, one of forty acres and 
the other of twelve acres. He erected the 
fine home in which he lives and has a 
highly improved property. 

Mr. Coppock was united in marriage 
with Miss Sarah A. Ehlers, a daughter of 
Otto Ehlers, and thoy have three children : 
Samuel, who is a conductor in the rail- 
way service; Mary; and Robert. Relig- 
iously, they are members of the Friend 



808 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Church. He is a Eeiniblican in politics 
and takes a deep interest in the success of 
that party. In fraternal affiliation, he is a 
member of the Knights of Pythias. 

ALBERT W. McCUNE, postmaster at 
Bradford, Ohio, of which place he is a 
leading business citizen, was born on a 
farm in Uarke County, Ohio, April 30, 
1859, and is a son of Thomas and Eliza- 
beth (Jay) McCune. 

Thomas McCune came to Ohio in 18.30, 
from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, choosing 
his home in Adams Township, near Get- 
tysburg, Darke County, Ohio, where pre- 
vious settlers from the same section had 
perpetuated the old familiar home names. 
Thomas McCune married in Ohio, the Jay 
family having come also from Pennsyl- 
vania in Elizabeth's girlhood. They con- 
tinued to ])e farming people of Darke 
County during the remainder of their 
lives. 

Albert AV. McCune was educated in Ad- 
ams Township and was reared on the home 
farm, where he continued to live for three 
years after his marriage, coming then to 
Bradford. He was employed as a clei"k 
in a local store for several years and then 
went into a mercantile business under the 
tirm name of Johnston & McCune, but 
when he was appointed postmaster, he sold 
out his mercantile interests and assumed 
his public duties on June 1, 1897. He is 
secretary and one of the directors of the 
Bi-adford Building and Loan Association 
and for fifteen years has been a member 
of the Bradford School Board, formerly 
being secretary and treasurer of this body. 

On December 19, 1880, Mr. McCune was 
married to Miss Ella AVestfall, a daughter 
of ,lolm AVestfall, of Greenville Township, 



Darke County, and they have had six chil- 
dren, namely : Harley, who died aged six 
years ; Chester ; Forrest, who died aged 
eighteen months ; Cora, who married Al- 
bert Kenneth Little, an attorney at Co- 
hunbus, and has two children, Delmas and 
Bernard; and Elizabeth and Fern. Ches- 
ter McCune, the second son of the above 
family, met an accidental death while 
performing his duties as a brakeman iu 
the railroad yards at Dayton, on Decem- 
ber 6, 190(5. He left a young wife, for- 
mei'ly Miss Dessie Carter, and an infant 
son, Chester Albert. The cutting off of 
this young man when only twenty-two 
years of age and with the brightest pros- 
])ecls of a happy and useful life before 
him, was a crushing domestic grief and 
aroused general sympathy. Mr. McCune 
is a leading member of the Bradford Pres- 
byterian Church, serving as a deacon and 
also on the board of trustees. Fraternally 
he is an Odd Fellow, a Knight of Pythias 
and a Red Man. 

G. L. COMPTON, D.D. vS., whose en- 
tire professional career has been spent in 
West Milton, enjoys a large and lucrative 
practice. He was born on the old Comp- 
ton homestead in Union Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, iu 188L and is a son of 
Isaac and Rachel (Coate) Comi)ton; Henry 
Coate, grandfather of the subject of this 
record, was a native of North Carolina 
and moved to Miami County, Ohio, when 
the country was still in a wild and unde- 
veloped state. He settled on the farm in 
Xewton Township, which has continued in 
the family name to the present time. 

Isaac Compton was born on the home 
farm in Union Township and engaged in 
farming throughout his active career. He 



AND REPRESENTATWE CITIZENS 



809 



is now a respected citizen of West Milton, 
wliere he is living in retirement. He mar- 
ried Rachel Coate, and to them were born 
four children : William H. of West Milton ; 
Omer, who is farming in Union Township ; 
Alice, who died at the age of four years; 
and Dr. G. L. Compton. 

G. L. Compton attended the common 
schools of the township and the West Mil- 
ton High School. After his graduation 
from that institution he completed a three 
years' course in dentistry at Ohio Medical 
University, from which he in 1905 received 
the degree of D. D. S. Immediately there- 
after he opened an office in the building 
of Compton Brothers at West Milton, 
where he has since been in active practice. 
Dr. Compton was married September 6, 
1905, to Miss Anna E. Miller, a daughter 
of Jefferson Miller, who is engaged in car- 
pentering at West Milton. They have one 
daughter, Miriam, who was born Septem- 
ber 17, 1906. In religious attachment, 
they are members of the Christian Church. 
The Doctor is a Republican in politics. 
Fraternally, he is aiBliated with the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows. 

J. W. STAHL, senior member of the 
mercantile firm of Stahl & Patty, is a 
leading business citizen of Bradford and 
an experienced man in his line, having 
been identified with it during almost the 
whole of his mature life. Mr. Stahl was 
born on a farm in Darke County, Ohio, 
June 3, 1858, and is a son of Samuel and 
Susan (Longenecker) Stahl. His father 
was a soldier of the Civil War, one who 
gave his life for the perpetuation of the 
Union. Just prior to the opening of that 
war, Samuel Stahl had established himself 
at Gettysburg, in Darke County, in the 



mercantile business, but he put aside all 
personal interests and entered the army. 
He served with credit until near the close 
of the Rebellion, when he was taken sick 
and died in a military hospital at Nash- 
ville, Tennessee, aged thirty-live years. 

W'hen J. \\'. Stahl was a little over ten 
years of age, he went to live with a farmer, 
John Mummert, in Adams Township, 
Darke County, and continued to make that 
his home until he was married, in 1883. In 
1889 he embarked in the mercantile busi- 
ness at Bradford, in jiartnership with ^Ir. 
Brumbaugh, under the style of Brum- 
baugh & Stahl, which continued for five 
years, when Mr. Bnunbaugh sold his in- 
terest to Boyer Brothers and the business 
name became Stahl & Boyer Brothers. _ 
Two years later, Mr. Stahl sold out and 
remained out of business from 1896 until 
1900, when he again entered into merchan- 
dising. With his present partner, Mr. 
Patty, he engaged one room in the Arnold 
Block and there handled dry goods and 
groceries. Increasing patronage soon de- 
manded more room, and storage quarters 
were secured in the rear, but a grocery 
department was soon added in order to 
accommodate customers and that room 
had to be utilized for the new stock. In 
- August, 1906, still better facilities had to 
be provided and another room was added 
in which a stock of clothing and gents' 
furnishings were placed and in addition 
to these different well equipped rooms the 
firm has secured three rooms on the sec- 
ond floor which they devote to carpets and 
draperies. In view of this expansion the 
time is not far distant when still larger 
quarters will have to be secured for a firm 
that is in so prosperous a condition. Both 
proprietors attend to customers and three 



810 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



sales people are also employed and more 
during the holiday seasons. 

On March 4, 1883, Mr. Stahl was mar- 
ried to Miss Maria Tobias, and they have 
four children — Luther E., Harley T., Mar- 
gie Olive and Chalmer F. Miss Margie 
Olive is a graduate of the Bradford High 
School and is a successful teacher at Brad- 
ford. Mr. Stahl and family are members 
of the Presbyterian Church. He is iden- 
tified with the order of Odd Fellows. 

CHARLES A. SCHNELL, one of the 
highly respected older citizens of Troy, 
now living retired in his pleasant home at 
No. 347 South Mulberry Street, is a native 
of Germany, having been born March 15, 
1830, in Saxe Coburg. It will be remem- 
bered that the brother of Prince Albert, 
husband of the late Queen Victoria, of 
England, was Ernest the Second, Duke of 
Saxe Coburg, and Mr. Schnell remembers 
seeing that admirable sovereign in her 
girlhood. 

In 1853, when twenty-three years of age, 
Mr. Schnell came to America and lived for 
a short time at Paterson, New Jersey, later 
making his home in the city of Baltimore, 
Marj^laud. There he learned photography 
and subsequently opened a photographic 
studio in Washington, D. C, which he con- 
ducted for one year, when he lost every- 
thing by fire. In 1858 he transferred his 
business interests to Troy, Ohio, and in 
May, 1860, he moved to Tippecanoe. In 
1862 he enlisted in the Federal Army, be- 
coming a member of Comjiany E, 106th 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and during his 
three years of continuous sei'vice was at- 
tached to tlie Army of the Cumberland. 
He enlisted as a private and through sol- 
dierly qualities became first sergeant of 



his company, being mustered out with that 
rank. 

Upon his return from the army, Mr. 
Schnell again located at Tippecanoe City, 
where he carried on photography until 
1871. He then returned to Troy, where he 
purchased a gallery on the Public Square 
and continued in the photographic business 
there for thirty years. His work was 
highly artistic in character and his patrons 
came from all over Miami County. In 
1860 Mr. Schnell was married to Miss Bar- 
bara Eitel, and they have three children: 
Charles F., who is in the plumbing busi- 
ness at Troy; Mary, who is the wife of 
David Metz, of Norwalk, Ohio ; and George 
v., who is also in the plumbing business 
at Troy. Mr. and Mrs. Schnell are mem- 
bers of the Lutheran Church. He is 
identified with the Grand Army of the 
Republic. 

E. W. YOUNT, who owns a good thirty- 
two-acre farm about four and a half miles 
northwest of Milton, was bom in 1861, one 
mile west of Tippecanoe City. His father 
was a native of Montgomery County, where 
after a short life spent in agriculture, he 
died at the age of twenty-three years, at 
which time the subject of this sketch was 
eighteen months old. 

E. W. Yount was reared in ]\liami 
County, and after his school days were 
over he took up farming for an occui^ation, 
at first renting a farm. In 1894 he bought 
his present place, on which he built a 
house and made other useful improve- 
ments. In addition to general farming, 
he raises tobacco, and also carries on a 
general blacksmith business. By dint of 
his own exertions lie has become one of 
the prosperous citizens of Union Town- 



AND REPRiESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



811 



ship and is a man respected by his neigh- 
bors for his industry and character. In 
politics he is a Republican and he was 
elected trustee of the township in 1905 and 
in 1907, being now an incumbent of that 
office. In the fall of 1908 he ran for the 
office of county commissioner but owing to 
adverse conditions was defeated. He is a 
member of the Friends' Church. Mr. 
Yount married Lauretta Coates of Union 
Township and they have three children — 
Harry, Frank, and Lena. 

AVILLIAM G. ELLIOTT, who is in 
partnership with Frank Palmer in the op- 
eration of a coal yard at Laura, Union 
Township, was born in Scotland, June 4, 
1882, a son of Andrew and Marian (Gil- 
christ) Elliott. His father, also a native 
of Scotland, came to the United States in 
March, 1887, locating in Pennsylvania. He 
is now engaged in coal mining in Indiana 
County. He and his wife have been the 
parents of a large family, numbering sev- 
enteen children. 

The subject of this sketch was a child 
less than five years old when he accom- 
panied his parents to America. He was 
educated in the schools of Pennsylvania 
and subsequently worked for three years 
in a glass factory and eight years in the 
coal mines of Pennsylvania, or until May 
7, 1904, when the firm of which he is now 
a member was formed. In addition to coal, 
the business includes the handling of all 
kinds of tiling, cement, plaster, etc., be- 
sides farm implements, the office of the 
concern being located on the Big Pour 
tracks. Mr. Elliott is doing a thriving 
business and is numbered among the rising 
citizens of the village. Politically he is a 
Republican. He belongs to the Knights 



of Pythias and the Kiiiglits of Malta, and 
is a member of the Christian Church. He 
married Alice Palmer, a daughter of Frank 
Palmer, and has three children— Frank, 
Marion, and William, who bid fair to keep 
up the credit of the family name. 

JOSEPH AV. AIEAXS, M. D., a prom- 
inent citizen of Troy, who is well known 
for his professional ability throughout this- 
section of Ohio, was born in Punxsutaw- 
ney, Pennsylvania, in 1855, his parents, 
Joseph and Alargaret Means, being both 
of German descent. Having completed his 
literary education in Pennsylvania Acad- 
emy, he came to Ohio and entered the sci- 
entific department of the National Noi-mal 
University at Lebanon, from which he was 
graduated in 1877. The next seven years 
of his life were spent in teaching school, 
and he proved himself an able educator; 
but not caring to continue longer in that 
occupation, he took up the study of his 
present profession and was graduated 
from the Pulte School of Medicine in 1881. 
AYishing, however, to acquire a further 
theoretical knowledge of this most difficult 
science, he matriculated in the Chicago 
Homeopathic College, where he took a 
post-graduate course in 1898. In 1897 he 
was elected president of the American As- 
sociation of Orificial Surgery in Chicago 
and in 1900 he became president of the 
Homeopathic Medical Society of Ohio. The 
doctor has been a resident of Troy since 
1881 and in that time has proved his value, 
not only as a professional man of high 
standing, but also as an intelligent citizen 
who keeps a close watch on public atfairs. 
In 1899 he served as president of the City 
Council of Troy, being elected from the 
First AVard. He has made a close study 



812 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



of economics and it was through his influ- 
ence that the city of Troy purchased the 
electric light plant and thereby reduced 
the price of current from twenty cents per 
thousand watts to eight cents. The Doctor 
is a stanch advocate of municipal owner- 
ship. In politics he is a Republican and 
he served for two years as coroner of Mi- 
ami County. His labors on behalf of the 
city have been markedly beneficial and 
have caused him to be regarded as one of 
Troy's most useful and representative 
citizens. 

Dr. Means was married, in 1881, to Miss 
Eola F. Roberts, of Christiansburg, Ohio, 
a daughter of George W. and Diantha 
(Corbley) Roberts. Of this union there 
is one daughter. Myrtle, who was born 
July 27, 1883. She is the wife of Charles 
F. Bryant, a druggist of Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Fraternally, the Doctor is connected with 
the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and 
the Knights of Pythias. 

CHARLES C. SCHULTZ is a prosper- 
ous farmer of Newton Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, and is the owner of a farm 
of eighty acres located in Section 3. He 
was born near Hari'isburg, Montgomery 
County, Ohio, October 21, 1867, and is a 
son of William and Sophia (Trost) 
Schultz. 

William Schultz lived in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, until some years after his 
marriage, then moved to Newton Town- 
ship, Miami Count^^ where his death oc- 
curred in 1882, while he was still in middle 
life. He was buried at Pleasant Hill Ceme- 
tery. Religiously he was a member of the 
Lutheran Church. He was a Democi*at in 
politics. He married Sophia Ti'ost, by 
whom he had five children, but two of 



whom grew up, namely, Charles C. and 
William J., who married Minnie Metzger. 
Mrs. Schultz formed a second union with 
Sebastian Holfinger, of Covington, and 
they have a son, Harry. 

Charles C. Schultz first went to school 
near Vandalia, and after the removal of 
his parents to Miami Coimty he attended 
school near Pleasant Hill, in Newton 
Township. He worked on the home farm 
until he reached his majority, then worked 
out by the month, his first summer being 
spent on a farm near Covington, and the 
second on one near Troy. After his mar- 
riage he conducted operations on his 
mother's farm for eleven years, then 
moved to his present farm, which his 
mother purchased for him and his brother. 
He later purchased his brother's interest. 
It was part of the R. M. Kaufman farm, 
and Mr. Schultz erected all of the build- 
ings now standing on the place. He 
cleared eight acres of the tract, laid about 
350 rods of tile for drainage, and has made 
other important improvements. He fol- 
lows general farming, and is meeting with 
good success. 

October 30, 1892, Mr. Schultz was joined 
in marriage with Miss Eva Reed, a daugh- 
ter of William and Lucinda Reed, and they 
have one son, Omer, who is attending the 
common schools. In religious attachment 
they are members of the Christian Church. 
He is a Democrat in politics, and served 
two years as church trustee. 

JAMES W. STAUFFER, whose acci- 
dental death on June 20, 1902, caused great 
regret throughout this section, was bom 
near Dayton, Ohio, December 28, 1850. His 
early industrial years were devoted to 
farming. On August 18, 1872, he married 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



813 



Abby Jones, who was a daughter of Will- 
iam and Elizabeth Jones, residents of this 
county. After his marriage he located on 
the old Asa Jones place, but later pur- 
chased thirty acres of land for himself. 
This he subsequently sold and moved on 
to the Georgetown Pike, in which location 
he engaged in the sawmill business and 
farming. He later bought a place there, 
and also built a house in Georgeto-mi, 
where he resided for nine years, operating 
an elevator and sawmill in Laura at the 
same time. In 1894 he removed to the vil- 
lage of Laura as his place of residence. 
He also purchased a farm in the vicinity, 
which he operated, though he never re- 
sided on it. He was the employer of a 
large number of men, and was a thriving 
and prosperous citizen. In politics a Re- 
publican, he held at times a number of 
township offices. He was especially inter- 
ested in the cause of education, and built 
a number of schools in the townsliip. At 
one time he was a candidate for the office 
of county commissioner. He was a man 
who was always before the public, and 
was known far and wide as a public-spir- 
ited citizen. His, death, which was due to 
his being run'over by a train, was a great 
shock as well as grief to the community. 
His remains now repose in the old Lud- 
low Cemetery. 

Mr. Stauffer was fraternally connected 
with the Knights of Pythias. He belonged 
to the Christian Church, and was much 
interested in church work. By his mar- 
riage with Abby Jones he had one child, 
Cora May, who married Newton Norris 
and resides in this township. Her husband 
is a farmer; they have no children. In 
addition to the above mentioned child, 
Mr. Stauffer and his wife adopted a boy 



— Edward M. Stauffer — who was bom 
August IS, 1882, and whom they took to 
rear in 1884. He is now residing on a 
farm which the sub.iect of this sketch gave 
him, and he also looks after the latter's 
estate. He married Edna Uvercash, of 
Muncie, Indiana, and has one son, Glenn, 
who was born June 12, 1903. 

ISAAC J. ROSENBEKGER, a retired 
farmer, and a well known minister in the 
Cliurch of the Brethren, is a man of con- 
siderable literary ability, and was for a 
period of twenty-eight years a traveling 
evangelist. He was born April 20, 1842, 
near Titlin, Seneca County, Ohio, and is a 
son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Hartsough) 
Rosenberger. 

Isaac J. Rosenberger was six years old 
when his parents removed to Hancock 
County, where his mother died four years 
later, and here his education was obtained 
in the district schools ne;ir his home. He 
taught in the district schools of that local- 
ity for about ten years, and during the 
war taught near Dayton, Ohio, for a period 
of three years. Subsequent to his mar- 
riage with ^lary Ann Workman, a daugh- 
ter of Morgan Workman, who was a re- 
tired farmer and stock dealer residing in 
Wooster, Ohio, he engaged in agricultural 
pursuits in Hancock County for one year. 
He then engaged in farming on a tract of 
land near Loudenville, Ashland County, 
Ohio, for four years, after which he re- 
turned to Hancock County, where he con- 
tinued his residence for eleven years. In 
the spring of 1883 Mr. Rosenberger came 
to Covington, Ohio, where he and his esti- 
mable wife still reside in a comfortable 
home on North High Street. Here he pur- 
chased a tract of 2(10 acres in Newton 



814 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Township, on wliieh lie has never lived. 
After coming to Covington, Mr. Rosen- 
berger took up chiuoli work and became 
an evangelist in the Church of the Breth- 
ren, otherwise known as the Dunkards, and 
for a period of twenty-eight years traveled 
throughout this section of the country, 
holding many successful meetings, his con- 
verts numliering about two thousand. 
Mr. Eosenberger has not devoted his en- 
tire attention to his church work, but also 
has literary tastes and leanings, having 
compiled and published a book entitled 
"Bible Readings and Bible Studies," and 
his volume on "Modern Spiritualism" is 
now in the hands of the publishers. He 
has also contributed hirgely to tract work, 
has written a number of articles on divorce 
and remarriage, among them being a treat- 
ise against divorce and remarriage. Mr. 
Eosenberger is still a minister of the local 
Church of the Brethren, of Covington, 
Ohio. 

DAVID B. PENNY, who conducts the 
largest general store in Laura, Union 
Township, his i:)lace of business being 
located on Main Street, was born one mile 
west of the town, and has resided in this 
vicinity all his life. He is a son of D. W. 
Penny, who was a farmer and early settler 
in this section. The great grandfather of 
the subject of this sketch was the first set- 
tler in this locality, and the house in which 
he lived is still standing. The family has 
since remained here, and its members in 
general have been numbered among the 
-enterprising and prosperous agi'iculturists 
of the county. 

D. W. Penny, father of David B.. farmed 
all his life, his place being located west of 
the town. He subsequently sold his farm, 



and is now residing in another part of the 
to^vnship. He married Mary Byerly, and 
their children are Mary, David, Minerva, 
Minnie and Harley, all of whom are now 
living. 

David B. Penny, after completing his 
studies, engaged in agriculture on the 
home farm, which he subsequently pur- 
chased. He continued to operate it on his 
oT\ni account until he bought his present 
store, when he sold it and bought forty 
acres elsewhere located, which he still 
owns, and a jiart of which he devotes to the 
raising of tobacco. He has some twenty- 
eight acres now planted with that crop. He 
is also doing a thriving business in his 
store, carrying some $6,000 worth of stock, 
including hardware, dry goods, general 
merchandise, etc. He has an up-to-date 
establishment, and has acquired an excel- 
lent reputation throughout this section as 
a business man of honorable methods. He 
serv'ed the township as justice of the peace 
for two terms — a period of six years — 
showing excellent capacity in his adminis- 
tration of the office. His first election was 
in 1901, and naturally resulted in his re- 
election for another term. Mr. Penny mar- 
ried Dona Noll and has two children, Edna, 
now seventeen years old, and Isabel, aged 
five. Mr. Penny is a Eepublican in poli- 
tics. 

SIMON CLATE MOETON, superin- 
tendent of the public schools of Pleasant 
Hill, is well known in this community both 
as an educator and also as a minister, 
having served as pastor of the Ludlow 
Christian Church from 1904 to 1908. His 
activities at present, however, are entirely 
centered in his educational work, for 
which he is well qualified, being a college 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



815 



graduate and holder of several degrees. 
He was born November 22, 1874, at Spen- 
cerville, Ohio, and is a son of William C. 
and Mary Ann (Evans) Morton. 

The grandfather of Mr. Morton, Thomas 
Morton, was a resident of Allen County, 
Ohio, where he died in 1884, aged seventy- 
nine years. He married Mary Miller and 
they had three children, William C, Nancy 
and Simon. 

W^illiam C. Morton was born near Spen- 
cerville, Allen County, Oliio, October 19, 
1849. He was a blacksmith at Spencer- 
ville for some years, later moved to Mi- 
ami County, near Tippecanoe City, later 
bought forty acres of land on which he 
yet resides, in Staunton Townshij). He 
'followed blacksmithing during the larger 
part of his active life, but now lives re- 
tired. In 1873 he was married to Mary 
Ann Evans, a daughter of Isaac and 
Catherine (Harter) Evans, and they had 
four children, Simon Clate, Frank, Alma 
and John. For a number of years Mr. 
Morton has been a deacon in the W'est 
Union Christian Church. He votes witli 
the Kep^iblican party. Init has never either 
sought nor accepted a political office. 

Simon Clate Morton enjoyed the distinc- 
tion of earning the first diploma ever is- 
sued in the public schools of Monroe 
Township, Miami County, after which he 
entered the High School at Tippecanoe 
City, Miami County, and following this 
course he taught school for two years in 
Union Township and then for six years 
was in the public schools of Monroe Town- 
ship, three years of which he was super- 
intendent of the township. During this 
period, on August 5, 1896, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Clara Bowman, a daughter of 
John and Amelia Bowman. To this mar- 



riage have been born eight children, name- 
ly: Edith, who is a student at Pleasant 
Hill ; Miriam and Lorna, both of whom at- 
tend school ; Amelia, Byron and Delmar, 
all at home; an infant son and an infant 
daughter, both of whom died at birth. 

For five years following his marriage 
Mr. Morton resided on a small farm con- 
taining ten acres and then moved to Rich- 
mond, Indiana, in order to take a collegi- 
ate course at Earlham College, graduat- 
ing in the class of 1903, with the degree 
of B. A. He then came to Pleasant Hill 
and took charge of the public schools at 
this place, finding his efforts highly ap- 
preciated. He is an earnest, thoughtful 
man, devoted to the work which he has 
made liis life career, and the results of his 
care, management and influence can easily 
be seen in the high standard to which he 
has brought the schools of this place. In 
1908 he received the blaster's degree from 
his college, and a life certificate from the 
State Board of Examiners. Mr. Morton 
is widely known and his personal friends 
are numbered by the score. 

HAERY IRVIN MORROW, a promi- 
nent farmer of Washington Township, 
who, with his two sisters, owns the old 
Milton Morrow farm of 200 acres, which 
lies along the AVasliington Turnpike, about 
two and one-half miles southwest of Pi- 
qua, was born and reared on this fine prop- 
erty. His parents were Milton and Clar- 
issa (Irvin) Morrow. 

The father of Mr. Morrow was also a 
native of ^Miami County, Ohio, and was 
l)orn in Washington Township, on the 
farm which adjoins the one under con- 
sideration, on the south. During the whole 
of a long and exemplary life he resided in 



816 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



this township, where he died in 1889. He 
was numbered with the most highly re- 
spected citizens and successful farmers. 
His father, Eichard Morrow, had come 
to Washington Township, from Pennsyl- 
vania, among the earliest settlers. Mil- 
ton married Clarissa Irvin, who was born 
and reared about seven miles distant from 
Dayton. She was a widow at the time, 
with one son, A. W. Prugh, who is a resi- 
dent of Piqua. To Milton Morrow and 
his wife were born three children : Emma, 
who married AVilliam Elliott, and resides 
at Piqua; and Luella and Harry Irvin. 
The mother of these children died in 1898. 
Harry Irvin Morrow was trained in ag- 
ricultural pursuits from his youth up, and 
is considered one of the township's most 
capable farmers. The family home is a 
commodious brick residence, which was 
built in 1876 and was then probably the 
finest country home in the township. Mr. 
Morrow is unmarried. 

G. C. ULLERY, M. D., who is success- 
fully engaged in the practice of medicine 
at AVest Milton, Miami County, Ohio, was 
born on a fai'm near Covington, this coun- 
tj, in 1880, a son of David E. and Eachel 
C. (Passage) UUery. He is a grandson 
of David and a great-grandson of Jacob 
Ullery, the latter of whom was born 
on Chincoteague Island, off the eastern 
coast of Maryland, March 5, 1772, and 
who came to Ohio about 1810. Jacob died 
in Newberry Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, August 7, 1847. He was of Ger- 
man descent and a member of the Dunk- 
ard, or German Bai>tist, Church. 

David Ullery, grandfather of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was born in Montgom- 
ery County, Ohio, February 28, 1809, and 



was a boy when he accompanied his par- 
ents to Miami County. He became a 
prosperous agriculturist of Newberry 
Township and was a man widely respect- 
ed. He was married, March 8, 1836, to 
Alsey Gibbons, who was born in Wheeling, 
West Virginia, March 20, 1818, a daughter 
of James and Mary Gibbons, who were na- 
tives of Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. David Ul- 
lery were the parents of three children — 
Jacob, who was killed in the Battle of At- 
lanta, Georgia, July 21, 1864; James G., 
who died in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 
and whose wife was Nellie Surratt, a na- 
tive of Tennessee ; and Mary E., who died 
April 8, 1873. David Ullery died June 5, 
1842. His wife survived him until April 
8, 1856. 

David E. Ullery, father of Dr. G. C. 
Ullery, was born on the parental home- 
stead in Newberry Township, October 25, 
1839. He was reared in the usual man- 
ner of farmer lads, attending the district 
schools, and receiving a good home train- 
ing. AVhile he was still a boy, his father 
died, and the management of the farm, 
comprising a quarter-section of land, 
passed into the hands of David's elder 
brother. David began work in the fields 
at a very early age. When the homestead 
was subsequently sold, disliking to see it 
pass wholly into the hands of strangers, 
he purchased 100 acres of it. In the spring- 
of 1872 he began the operation of a saw- 
mill, which business he followed in con- 
nection with farming for twenty-eight 
years. His enterprise was successfully 
conducted and his marked energy, perse- 
verance and business ability enabled him 
to acquire a comfortable comijetence. 

In the spring of 1861, in companj' with 
Hugh Hart, an old school friend, he 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



8i; 



started on horseback for Illinois to visit 
his brother, Jacob Ullery, but before they 
reached their destination Fort Sumter had 
been fired on. This news stirred the pa- 
triotic blood of these two travelers, and 
before reaching their journey's end they 
had determined to enlist. AVhen they ar- 
rived in Illinois they found that Mr. Ul- 
lery's brother, Jacob, had already joined 
the army, and David became a member of 
the same company for three months ' serv- 
ice. Enlisting April 22, 1861, he was as- 
signed to Company D, Twentieth Illinois 
Volunteers, under Captain C. L. Paige, 
and afterwards re-enlisting as a veteran, 
served until the close of the war. He and 
his brother fought side by side until the 
Battle of Atlanta, where the brother was 
killed, dying on the field. The Twentieth 
Illinois was assigned to Gen. John A. Mc- 
Clernand's Division, and after the Battle 
of Shiloh was in the First Brigade, Third 
Division, under command of Gen. John 
A. Logan, in the Seventeenth Army Corps, 
under the command of Gen. McPherson. 
Mr. Ullery participated in the Battles of 
Fort Henry, Fort Douelson, Shiloh, where 
he was wounded by a piece of shell, and in 
manj^ smaller engagements in the Corinth 
Campaign and around Vicksburg. He took 
part in the Battles of Fort Gibson and 
Baj-moud, in the latter of which he re- 
ceived a wound affecting the right lung, 
from which he never fully recovered. His 
subsequent time was spent in the hospital 
imtil October, 18G3, when he returned to 
his regiment. Promoted to the rank of 
sergeant, he accompanied Sherman's com- 
mand on the march to Meridian. In the 
spring of 1864 he re-enlisted and was 
granted a tliirty-day furlough, at the end 
of wliich he joined his regiment at Siiring- 



field, Illinois. Soon after hv joined Sher- 
man's army at Ack worth, Georgia, when 
he took part in the Battles of Keuesaw 
Mountain and Atlanta, in the latter of 
whi(!li his regiment suffered iieavy loss, 
Mr. Ullery 's brother, Jacob, as already 
mentioned, being among the slain. 

On July 22d, after some desperate fight- 
ing and when the Twentieth Illinois was 
reduced to a renmant, Mr. Ullery was cap- 
tured by the enemy. He spent the time 
from that date until February 27, 1865, 
in Southern prisons, first in Anderson- 
ville, tJien at Savannah, Georgia ; Charles- 
ton, South Carolina, and Florence, South 
Carolina. He was then paroled at Wil- 
mington, North Carolina, and sent to St. 
Louis, subsequently going to Springfield, 
Illinois, where he was discharged July 13, 
1865. He came home shattered in health, 
and weighing only seventy pounds, as a 
result of the hardships he had experienced. 

On the 26tli of August, 1865, only about 
a month after his return from the war, 
Mr. Ullery was united in marriage with 
Miss Kachel C. Passage, of Piqua, Ohio, 
who was a representative of an old pio- 
neer family of the State. He parents were 
Peter and Sarah (Lines) Passage, and 
she was a granddaugliter of Henry Pas- 
sago, who was married in New York City 
to a Miss Ciaussor, a German lady. Henry 
Passage emigrated westward at an early 
day and died near New "Waverly, Indiana. 

Peter Passage, father of Mrs. Ullery, 
was born in Connecticut, in 1801, and when 
fourteen years of age went to New York 
City, where he was reared to manhotxl. 
By trade he was a cabinet maker, and at 
an early day he removed to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, where he learned surveying. He fol- 
lowed the latter occupation until a year 



818 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



prior to his marriage, which event took 
place in Piqua, the lady of his choice being 
Miss Sarah Lines, a daughter of Levi 
Lines. After residing for some time in 
Piqua, Peter Passage and his wife moved 
to New Carlisle, Ohio. He later worked 
for some time as section boss on the canal, 
during which time his family made their 
home at Houston, Shelby County, Ohio. 
Here his death occurred, on December 20, 
18i5. His widow and the family then lo- 
cated in Piqua, and after the marriage of 
her daughter to Mr. UUery she made her 
home with them until she, too, was called 
away, in 1887, at the age of eighty-six 
years. She was a native of Cincinnati. 
Her other children were, Cinderella, who 
married Anthony Harp, of Polo ; Eliza- 
beth, who became the wife and then the 
widow of James Harp, of Piqua; Levi, 
who died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, about 
1889; Kebecca, wife of John Sprague; 
Peter, who died in Polo, Ohio, in 1896; 
and Jennie, who married Jacob Bowers. 

Mr. and Mrs. David E. Ullery, after their 
marriage, took up their residence in a 
home which he prepared on a part of the 
Ullery homestead, where they enjoyed 
many years of hapjiiness, devoted to each 
other and the family. They had six chil- 
dren : Minnie G., now the wife of Will- 
iam Drees, of Covington, Ohio ; James El- 
lison, who died at the age of two and a 
half years ; Sadie E., wife of William Orr, 
of Piqua; Clifford C, who died at the age 
of eighteen; Joseph C, and Gustin C, 
whose name appears at the head of this 
article. The father of this family died in 
1902, at the age of about sixty-three years. 
He had taken a prominent part in public 
affairs, serving capablj' in various town- 
ship offices. For fourteen years he was a 



member of the School Board, during which 
time he accomplished much for the cause 
of education locally. For eleven years 
also he was township trustee. He was 
elected real estate appraiser of Newberry 
Township in the fall of 1899, without op- 
position. In politics he was a stalwart Re- 
publican. He was a member of the Chris- 
tian Church, and of Langston Post, G. A. 
R., at Covington. He was a man of genial 
personality, widely popular, and was by 
general consent classed among the enter- 
l^rising and honored citizens of his na- 
tive county. 

Gustin C. Ullery received his education 
in the schools of Covington and subse- 
quently became a student in the ^ledieal 
Department of the Indiana University, 
from which he was graduated in 1907. He 
then located for practice in West Milton, 
entering into association with Dr. H. R. 
Pearson. This connection lasted nine 
months, since which time Dr. Ullery has 
practiced alone, his office being conve- 
niently located on Main Street. He mar- 
ried Vera Elizabeth Douglass, a daughter 
of D. F. Douglass, of West Milton, and 
they are the j^arents of one child, a daugh- 
ter, Virginia. Politically Dr. Ullery is a 
Republican. He belongs to the Sons of 
Veterans, Col. J. C. Ullery Camp, No. 20, 
of Covington; also to the Masons. He is 
a member of the Christian Church. 
Though Dr. Ullery has not been long in 
the practice of his profession, he has al- 
ready proved that he is a capable physi- 
cian and surgeon. He is a close student 
and there can be little doubt that as the 
years go by he will be found well abreast 
of Twentieth Century progress in medical 
science. As a man and citizen he is held 
in higli esteem by all who know him. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



819 



BENJAMIN F. LOXLEY, Jr., is a 
prominent farmer and dairyman of New- 
ton Township, Miami County, Ohio, where 
he owns a splendid farm of 1'22 acres, lo- 
cated in Section 3. He was born in New- 
berry Township, Miami County, Ohio, Oc- 
tober 30, 1872, and is a son of Benjamin 
F. and Phoebe Ann (Kaylor) Loxley. 

Benjamin F. Loxley, Sr., who resides 
about half a mile north of Bradford, in 
Newberry Township, is one of the most 
substantial men of that vicinity. He for- 
merly owned about 700 acres of laud, but 
with the exception of 240 acres which he 
retains, sold it off to his children. He was 
born at West Alexander, Preble County, 
Ohio, April IS, 1834, and attended school 
near Lexington. He was uuited in mar- 
riage with Phoebe Ann Kaylor, who was 
a daughter of Benjamin and Mary Eliza- 
beth Kaylor. She died December 24, 1874, 
and left the following children — Ida, 
Charles, Ella, Lucy, Amanda, Miua and 
Benjamin F., Jr. Mrs. Loxley was buried 
in Zion Church Cemetery in Preble Coun- 
ty. Mr. Loxley formed a second union 
with Sallie Miller, a daughter of Michael 
and Mary Miller, and they have had the 
following children — Samuel, Nora, Jesse, 
Edward, Isaiah, Jennie, Jonas and Jere- 
miah. Religiously he is a devout member 
of the Dunkard Church. He is a Democrat 
in politics. 

Benjamin F. Loxley, Jr., attended school 
at Blind Corners, and at an early age 
helped farm the home place. After he had 
reached maturity he worked for his father 
by the month until his marriage, in 1894. 
He then began farming the 160-acre farm 
belonging to his wife's mother, in Newton 
Township, and so continued for three 
years. In 1898 he purchased eighty acres 



of that farm, to which he later added 
forty-two acres from the farm of Andrew 
Williams. He erected all the buildings on 
the latter tract, the residence on which 
is occupied by the man he employs to farm 
the place. He has repaired the buildings 
on the eighty-acre tract, erected a cattle 
shed and an implement shed, and laid 
many rods of tiling for drainage. It is 
under a high state of cultivation and is 
excellent wheat land, its yearly yield dur- 
ing the past decade varying between thirty 
and thirty-seven and a half bushels per 
acre. He has ten acres in tobacco each 
year, and has a good tobacco shed. He 
has engaged in dairying for the i)ast five 
years, furnishing Bradford with about 
10,000 gallons of milk a year. He is quite 
a large stock raiser, making a specialty of 
Durham aud Holstein cattle and a high 
grade of horses. 

December 25, 1894, Mr. Loxley was 
united in marriage with Mina Kauflfman, 
a daughter of George and Rebecca Kauff- 
mau, and the following children were 
born to them — Helen; Lawson; George; 
Ray; Margaret; and Lillian. Religiously 
they are members of the Christian Church, 
of which he is a trustee. He is a Demo- 
crat in politics. 

E. T. WENGER. who has a large and 
well established hardware business at 
West Milton, Miami County, Ohio, came 
to this village in January, 1909, but in the 
brief period which has since elapsed has 
become well acquainted, and is firmly es- 
tablished in the good will of the people of 
the community. He was boi-n in Darke 
County, Ohio, in 1867, and was one of 
eight children born to I. S. and Letitia 
(Thomas) Wenger. His father followed 



820 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



fanning in Darke County for many years, 
and is now a prominent retired citizen of 
New Madison. 

E. T. Wenger attended the public 
schools of Darke County, after which he 
farmed the home place for a time. He 
then embarked in the hardware business 
at Eldorado, Preble County, continuing 
for six years. He was then engaged in a 
similar business at Lewisburg five years, 
and in January, 1909, moved to West J\Iil- 
ton, where he purchased the hardware 
store of Yout & Newby. He carries a com- 
plete general line of hardware, paints and 
oils, and the usual side lines, and occupies 
two stories and a basement of a building 
located across from the post office. He has 
a finely arranged store, and enjoys a lib- 
eral patronage at the hands of the people. 

Mr. Wenger was first united in marriage 
with Miss Kate Minieh, of Preble County, 
Ohio, who died in September, 1906, leav- 
ing two children, Eussell and Pearl. In 
October, 1908, he formed a second union 
with Miss Alma Albert, and they reside in 
a comfortable home in West Milton. Ee- 
ligiously, they are members of the New 
Lutheran Church. Politically, the subject 
of this sketch is independent, always giv- 
ing his support to the man best fitted for 
the office. Fraternally, he is a member of 
the Knights of Pythias. 

JOHN H. MILLER, who comes of a 
prominent old family of Miami County, 
Ohio, has been a resident of the county all 
his life and of Washington Township since 
1869. He has 118% acres of land, located 
on the Piqua and Lockington Pike, about 
three miles north of Piqua. He was born 
in Spring Creek ToMuship, Miami County, 
December 26, 1842, and is a son of Mathias 



and Sabina (Hawthorne) Miller, a grand- 
son of Abraham Miller, and a great- 
grandson of Mathias Miller, who was a ^ 
Pennsylvania German and a soldier under f 
Captain Bundy in the Eevolutionary War. 

Abraham Miller, above named, was bom 
in Pennsylvania, and became one of the 
earliest pioneers of Miami County, Ohio, 
settling on Honey Creek, south of 
Fletcher. Mathias Miller, father of the 
subject of this record, was born in Miami 
County, Oliio, and lived here until his 
death. His widow moved to Piqua, where 
she subsequently died. Mathias Miller 
was married to Sabina Hawthorne, who 
was born in St. Mary's, Ohio, but was of 
an early Miami County familj'. Her father, 
John Hawthorne, was a native of Ireland, 
but about the year 1816 settled on what for 
a long time was known as the Turk farm, 
on St. Mary's Pike, in Washington Town- 
ship, Miami County. 

Jolm H. Miller Avas reared on the home 
farm in Spring Creek Township, and has 
been identified with farming since his boy- 
hood days. He was married late in 1868,- 
and the following year purchased his pres- 
ent farm in Washington Township. He in 
that year erected a fine brick house, which 
still stands on the place, and set about mak- 
ing one of the best improved properties of 
the township, fie is a man of considerable 
native abilit}', and has always been success- 
ful in his business affairs. 

December 17, 1868, Mr. Miller was 
joined in marriage with Miss Annie 
Archer, who was reared in Allen County, 
Indiana, and was a daughter of William 
Archer. Her death occurred February 2, 
1900. Their marriage resulted in the birth 
of seven children, as follows: One who 
died in infancy; Frank M., who is married 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



821 



and lives in Lockington; Harry E., who 
died at the age of twentj'-six years ; Erlon, 
ticket agent for the Pere ^larcjiiette Rail- 
road at New Richmond, Michigan, who is 
married and has two daughters, Hortense 
and Jeanette; S. Bertram, of Boies City, 
Iowa, who is married and has a daughter, 
Mary Catherine; Cloyd, who lives at home 
and operates the home farm; and Flor- 
ence, who died in 1898. Mr. ^Miller is a 
man of wide acquaintance, and is most 
highly esteemed. 

JOSIAII FILBEY, a well known farmer 
of Union Township, ^liami County, Ohio, 
is located on the old home place of 74V'i; 
acres, situated about one mile north of 
West Milton. He was born in "West Milton 
March 18, 1850, and is a son of George and 
Barbara (Folckemer) Filbey, who were for 
many years prominent in the vicinity of 
West Milton. 

George Filbey was born in Berks 
County, Pennsylvania, April 9, 1809, and 
there learned the trade of a hamessmaker. 
In 1833 he opened a harness shop in 
Wrightsville, Pennsj'lvania, which he con- 
ducted for three years, and then moved to 
Jefferson Coiinty, in the same state. He 
moved west to Galion, Ohio, and conducted 
a shop for one j'ear, then located on a farm 
in the vicinity of that city. After fanning 
there for three years, he in 1849 moved to 
West Milton, Miami County, Ohio, where 
he followed his trade until 1870, the year 
in which he retired to his fann in Union 
Townshii"), one mile north of the village. 
There he lived until his death, which oc- 
cnrred April 25, 1890. He was one of the 
best known men in this part of the county, 
and was highly i-espected and esteemed by 
every one. He was married to Barbara 



Folckemer, who was Ijorn at Shrewsbury, 
Pennsylvania, where her father was en- 
gaged as a brick maker ; she died on this 
farm January 9, 1892. They had the fol- 
lowing children : Oliver, who was bom in 
1833 and died in 1904; Samuel, who died in 
infancy; Ellen, who was born in 1837 and 
died in 1895; William, who was bom in 
1840 and died May 14, 1863; Rebecca, who 
was born in 1842 and died August 6, 1906; 
George, who was born April 7, 1845, and is 
engaged in the harness business at West 
Milton; Frank, who was born September 
14, 1847, and is with his brother in the har- 
ness business at AYest Milton; Josiah; and 
Margaret, who was born in 1853 and lives 
with her brother, Josiah, on the home 
farm, a part of which she owns. William 
Filbey, who died during the Civil War, was 
a soldier, and was a member of Company 
D, Ninety-fourth Regiment, 0. Vol. Inf. 

Josiah Filbey was educated in the schools 
of West Milton, after which he turned his 
attention to fanning. He has always lived 
on the home place, and successfully carries 
on general farming and tobacco growing. 
He also has dealt quite extensively in 
horses. He is a liberal and broad-minded 
man, and takes a deep interest in all that 
pertains to the welfare and advancement 
of the community. He is a Republican in 
politics, but has never been a seeker for 
office. In religious attachment he and Miss 
Filbey are members of the Presljyterian 
Church. He also is affiliated with the 
Knights of Pythias nt West ^lilton. 

AARON WELLBAU:\r, one of Newton 
TownshiiD's most respected citizens, now 
living retired on his farm of forty acres, 
located in Sections 10 and 15, has resided 
here for more than foiiv-three vears. He 



822 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



was born October 15, 1830, in Newton 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a 
son of David and Catherine (Hittle) Well- 
baiun. 

David Wellbanm was born in 1800, in 
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and ac- 
companied his parents to Ohio. In later 
years he frequently told of passing 
through Dayton, which was then a little 
settlement of three log houses. The Well- 
baums secured Government land in Miami 
County, and the old sheepskin deed is still 
preserved which entitled them to four 
quarter sections near the Stillwater River. 
David Wellbaum assisted his father in the 
clearing of the land, and came into posses- 
sion of a part of it. This he sold in 1851, 
and moved to Illinois, where he died in 
1861. He married Catherine Hittle, a 
daughter of Nicholas and Eva Hittle, and 
they had eleven children: Susan, Annie, 
John, Elizabeth, Aaron, Silas, Catherine, 
Jackson, Richard, Martha and Lavina. The 
mother of this family died in 1865. Both 
parents were worthy members of the 
Christian Church. In politics, the father 
was a Democrat. 

Aaron AVellbaum attended school in 
Newton Township in his boyhood, and re- 
mained with his father until 1851. and then 
accompanied the family to Illinois. He was 
not satisfied, however, in the new sur- 
roundings, and after sixteen months came 
back to Newton Township, and has lived in 
this locality ever since. He worked for dif- 
ferent farmers, assisting them in clearing 
up their lands and in farming until 1869, 
when he came to his present projierty. He 
had all the land to clear and all the im- 
provements to make. Before getting his 
land into its present fertile condition, he 
found it advisable to put in some 400 rods 



of tile, in that way making perfect drain- 
age. For many years Mr. Wellbaum oper- 
ated his farm with much success, only re- 
cently permitting himself to retire from 
active labor and enter upon the enjoyment 
of the rest that has been well earned. 

On November 14, 1858, Mr. Wellbaum 
was married to ^liss Elizabeth Deeter, a 
daughter of Daniel H. and Mary Ann 
Deeter, and they have had a family of thir- 
teen children bearing, respectively, the fol- 
lowing names : Daniel, Catherine, Mary 
Ann, Joseph, Lydia and Jane (twins), 
Martha, Samuel, Adeline, Elizabeth, Daisy, 
Amanda and Lovaly. Sickness and death 
have come into the family circle at differ- 
ent times, and four of the children have 
passed out of this life, these being Daniel, 
Mary Ann, Joseph and Lovaly. Mr. Well- 
baum and family are members of the Ger- 
man Baptist Church. He has always cast 
his vote with the Democratic party. 

C. M. ALBAUGH is owner and proprie- 
tor of the West Milton Lumber Comj^any, 
at West Milton, Ohio, and has the largest 
establishment of the kind in this section, 
his office and yard being located at the 
intersection of Hamilton Street and the 
C, H. & D. Railroad. He was born in 
Miami County, Ohio, in 1860, his grand- 
father being one of the earliest settlers of 
the county, locating in the vicinity of West 
Milton. 

B. F. Albaugh, father of the subject of 
this record, was also born in Miami 
County, and is now living on a farm near 
Covington. He has always followed farm- 
ing, and in addition engaged in teaching 
school for some thirty-five years. He was 
married to Priscilla Mendenhall, who was 
born and reared near West Milton, in 




DAVID L. FACE 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



823 



]\Jiaiiii County, and they became parents of 
six sons and tliree daughters. 

C. M. All.augh attended the district 
schools, and 'was graduated from Coving- 
ton High School, after which he attended 
Ohio State University for two years. After 
leaving that institution, he farmed for a 
time, then for nine years was in the rafl- 
way postal service. Upon giving up that 
position he conducted a lumber yard at 
Bellefontaine, Ohio, for two years, in part- 
nership with a brother. In 1905 he moved 
to West Milton, where he purchased the 
lumber yard of Joseph Murphy, conduct-- 
ing it successfully until June 22, 1908, 
when it was destroyed by fire. The same 
year he erected his present splendid plant, 
the largest and most complete in this part 
of the county. He carries all kinds of soft 
lumber, sashes and doors, and general 
building materials, and enjoys a liberal 
patronage at the hands of the peojjle of 
the vicinity. 

^Ir. Albaugli was united in marriage 
with ]\Iiss Minnie Lilley, of Columlnis. and 
they have two children : Bertha, who com- 
pleted a musical course in Ohio Wesieyan 
University at Delaware, and is now giving 
instructions in music; and Lilley, who acts 
as bookkeeper for her father. Politically, 
he is a Republican. He is a member of the 
Masonic Fraternity, and the Independent 
Order of Odd Fellows. Religiously, he and 
bis wife are members of the Christian 
Church. 

DAVID LOUIS FACE, deceased, was, 
for many years one of Covington's best 
known citizens and one who will surely be 
remembered long after many of those who, 
during their span of life, made much larger 
pretentions. He was born at Covington, 



Ohio, February G, 1851, and died at his 
comfortable home here, November 8, 1906, 
at the age of fifty-five years, nine mouths 
and two days. He had survived both par- 
ents and his two brothers. He was a sou 
of Louis and Elizabeth (Lindsay) Face. 

Mr. Face obtained a good common school 
education in his native city and when 
eighteen years of age, adopted the stone 
quarry business, in which his father was 
engaged. For some years he was at work 
on the south side of Covington but later 
became interested in his quarry west of 
Covington, which he continued to operate 
until the close of his life and which enter- 
prise is still continued by his widow. 

At Xenia, Ohio, on January 20, 1886, 
Mr. Face was married to Miss Margai'et 
Pierce, who is a daughter of Henry and 
Ann Jane (Helmer) Pierce, old residents 
of Greene County, and a great-grand- 
daughter of Henry Hill, of New York, who 
served as a druunuer boy in the Revolu- 
tionary War. Through this ancestor, Mrs. 
Face is a member of the Daughters of the 
American Revolution. ^Irs. Face was born 
in Champaign County, Ohio, but she was 
reared in Greene County, and since her 
marriage has been a resident of Miami 
County and is a very highly esteemed mem- 
ber of society at Covington. To this mar- 
riage no children were born, but ^Ir. and 
Mrs. Face reared and carefully educated 
an orphan niece. 

In the leading ideas of his life, the late 
David Louis Face was a great and good 
man, one who was fearlessly true to his 
convictions and at all times outspoken in 
denouncing people and methods which did 
not come up to his ideas of right and hon- 
est living. No one ever came into close 
contact with him, however, without being 



824 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



convinced of the real integrity of his mo- 
tives and if, at times, liis language was 
more forcible than elegant, the ring of real 
conviction was ever present. No more gen- 
erous man ever lived in Covington, benev- 
olence flowed from right and left hand, 
and the siun of his charities will never be 
fully known to his fellow citizens, hundreds 
of whom were benefited by him on many oc- 
casions. He was notably loyal to his 
friends and to his city and while he was 
fearless in his condemnation of what he 
believed to be questionable in either, he 
gave warm-hearted support to both private 
objects and public measures in which lie 
saw genuine worth. During the later 
years of his life bodily affiction reduced 
his great strength but in no way changed 
his noble natiire or lessened his tenderness 
to his devoted wife and niece, who was al- 
most a daughter. 

Mr. Face had not united with any re- 
ligious l)ody but he had accepted the truths 
of Christianity and in June, 1902, had been 
baptized. He was a member of the order 
of Knights of Pythias and his funeral serv- 
ices at the cemetery were conducted with 
their imposing ritual. 



issued every Thursday, and is independent 
in politics. 

The late Robert Cantwell, whose death 
occurred on Mai-cli 18, 1908, enlisted at 
Boston in the Federal Army when only 
seventeen years of age, and served as a 
member of Company E, First Regiment, 
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, until 
it was discharged. Mr. Cantwell was mar- 
ried in 1886 to Miss Catherine Widener, of 
Covington, who survives him. 

Another of the three brothers, Rev. Dr. 
J. S. Cantwell (who died at Chicago in 
December, 1907), was a prominent min- 
ister and editor in the Universalist denom- 
ination, and at the time of his decease was 
the "Western Editor of the Universalist 
Leader, published in Boston, Mass. 

W. F. Cantwell was admitted to the 
Masonic fraternity at Newport, Kentucky, 
when a young man, becoming a member of 
Robert Burns Lodge, and he is an active 
member of the Covington Lodge, in which 
he served a term as Senior Warden and 
sis years as Secretary. He is a citizen 
zealous for the prosperity of the city, and 
his i^en is ever ready to intei'est his fellow 
citizens in public-spirited movements. 



W. F. CANTWELL, editor and propri- 
etor of the Covington Gazette, was bom in 
the city of New York, and learned the 
pi-inter's trade in the East. Coming west, 
he worked in Cincinnati until 1883, in asso- 
ciation with his brother, the late Robert 
Cantwell, and then came to Covington. The 
brothers purcjiased the Gazette from W. 
A. Browne, now of Green\'ille, Ohio, and 
the business was conducted under the firm 
na,me of R. & W. F. Cantwell, which style 
is retained. This is a live journal, de- 
voted to the interests of Miami County; is 



GAINOR JENNINGS, M. D., has been 
engaged in the practice of medicine at West 
Milton, Aliami County, Ohio, for twenty-sis 
years, and enjoys a prestige throughout 
the surrounding country. He was bom at 
West Carroll, Ohio, June 4, 1862, and is a 
son of Dr. Solomon Jennings, of West Mil- 
ton, who is the oldest practitioner in this 
section. The latter has been in practice 
here during the past forty-seven years, and 
has his office with his son, devoting his at- 
tention solely to the treatment of chronic 
disea.ses. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



825 



Gainor Jenuiugs received his early edu- 
cational traiuiDg in the public schools at 
West ]\Iilton, supplemented by a scientific 
course in Earlham College, at Richmond, 
Indiana. He then began px-eparation for 
Ids professional career, completing medi- 
cal courses at Baltimore, Maryland, and 
at Cincinnati, Ohio. Immediately after 
graduation he opened an office for practice 
at West ^rilton, where he has since con- 
tinued with the highest success. He is a 
thorough student, and keeps well abreast 
the rapid advancement being made in 
medical science; he not only has the confi- 
dence of the people, professionally, but as 
well their friendship and highest esteem. 
His office is in a brick building which he 
owns and had built. 

Dr. Jennings was imited in marriage 
with Miss Amanda Pearson, of West Mil- 
ton, and thoy have two sons: Paxton; and 
Ewing, who has been studying in Germany 
for more than a year. Politically, the Doc- 
tor is a Democrat, and is a member of the 
School Board. For more than twenty 
years he has been surgeon for the C. H. & 
D. Railway Company. Fraternally, he is 
a member of Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., 
Knights Templar, the Mystic Shrine, and 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Re- 
ligiously, he and his wife are members of 
the Christian Church. 

BERNARD FELGER, a prominent and 
respected citizen of Newton Township, Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, is the owner of two 
fanns in Section 3 of that township, one 
of 141 acres, on which he lives, and another 
of sixty-six acres. He is now living prac- 
tically a retired life but oversees the work 
on his farms; he is also interested in the 
Stillwater Valley Bank at Covington, of 



which he is a director. Mr. Felger was 
born in AVurtemberg, Germany, Decem- 
ber 23, 1856, and is a son of Martin and 
Margaret (Steinhilber) Felger. 

Martin Felger was born in Wurtemberg, 
Germany, October 30, 1825, and lived in 
that country until he was forty years of 
age. He then set sail for the United 
States, with his wife and the two children 
then living, the voyage consuming seven- 
teen days. He located in Covington, Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, where he thereafter fol- 
lowed his trade as shoemaker during the 
remainder of his active days. He now 
lives at that place, enjoying life at the 
age of eighty-our years, and his wife has 
passed the eighty-second milestone of life. 
He owns a fine property there and also has 
stock in the Building and Loan Associa- 
tion. He is a Democrat in politics. Relig- 
iously both he and his wife are consistent 
members of the Lutheran Church. She 
was in maiden life ^Margaret Steinhilber 
and is a daughter of Bernard and Agnes 
Steinhilber. The following children were 
born to them: Peter, who died in in- 
fancy; Agnes, deceased; Bernard; Agnes, 
who married William Routson and has 
four children, William, Glenna, Maude 
and May; and Rollen, who married Anna 
Steinhilber, of Covington, and has three 
children, Carl, Ivan and George. 

Bernard Felger attended school two 
years in his native country, then completed 
his educational training in the schools at 
Covington. After leaving the grade schools 
he worked on a farm for a time, then at- 
tended high school in Covington. He then 
began raising tobacco on shares on the 
farm he now lives upon, and he has farmed 
this place ever since. He purchased of 
Joseph Layton his farm of sixty-six acres 



826 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



in Newton Township, but never moved 
npou it, and he later purchased the 141 
acres comprising- his liome farm. He 
erected all the buildings on the Layton 
tract, cleared a portion of it and put in 
about 800 rods of tile for drainage. There 
are two sets of buildings on the home 
place, he having remodeled the house 
where his tenant lives in the spring of 
1909, the others having been built before 
his occupancy of the place, but he built a 
tobacco shed in the summer of 1908. He 
has about twenty-five acres of timber on 
this farm. He follows general farming 
and also has raised considerable stock of 
a good grade. 

Mr. Felger was married March 6, 1881, 
to Miss Emma Musselman, a daughter of 
John and Sarah Musselman, and to them 
were born the following: Sarah, wife of 
Samuel B. Holfinger; Margaret, who died 
in infancy; Verna; and Edna, who is at- 
tending school. In religious attachment, 
they are members of the Lutheran Church 
of Covington. In politics Mr. Felger holds 
Democratic principles. He has served as 
a member of the Board of Education of 
the township, and at one time was candi- 
date for the office of county commissioner. 

H. S. LAMBERT, D. D. S., who has 
been engaged in the practice of dentistry 
longer than any other man in West Milton, 
has an office on Miami Street. He has 
well arranged and modernly equipped 
apartments and enjoys an extensive prac- 
tice. 

Dr. Lambert was born in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, November 7, 1863, and is 
a son of J. Lewis and Susan (Heirsman) 
Lambert; he is one of seven children, of 
whom five are now living. J. Lewis Lam- 



bert was born in Virginia, but was a mere 
child when his pai-ents moved to Montgom- 
ery County, Ohio. There he grew to ma- 
turity and for many years followed his 
trade as a carpenter. He died about the 
year 1890 at the age of sixty-five years. 

H. S. Lambert attended the public 
schools of Montgomery County, Ohio, and 
after completing the prescribed course be- 
gan preparation for the profession of den- 
tistry under a preceptor, receiving a cer- 
tificate of examination. He first practiced 
at Lewisburg, in Preble County, where he 
continued for three j^ears, and then for 
two years practiced at Salem, Phillipsburg 
and Brookville, all at the same time. In 
November, 1890, he located in West Mil- 
ton, where he soon became well estab- 
lished. He is a member of the Miami Val- 
ley Dental Society and of the Ohio State 
Dental Society at Columbus. 

Dr. Lambert was united in marriage 
with ]\lis8 Emma Cruea, who is from near 
Brookville, and they have one son, Ealpli, 
who is attending school. Religiously they 
are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. In politics the Doctor is a Demo- 
crat and is serving on the Board of Public 
Affairs. He formerly was a member of 
the Council. Fraternally he is affiliated 
with the Knights of Pythias. 

HENRY CLINTON WHIT^IER comes 
of an old and well known family of Miami 
County, Ohio, and is the owner of a farm 
of eighty acres located three miles south- 
west of Covington, in Newberry Town- 
ship. He was born at Pleasant Hill, New- 
ton Township, Miami County, December 3, 
1852, and is a son of Abraham and Mary 
(Deeter) Whitmer, and a grandson of 
Abraham Whitmer, Sr. 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



827 



Abraham AYliitmer, father of the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was born in Lancaster 
County, Pennsylvania, and when a young 
man came to Pleasant Hill, Miami County, 
Ohio, where he established the first black- 
smith shop. He prospered there and be- 
came the owner of two farms near Pleas- 
ant Hill, each comprising eighty acres and 
adjoining. His death occurred April 11, 
1908, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. 
Hudson Gartley, at Sidney, Ohio, when he 
had attained the advanced age of eighty- 
eight years. He was married at Coving- 
ton to Mary Deeter, who was born in 
Pennsylvania and was a daughter of David 
Deeter, who moved west to Montgomery 
County, Ohio, and settled below Wolf 
Creek. She was a young girl when the 
family moved to Pleasant Hill, where she 
was reared to maturity. She died in mid- 
dle life, in October, 1877, aged forty-seven 
years. Abraham and Mary Whitmer were 
the parents of the following children: 
Mrs. Elizabeth Stewart; Mrs. Hattie Ginn; 
David, of Piqua; Henry Clinton; Mrs. La- 
vina Gartley, of Sidney, Ohio ; Joshua, 
who lives in Michigan; and Mrs. Annie 
Flinn, who is now deceased. 

When but a small boy, Henry C. Whit- 
mer was taken by his parents from Pleas- 
ant Hill to the farm, where he was reared 
to manhood. He attended the public 
schools of that district and at an early 
age turned his attention to farming, which 
he has always followed. After his mar- 
riage he and his father-in-law owned a 
farm of 100 acres located two miles east 
of Pleasant Hill, in Newton Township, and 
he continued to reside there until 1901, 
when he sold out and purchased his pres- 
ent farm in Newberry Township. He car- 
ries on general farming and stock raising. 



Mr. Whitmer was joined in marriage 
with Miss Nettie Bashore, a daughter of 
AVilliam Bashore, who lived just south of 
Pleasant Hill. They have the following 
children: Mary, who is teaching school 
near Tippecanoe City, and is a graduate 
of the Covington High School and for a 
time attended Juniata College, at Hunt- 
ington, Pennsylvania; Minnie, who mar- 
ried Raymond Anewalt, of Newton Town- 
ship, and has a daughter, Marie; Frank; 
Robert, and Esther. Religiously the fam- 
ily are members of the Church of the 
Brethren, in which Mr. Whitmer is a 
deacon. 

* 

W. S. KESSLER, a well known mem- 
ber of the bar of Miami County, Ohio, is 
located at AVest Milton, where he has been 
engaged in practice continuously since 
1886. He was born in Union Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of AA'ill- 
iam B. Kessler, an old and respected cit- 
izen of this county. 

AV. S. Kessler attended the district 
schools, and later the AVest Milton High 
School. He later completed a course in 
the Cincinnati Law School, and immedi- 
ately after his graduation in 1886 opened 
an office for practice at AVest Milton. He 
has sei'ved as city solicitor for twenty-two 
years, and his clientele includes many of 
the foremost citizens of this section of the 
county. His office is in the City Bank 
Building on Miami Street. 

Mr. Kessler devotes a month each year 
to hunting big game, and has met with 
some remarkable results. He has speci- 
mens of various heads and animals, for 
which he has had flattering offers from 
the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, 
but has refused to part with them. One is 



828 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



that of a moose killed by him in northwest 
Ontario in 1908, which is hanging in the 
New Pearson Hotel. It measures sixty- 
one inches in spread of horns, and sixty- 
three inches from tip of nose to the end 
of the horn; it was of mammoth size, be- 
ing seven feet one inch in height, and 
weighing over 2,000 pounds. He also has 
a magnificent specimen of the original 
gray timber wolf, measuring five feet from 
end of nose to tip of tail and weighing 
100 pounds. 

W. S. Kessler was first married to Sarah 
Critton, who died in 1902, leaving three 
children, namely: Arthur A., who mar- 
ried Miss Josie Farley, and lives in In- 
dianapolis, Indiana; Ethel, who is the 
wife of F. Niles, of West Milton, and has 
a son, Ealph; and Dora, who is at home. 
In 1904 the subject of this record formed 
a second marital union with Miss Delia 
Brewer, of Miami County, and they have 
one daughter, Hellen.E., who is two years 
old. Politically he is a Republican and 
has served as mayor of the village. For 
six years he efiSciently discharged the du- 
ties as referee in bankruptcy. Fraternally 
he is a member of the Masonic Lodge, In- 
dependent Order of Odd Fellows, and 
Knights of Pythias. In religious attach- 
ment he and liis wife are members of the 
Christian Church. 

LOEAIN HAESHBAEGEE is a pros- 
perous farmer of Union Township, resid- 
ing three miles southwest of West Milton, 
where he owns a farm of fifty acres. He 
was born in this township February 8, 
1877, and is a son of Lloyd and Electa 
(Sherer) Harshbarger, who reside a 
short distance west of West Milton. The 
first of the Harshbarger family to come to 



LTnion Township was George, the grand- 
father of Lorain. He came from Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, where he was born, 
and lived here until his death. 

Lorain Harshbarger attended the dis- 
trict schools and assisted in the work on 
his father's farm. He later rented a farm 
for a period of six years, after which he 
purchased a tract of seven acres located 
between Laura and West Milton. He re- 
mained there for two years, and then in 
1906 purchased his present farm of fifty 
acres from Samuel Hoke. He has made all 
the improvements on the place, and is en- 
gaged in general farming. Mr. Harsh- 
l)arger was united in marriage with Miss 
Mary Thompson, a daughter of Abraham 
and Elizabeth Thompson, who now live in 
Piqua. Six children have blessed their 
union: Ruth, James, Euby, Edwin (who 
died young), Jacob and Eoland. Polit- 
ically, the subject of this sketch is a Ee- 
publican. He is affiliated with the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows. 

HENEY LANDIS, one of Newton 
Township's most progressive citizens and 
farmers, is the owner of 120 acres of well 
improved land, and follows diversified 
farming. He was born near Pleasant Hill, 
Miami County, Ohio, September 26, 1855, 
and is a son of Daniel and Susan Ann 
(Deeter) Landis, the father being a native 
of Greene County, Ohio, and the mother 
of Miami County. 

Daniel Landis was a prominent fai-mer 
and well-to-do citizen of Newton Town- 
ship, and at his death was the owner of 
180 acres of land in Mami and Darke 
Counties. In 1874 he purchased 210 acres, 
but of this he subsequently sold 110 acres. 
He died in 1899, at the age of seventy 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



829 



years; his wife died in lier sixty-seventh 
year, and both lie buried in Sugar Grove 
Cemetery. She was a daughter of Abra- 
ham and Barbara Deeter. Mr. and Mrs. 
Laudis were parents of the following chil- 
dren: Hannah, Barbara, Henry, David, 
Lydia, Kate, Susan, Tina, Sarah, Abra- 
ham (deceased), John, Myra, and one who 
died in infancy. 

Henry Landis, subject of this biog- 
raphy, first attended the common schools 
of Darke County, and later those of Mi- 
ami County. He turned his attention to 
farming in his youthful days, and con- 
tinued to live with his father imtil three 
years after his marriage; then, in 1887, 
he moved upon the farm on which he now 
lives. He was for a period of seventeen 
years engaged in the butchering business, 
and during that time made two trips each 
week to market. In the meantime he car- 
ried on farming operations in a most 
active manner, raising the various small 
grains, hay and potatoes. During the past 
eight years he has raised tobacco quite ex- 
tensivel}', each year devoting twenty-five 
acres to the growing of that product. The 
improvements on his farm are excep- 
tional ; he has laid 3,500 feet of tile for 
drainage, and set out 500 cement posts for 
fencing. He has a wind pump, with gaso- 
line engine attached, with which facilities 
he is enabled to irrigate ten acres of 
ground. He is enterprising and progres- 
sive in his ideas and farms along modern 
and approved methods. 

January 12, 1884, Mr. Landis was united 
in marriage with Miss Katherine Bashore, 
a daughter of W. H. and Hetty Bashore, 
The following children were born to them : 
John, deceased ; Emma, who married Wal- 
ter W. Jones, of near Covington, and has 



three children — Helen, Mary and Harriet ; 
Grace, who is deceased; Albert, who is a 
member of the class of 1912 in Ohio State 
University at Columbus; and Fred, de- 
ceased. Religiously they are members of 
the German Baptist Church, of which he 
is a deacon. Politically he is a Republican. 

HON. ALBERT F. LITTLE, mayor of 
Bradford, Ohio, and the able editor of the 
Morning Sentinel, a journal which he 
foimded in 1884, is well known in fraternal 
circles all over the country, and has been 
particularly identified for years with the 
order of Red Men. He was bom in Logan 
County, Ohio, in the pleasant town of West 
Liberty, Febniary 10, 1864, and is a son of 
John M. and Mary (Jones) Little. 

The late John ]\[. Little was a well known 
business man of Bradford for a number of 
years, moving to this place in 1879, enter- 
ing into the drug business under his own 
name, and being associated for a time with 
his son, Albert F. Later he moved to Mag- 
netic Springs, Ohio, and there his death 
occurred on ^larch 31, 1906. He was thrice 
married. His first wife, Mary Jones, was 
accidentally killed in a railway accident, in 
Logan Coimty, in 1866, and he subse- 
quently married her sister, EUza Jones, 
and after the latter 's death, married an- 
other sister. 

Albert F. Little was but eighteen months 
old when accident deprived him of his 
mother, and he was reared to the age of 
ten years by his aunt and step-mother. He 
then went to Darke County, where he lived 
on a farm, about five miles north of Brad- 
ford, for five years, in the meanwhile at- 
tending the public schools. Uo was fifteen 
years old when he came to Bradford and 
entered the High School, where he was 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



graduated iu 1882, one of a class of three 
members, of which he is the only survivor. 
For several years he was associated with 
his father in his drug store before he really 
embarked in the printing business, toward 
which liis inclinations were directed from 
early youth. He acquired his first press, 
a hand press of ancient pattern, bj^ trading 
an old overcoat, and he began business on 
this little machine, and has been in the 
same line of industry from that day to 
this. In 1884 he imrchased a printing 
plant and established his present news- 
paper under the name of the Sentinel. 
Later in the same year he bought out a 
little journal already in existence, the 7«- 
dependent , and, combining the two, issued 
the Independent-Seniinel for a number of 
years. When he found himself prepared 
to issiae a morning edition of his paper he 
changed the name to the representative one 
of Morning Sentinel. The encouragement 
he has received has made it i^ossible for 
him to i^rovide the people of Bradford 
with a first-class newspaper two mornings 
in the week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 
and a constantly increasing subscription 
list and advertising support, indicates that 
ere long the issue will be daily. Mr. Little 
does a large business in the line of job 
printing, and makes a specialty, to some 
extent, of printing for fraternal organiza- 
tions and secret societies all over the 
United States. He has built up a reputa- 
tion for journalistic enterprise, and on 
more than one occasion has perfoimed the 
feat, dear to every newspaper man, of 
making a "scoop" and being ahead of his 
competitors with the news of stirring 
events. This was exemplified on the occa- 
sion of the death of the lamented President 
McKinley, which occurred at Buffalo at 



3:15 a. m., and at -1 a. m. the Bradford 
Morning Sentinel was offered on the 
streets with news and details of this calam- 
ity. His was probably the first country 
newsjaaper in the United States to an- 
nounce this fact, and the enterprise would 
have done credit to a metropolitan sheet. 

In 1884 Mr. Little was married at Brad- 
ford to Miss Eebecca Haley, who gradu- 
ated from the Bradford High School as 
valedictorian of the class of that year. 
Five children have been born to them, Ken- 
neth, Faith, Carrol F., Russell and Edna. 
Faith Little graduated from the Bradford 
High School in 1902, subsequently took a 
course in music at Otte-rbein University, 
after which she was married to H. B. EUer, 
who is electrician for the Pennsylvania 
Bail road at Bradford. They have three 
children, Keith and Lucile and a babe. 
Kenneth Little graduated from the Brad- 
ford High School in 1905, and in the same 
fall entered the Ohio State University at 
Columbus, where he was graduated in the 
spring of 1908. He is engaged in the prac- 
tice of law in Columbus. He married Miss 
Cora McCune, a daughter of A. W. Mc- 
Cune, postmaster at Bradford, and they 
have two children : Delmas and Albert 
Bernard. Carrol F. Little was graduated 
in 1907 from the Bradford High School, 
and is a student at Wittenberg College, at 
Springfield, Ohio. Russell Little is a mem- 
ber of the class of 1909 at the Bradford 
High School. 

Mr. Little is one of the eight representa- 
tives of the order of Red Men, appointed 
on account of special iDreparation for the 
honor, to the Great Council of the United 
States: He organized the uniform rank of 
the order in Ohio, and was the first major- 
general of the Department of Ohio, and is 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



831 



now a retired major-general. At the time 
of tlie death of President McKiniey he was 
great sachem of the Oliio Lodge, and he 
issued the first fraternal proclamation of 
sorrow over his death. He is also very 
prominent in the Knights of Pythias, and 
is past grand representative, and has or- 
ganized the larger number of lodges in this 
section. Mrs. Little is past grand chief of 
the Pythian Sisters of Ohio, and is past 
representative in the Supreme Temple, 
which includes the whole of the United 
States in Pj'thian work. He is also an Odd 
Fellow, and has filled all the chairs in the 
Junior Order of American Mechanics in 
Ohio. Mr. Little has always found time to 
be interested in local matters of moment, 
and at all times has proven himself a citi- 
zen in whose judgment and fidelity to the 
best interests of Bradford all could rely. 
In 1894 he was first elected mayor of the 
town, and is sei"ving in that honorable 
office in his fourth term. In each adminis- 
tration he has given his fellow citizens evi- 
dence of his capacity and public spirit, and 
in each one great strides have been made 
forward. With his sons, he is an ardent 
advocate of the principles of the Republi- 
can party, and in religious views all are 
members of the Presbyterian Church. He 
is a ruling elder in the church at Bradford, 
and is president of the Darke County Sun- 
day School Association, and is religious 
director of the Bradford Y. M. C. A. 

ALBERT ALBAUGH, a prominent and 
influential citizen of Union Township, 
Miami County, Ohio, resides on a fann of 
200 acres in all, and in addition owns the 
farm on which his daughter resides in the 
same township. He is a man of exceptional 
business capacity, and from a humble be- 



ginning worked his way to the front rank 
among the substantial men of the commun- 
ity. He was born in Darke County, Ohio, 
July 4, 1850, and is a sou of John and 
Aseneth (Mendenhall) Albaugh. 

John Albaugh was born in ^lontgomery 
County, Ohio, whither his parents had at 
an early date moved from Pennsylvania. 
When a young man he moved to the vicin- 
ity of Gettysburg, Darke County, Ohio, 
where he farmed until early in the sixties. 
He then moved to Union Township, Miami 
County, where he spent the last years of 
his life. He had taken sick prior to his re- 
moval from Darke County, and never re- 
covered his health, his death occurring at 
the age of sixty-eight years. His wife sur- 
vived him but three mouths, dying at the 
age of sixty-five. They were parents of 
ten children. 

Albert Albaugh was but a baby when his 
parents moved to Union Township, and 
here he grew to maturity. His educational 
training in the schools was limited, as his 
father was disabled, and he, being the 
oldest son, was obliged to do the work on 
the farm. Thus hard work and self-reli- 
ance came to him at an early age, and 
proved the foundation for his future suc- 
cess. When nineteen years of age he pur- 
chased a team of horses, for which he in- 
curred an indebtedness of $200, but soon 
was able to pay this off. He worked at 
home until he was thirty years of age, and 
was constantly laying by a part of his 
earnings, which he used to good advantage 
in discounting notes. He purchased the 
farm on which his daughter, Mrs. Younce, 
now lives, and made his home on that place 
for twenty-three years. In 1907 he pur- 
chased his present home fann for a cash 
consideration of $11,000, and has since 



832 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



lived upon it. He follows general farming 
and tobacco raising. He is a director of 
the Miami County Fair Board, to which he 
was elected in 1907. Politically, he is a Re- 
publican. 

Mr. Albaugh was united in marriage 
with Ida A. Herley, and thej' have three 
children : Leonard, who married Dorothy 
Rue and lives on the home j^laee; Alma, 
who married Clark Younce and has a son, 
Aubrey; and Esther, who also lives with 
her parents. Religiously, they are mem- 
bers of the United Brethren Church. 

A. F. MIKESELL, one of Newberry 
Township's well known citizens, who is 
now living in his handsome brick residence 
situated on a small farm of twelve and 
one-half acres on the Shelby County Turn- 
pike, one mile north of Covington, was 
born on a farm one mile north of Pleasant 
Hill, Miami County, Ohio, July 3, 1842, 
is a son of John and Susan (Friedly) 
Mikesell, of Covington. 

A. F. ]\Iikesell, who is better known as 
Fridly Mikesell, remained on the fann on 
which he was born until six years of age, 
when his parents moved to Clayton, New- 
berry Township, shortly thereafter, how- 
ever, removing to Covington, where Mr. 
Mikesell obtained his education. When a 
young man he secured a tract of 133 acres 
of land situated two and one-half miles 
west of Covington, on Greenville Creek, 
and while living there he was married. For 
about five years after this event Mr. Mike- 
sell continued on this farm, and then sold 
out to purchase a property of 100 acres, 
located across the road from that which 
he now occupies, and he was here engaged 
in agricultural pursuits for a period cover- 
ing thirty-five years. He became one of 



the best known farmers in Newberry 
Township, and after a long and active agri- 
cultural life retired to his present prop- 
ert}% on which, in 1907, he erected a beauti- 
ful brick residence. He is also the owner 
of considerable property in New Mexico 
and Oklahoma. 

In 1867 Mr. Mikesell was united in mar- 
riage with Jane Beery, who was born in 
Bremen, Fairfield County, Ohio, a daugh- 
ter of Levi and Margaret (Short) Beeiy, 
who removed to Iowa when Mrs, Mikesell 
was about three and one-half years old. 
There Levi Beery was engaged in farming 
and milling. To Mr. and Mrs. Mikesell 
there were born eight children, as follows : 
Arthur L., who graduated from Coving- 
ton High School, studied medicine at the 
Chicago Homeopathic Medical College, 
spent eighteen months in the County Hos- 
pital, Chicago, and is now engaged in the 
practice of his profession at Fort Wayne, 
Indiana, married Harriet Isabelle Kim- 
ball, and they have one child, Helen B. ; 
Alma, who married Charles L. Trumjo, died 
October 7, 1905, leaving one child, Flor- 
ence Janice; Nora, the wife of Ira J.. 
Gmnp, has four children, Lucile, Luther, 
Joseph and Rosella, and lives in Coving- 
ton; Virmie, the wife of J. S. Floiy, lives 
at Bridgewater, Virginia, Mr. Flory being 
a teacher in the Bridewater College; 
Maurice, general manager of the Miami 
Ranch, in New Mexico, married Elizabeth 
Rosenberger, and has two children, Mar- 
garet and Andrew Frank; John Levi, is a 
farmer and real estate dealer of Okla- 
homa; Margaret, the wife of Dr. Bernard 
J. Kendell, of Tippecanoe City, has two 
children, Sarah Jane and John Jacob ; Wil- 
bur B., is attending the Ohio State Univer- 
sity, at Columbus. 



AND REPKESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



833 



Mr. Mikesell was a scliool director in 
Newberry Township for manj^ years, and 
was president of tlie School Board of Cov- 
ington at the time the new school building 
was erected. He is a meml)er and a dea- 
con of the Brethren Church. 

H. I. KELCH, a substantial citizen and 
prosperous farmer of Newberry To■u^l- 
ship, who owns what was former!}^ the old 
Henry Finfrock fann, a valuable tract of 
eighty acres, located just south of Bloomer, 
Miami Coimty, was born on a farm in 
Shelby Count.y, Ohio, June 14, 1861, and is 
a son of Frederick and Susanna (Swei- 
gart) Kelch. 

John Nicholas Kelch, the grandfather, 
came to Ohio from Germany when his son 
Frederick was about three years of age, 
settling on a farm adjoining the one now 
owned by the subject of this sketch, Har- 
man Isaiah Kelch. He remained on that 
farm for only three weeks, moving then to 
Darke County, where he made his home 
until his son Frederick was a young man, 
when he purchased the farm on which 
Frederick resided at the time of Ilarman 
I. Kelch 's birth. Frederick Kelch was a 
farmer dviring his earlier years. He was 
bom in Germany, and now lives in Mercer 
County, Ohio. He married Susanna Swei- 
gart, who died in September, 1892. 

Harman I. Kelch grew to manhood in 
Shelby County, and obtained his education 
in the township schools. Wlien he started 
out for himself he purchased his father's 
farm, which had oi'iginally contained 140 
acres, but then was 100 acres, and after 
operating the farm for some years he sold 
it to advantage, then spent one year in 
Darke County, and in 1906 bought his 
present farm in Newberry Township, on 



which he has since carried on general 
farming and tobacco raising. He is a hard- 
working man, and his industry and good 
management have brought him a large 
measure of success in his undertakings. 

Mr. Kelch married Miss Cai'oline 
Cromes, who was born in Pennsylvania but 
reared in Shelby County, Ohio, where her 
parents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Neis- 
wonger) Cromes, were substantial farming 
people. They both died in Shelby County. 
Mr. and Mrs. Kelch have had the following 
children born to them : Walter, Virgil, 
William, Elmer, Clara, Bertha, Pearl, 
Grace and Cora. With his family, Mr. 
Kelch belongs to the Lutheran Church. 

A^^LLIAM HARSHBARGER. a repre- 
sentative of one of the oldest families of 
Union Township, Miami County, Ohio, is 
engaged in farming on a forty-acre tract 
located about three miles southwest of 
West Milton. He was born near Laura, in 
Union Township, June 30, 1872, and is a 
son of Lloyd and Electa (Sherer) Harsh- 
barger, and a grandson of George and 
Mary (Penny) Harshbarger. 

William Harshbarger received his edu- 
cational training in the district schools of 
his native township, and at an early age 
began his business career. He worked for 
some years for his father, after which he 
farmed various places at different times 
until 1901, when he purchased thirty-two 
acres about three and one-half miles west 
of West Milton. He disposed of that place 
and purchased a tract near Laura, on 
which he lived until 1903, when he pur- 
chased his present farm. Always a hard 
worker and progi'essive in his methods, he 
has made steady progress in a business 
way, and enjoys high standing in the com- 



834 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



muuity. He lias a well iuiproved place, 
and follows general farming and tobacco 
growing. Mr. Harshbarger was imited in 
marriage with Miss Clara Christian, a 
daughter of Aaron Christian, and they 
have a son and a daughter, namely, Lloyd 
A. and Margaret. Politically, he is a Re- 
publican. 

EGBERT MORRIS DICKSON, owner 
of eighty acres of land in Spring Creek 
Township, about four and a half miles 
east of Piqua, comes of an old family of 
this section and was born on an adjoin- 
ing farm, March 15, 1860. He is a son of 
Samuel McKnight and Jane (Patterson) 
Dickson, and a grandson of John Dickson, 
who was of Scotch-Irish descents 

John Dickson was born in Pennsylvania 
and early in life settled in Spring Creek 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, where he 
was one of the pioneers and where the 
family name has since been a prominent 
one. He located on what is known as the 
old Dickson homestead and erected a brick 
house, of brick burned on the farm; this 
house is still standing. Politically he was 
a Democrat. He married Jane McKnight, 
and they became parents of five children 
— Samuel McKnight, Sarah Ann, James, 
Jane Eleanor, who died young, and 
Joseph. 

Samuel McKnight Dickson was born in 
Rossville, Spring Creek Township, Sep- 
tember 1, 1824, and received his education 
in the district schools of the township. 
He worked on the home place and engaged 
in teaching during his younger daj^s, and 
was known to possess a mind of unusual 
brilliancy. After he gave up teaching he 
settled on the farm across the I'oad from 
the place of the subject of this record, and 



there farmed until his death, May 26, 1862. 
He was a Republican in politics, and 
served as township clerk, infirmary di- 
rector and in various townshiji offices. He 
was joined in marriage with Jane Patter- 
son, who was born in Pennsylvania, Au- 
gust 31, 18.32, and was six years of age 
when brought to the old Patterson home- 
stead in Spring Creek Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, by her parents, Robert and 
Mary Patterson. They had two sons: 
John Charles, who was born December 
29, 1857, and never mari'ied, his death oc- 
curring May 9, 1899; and Robert Morris, 
whose name heads this record. 

Robert Morris Dickson attended the dis- 
trict schools of his home district, the 
normal school at Danville, Indiana, and 
Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio. 
He then engaged in teaching for a period 
of eighteen years, being located succes- 
sively in various parts of Miami County, 
also one year in Iowa and two years in 
Kentucky. After giving up his profes- 
sional work he located on his present 
farm, where he has carried on general 
farming and stock raising. He has met 
with considerable success in raising pure 
blood Poland China hogs. 

Mr. Dickson was united in marriage 
with Miss Harriet Himmelright, a daugh- 
ter of John H. and Mary Himmelright, her 
father being one of the leading contractors 
of Piqua. She was graduated from Piqua 
High School in 1883, being valedictorian 
of her class, and then attended Ohio North- 
ern University at Ada, Ohio. Upon leav- 
ing that institution she was engaged in 
teaching in Piqua until her marriage, and 
also taught a class in Sunday school for 
twelve years. She is a lady of refinement 
and the highest accomplishments, and is 




MR. AXD MRS. JOHN SCHRAM 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



835 



president of the Domestic Science Club. 
Mr. Dickson is a prominent member of 
the Grange and is one of the subordinate 
officers. He served as delegate to the State 
Grange, and Mrs. Dicksou read a paper 
on household matters before the State In- 
stitute at Columbus. Politically he is an 
active Republican and has been delegate 
to various county, congressional and sena- 
torial conventions. He has served as sec- 
retary of the township organization, and 
has also served nine years as township 
trustee, and six years as road supervisor, 
and was for a time a member of the School 
Board. He is a trustee of the United 
Presbyterian Church of Piqua, of which 
he and his wife have been members for 
many years. 

OREL M. SURER, general farmer and 
well known citizen of Brown Township, a 
member of one of the old and representa- 
tive families of this section, operates the 
farm owned by him and his brother 
George W., of eighty-three acres, which is 
situated one-half mile north of Fletcher. 
He was born July 21, 1877, on the old 
Suber homestead, situated northwest of 
Conover, Miami County, Ohio, and is a 
son of William D. Suber. 

Orel M. Suber was reared in Brown 
Township and received his education in 
the schools near his home. Previous to 
moving on his mother's farm, he worked 
on the homestead, where he had a very 
thorough and practical agricultural train- 
ing. He raises grain, hay and stock, and 
is numbered with the wide awake farmers 
of the township. Mr. Suber married Miss 
Eva M. Furrow, a daughter of Frank Fur- 
row, and they have one little daughter, 
Mary E., aged five years, and lost another, 



Cora F., when aged five months. Mr. and 
Mrs. Suber are members of the Presby- 
terian Church. In jjolitics he is identified 
with the Democratic party. He belongs to 
the fraternal order of Golden Eagles. 

JOHN SCHRAM, general farmer, who 
resides on his valuable farm of eighty-one 
acres, which is situated in Section 3, Range 
5, Newton Townsliip, was born April 12, 
1873, in Newton Township, Miami County, 
Ohio, and is a son of George and Rachel 
(Schultz) Schram. 

George Schram, father of John, was born 
in Heistdannenstock, Germany, May 1, 
1829, and came to America in 1853, land- 
ing at Castle Garden, New York, with five 
cents in his pocket. He immediately se- 
cured work as a hostler and later worked 
on a railroad and in this way managed to 
get to Aloutgomery County, Ohio, where 
he engaged in a carpet weaving business, 
remaining there until 1873, when he moved 
to ]\Iiami County and continued carpet 
weaving, at Pleasant Hill. He was also a 
small farmer, having sixteen acres, in 
Newton Township. He was married in 
Montgomery County, to Rachel Schultz, a 
daughter of David Schultz, iu February, 
18(5.3, and they had four children: David 
C, Lavina, Nellie and John. 

John Schram attended school at Pleas- 
ant Hill, and then assisted his father on 
the farm and later worked for neighbor- 
ing farmers on his own account. After he 
married he resided at Pleasant Hill for 
two years, working by the day during the 
larger part of this time; he then rented his 
present farm for two years before he pur- 
chased it from S. Z. "Williams. He now 
owns the old sheepskin deed for this land, 
which bears the signature of President An- 



836 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



drew Jackson. After taking possession, 
Mr. Scliram cleared off nine acres of tim- 
ber, leaving live acres yet standing, and 
put in 350 rods of tile. He also put up all 
the farm buildings now standing, including 
the fine home, and made many other im- 
provements. He raises some cattle, main- 
ly for dairy purposes, and devotes three to 
five acres of his land to tobacco and the 
remainder of it to corn, wheat, oats and 
hay. He is an enteri^rising young man 
and has his whole farm in such a condition 
that it gives him excellent returns on his 
investment. 

Mr. Schram was married January 18, 
1894, to Miss Emma Wackier, a daughter 
of Ernest and Barbara (Steinhilber) 
Wackier (both parents now deceased), and 
they have two sons, George Ray, born Jan- 
uary 4, 1905; and Ohmer Melvin, born 
September 15, 1907, both of whom are 
bright students at the Eough and Eeady 
School, in Newton Township. Mr. and 
Mrs. Schram are members of the Christian 
Church. In politics he is a Democrat. On 
June 9, 1909, at Mr. Schram 's home will 
be held the seventh reunion of the Schultz 
family, at which 175 people are expected 
to be present. Mr. Schram is one of the 
following children: Catherine, who mar- 
ried David Myers; Ernest; Maggie, who 
married Mathew Link; Frederick; Bar- 
bara, who married Asa Kelly; Charles, 
and Emma, wife of the subject of this 
sketch. 

L. E. CONWAY, a representative cit- 
izen, farmer and stock raiser, of Newberry 
Township, owning 105 acres of good land, 
is a native of this to'wnship, having been 
born two miles northeast of Covington, 
October 14, 1857. His parents were John 



and Mary (Tobias) Conway, and his ma- 
ternal grandfather was Michael Tobias. 
His father died in Iowa. His mother lives 
in Covington, Ohio. 

In his youth the subject of this sketch 
attended the district schools near his 
grandfather's farm, and graduated from 
the Covington High School in the class of 
1879. He taught several terms of school 
in Newberry Township, and it was here 
that he spent some of the happiest days 
of his life, and he looks back to this time 
as an oasis in life's journey. His chosen 
occupation through life has been farming, 
and his property gives evidence of his 
sound judgment and his practical meth- 
ods of work. With the assistance of his 
son he raises grain and hay and some of 
the best stock jaroduced in Newberry 
Township, having raised as much as 1,800 
bushels of wheat in one season on his 
ground and on Mr. Mummert's farm. He 
has always been a citizen of Newberry 
Township, although he has made one trip 
to California and one to Nebraska, having 
visited besides a number of other western 
States. 

Mr. Conway was married first to Miss 
Catherine Seas, who died in 1893, leaving 
five children, namely: Arthur Scott, who 
resides on one of his father's farms and 
wlio married Myrtle Wise, by whom he has 
three children — Luther, Naomi and Law- 
son; and Clarence Minton, Edith Edel, 
Ruth Naomi and Frances May. Mr. Con- 
way was married (second) to Mrs. Mary 
Shomber Cassel, a widow, and one son was 
born to this union, Lee Edward, who died 
when four years old. Mrs. Conway has two 
daughters by her first marriage — Nora, 
who is the wife of Hannan Miller, and 
Florence, who is the wife of Forrest 



AND EEPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



837 



Shellebarger. Mr. Conway has been able 
to give all his living children a good edu- 
cation, Clarence Minton, Edith Edel and 
Euth Naomi having graduated from the 
Covington High School, while Frances 
May has just completed the first year in 
the high school. Clarence has taught 
school for several terms, and at present is 
completing a course in the commercial col- 
lege at Piqua. Mr. Conway, his wife and 
all his children are members of the Upper 
Stillwater Church of the Brethren, in 
which he is a deacon. Eaised a Lutheran, 
he has never regretted identifying himself 
with the Church of the Brethren. 

JAMES B. KINDELL, head of the 
fii-m of J. B. Kindell & Co., proprietors of 
the Sugar Grove Mills and Elevator, has 
met with almost phenomenal success with 
the enterprise mentioned. From an 
humble beginning he has built up a jilant 
whose name is a household woi'd through- 
out this section of the state. He was bom 
in Johnston County, Arkansas, April 12, 
1860, and is a son of Ezekiel and Nancy 
(Tate) Kindell. 

Ezekiel Kindell was born in Shelby 
County, Ohio, May 25, 1835. and there 
passed his boyhood days. He emigrated 
with his uncle, Alden Boggs, in 1855, to 
Arkansas to become his head miller, hav- 
ing learned the miller's trade with his 
father, Benjamin Kindell, in a water- 
power mill on the Miami River between 
Piqua and Sidney, Ohio. During the Civil 
"War he enlisted as a private in Company 
A, Second Regiment of Arkansas Volun- 
teer Infantry, with which he continued 
throughout the service. He was advanced 
to the rank of first lieutenant and later 
served as acting captain of his company. 



He was discharged in August, 1865, after 
serving in the army four years. After the 
war he moved north to Miami County, 
Ohio, where he thereafter lived, following 
the carpenter's trade and millwrighting 
until 1882. 

In i^artnership with his son, J. B. Kin- 
dell, he was engaged in milling at Sugar 
Grove for many years, then moved to Cov- 
ington and built an elevator, which busi- 
ness he conducted for five years, being 
succeeded by S. J. Rudy. He died in No- 
vember, 1907, and was buried in the Cov- 
ington Cemetery. 

Mr. Kindell was first married in Arkan- 
sas, to Miss Nancy Tate, a daughter of 
James M. and Ajina (Mears) Tate. The 
Mears and Tate families were pioneer ones 
in Arkansas, removing there from Georgia 
at a very early period. This union was 
blessed with the following children: 
Nancy, deceased; Mary, Alice, Sarah, 
Dora, George Washington, and James 
Benjamin, whose name appears at the 
head of this record. Mrs. Kindell died in 
May, 1873, and was buried in the Coving- 
ton Cemetery. Mr. Kindell formed a sec- 
ond marriage in the spring of 1875 with 
Miss Sarah Jane Fine, a daughter of 
David M. and Rebecca Fine, and they had 
four children — Clifford, Ray, Bessie, and 
Lulu, of whom the three first mentioned 
are deceased. Mr. Kindell 's second wife 
died in 1906 and also was buried in the 
Covington Cemetery. Religiou.sly he was 
a member of the Church of the Brethren. 
He was a Democrat in politics. 

James B. Kindell attended the public 
schools of Newton, Newberry and Wash- 
ington Townships, and in 1877 he went to 
Arkansas to reside witji his grandfather, 
whom lie assisted on the farm for three 



838 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



years. When lie returned to Miami Coun- 
ty he had $300, with which he started in 
the milling business in Newton Township, 
in partnership with his father, under the 
hrm name of E. Kiudell & Co. John Reid, 
Sr., was also interested in the business, 
which was conducted as a company. At 
the end of ten years it was reorganized 
as E. Kindell & Son, and the latest im- 
proved machinery for the milling of flour 
and meal was installed. In 1894, through 
his father's retirement from the firm, the 
subject of this sketch became sole owner 
and proprietor. He thereujjon remodeled 
the mill to the latest sifter system, and 
built a new residence and the other build- 
ings on the place. He also bought a farm 
of 100 acres, lying directly across the river 
from the plant. On February 26, 1898, the 
mill was entirely destroyed by fire, and re- 
sulted in a serious loss to him, only about 
one-half, or $3,700, being covered by in- 
surance. Phoenix-like he arose from the 
ashes and built the present mill. In order 
to clear his indebtedness, he sold his farm 
of 100 acres, and on October 14, 1898, he 
began operating his new plant. He in- 
stalled the very latest and most approved 
machinery known to produce the highest 
grade of flour from soft winter wheat. He 
installed the roller system, with corn 
scourers and steam di'yers, and the veiy 
best equipment for the manufacture of 
corn meal. He again started up with an 
indebtedness of $12,000 hanging over him, 
but phenomenal success cleared this away 
in a few years. He prospered to such an 
extent that he again bought land, purchas- 
ing eighty-four acres near the mill, on 
which he has erected tobacco sheds. In 
1907 he purchased sixty-four acres in 
Darke County, which he has since sold (in 



1909). Prior to 1895 Mr. J. N. Arendall 
was connected with the plant as head mil- 
ler, and in recognition of his valued serv- 
ices he was at that time admitted to work- 
ing partnership in the enterprise. Mr. 
Kindell owns all the real estate. 

The principal brands of this mill are 
Invincible Patent flour. Pearl and Golden 
Dent corn meal, and Germ Graham flour, 
all of which are well known to the public. 
The methods of this firm in doing business 
are progressive and original and have 
lirought gratifying results. Anyone wish- 
ing to call them up on business can do so 
at the firm's expense from the following 
towns: Laura, Potsdam, "West Milton, 
Ludlow Falls, Pleasant Hill, Fidelity, 
Union, Englewood, Polo, Bloomer, and 
Covington, as the firm is flat-rated both 
ways with the Covington Home Telephone 
Company. 

On September 22, 1889, Mr. Kindell was 
united in marriage with Miss Eva J. Graft, 
a daughter of David and Lavinda (Swi- 
hart) (iraft. Her parents were formerly 
of Mexico, Indiana, and then settled at 
Peru, Indiana ; they were people that occu- 
pied a prominent i^osition in that place. 
Mrs. Graft died in 1877 and was buried at 
Deedsville, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Kin- 
dell have a daughter, Alice Marie, who 
successfully passed the Boxwell examina- 
tion at thirteen years of age, and gradu- 
ated from the Newton Township schools in 
May, 1909, and will enter Covington High 
School in the fall of 1909. The family are 
members of the Church of the Brethren. 
Mr. Kindell is an independent Democrat 
in politics. 

It is seen by the foregoing that Mr. 
Kindell is a born miller. His grandfather, 
Benjamin Kindell, was a miller before his 









W. F. ROBBIXS 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



841 



father, and came from Scotland, where his 
father was a miller. Benjamin Kiudell, 
the grandfather, built the original Sugar 
Grove I\Iills and improved the water- 
power in 1830, having built himself and 
installed the first undershot water-wheels 
here in western Ohio. The present owner 
has had set two large turbine water-wheels 
of the Victor pattern, which produce ample 
power to drive the 50-barrel flouring mill, 
all scourers, corn mill rollers, making fif- 
teen bushels of fine table meal per hour, 
together with the wagon diuup and corn 
elevator taking care of a fifty-bushel load 
of corn every twenty minutes. Mr. Kin- 
dell is so infatuated with milling that he 
expects always to remain in the business 
at Sugar Grove, as he thoroughly believes 
in the community, from the supjjort which 
he has received in the past. 

WILLIA:\I F. bobbins has for many 
years been prominently identified with the 
affairs of Piqua and Miami County, Ohio, 
both in public and private capacities, and 
takes rank among the foremost citizens of 
the county — those who have given freely 
of their time and energy to the promotion 
of public enterprises and the improve- 
ment of public institutions. As head of 
the Piqua waterworks for many years he 
wrought a great and beneficial change, giv- 
ing the city pure water and a new plant, 
in which the people take a justifiable pride, 
and making the department self-sustain- 
ing. He has also rendered valuable serv- 
ices as president of the county board of 
agriculture; during his incumbency of that 
office the annual fairs were elevated to a 
higher jilane than they had previously 
reached, and all departments of agricul- 
ture were stimulated in such a manner as 



to bring real and lasting benefit to the peo- 
ple. In business life Mr. B.obbins has 
been closely identified with various im- 
portant interests ; he has been actively 
and successfully engaged in the livery 
business for many years, being at the pres- 
ent time a member of the firm of Rohbins 
& ]\Ioore. 

AVilliam F. Robbins was born on a farm 
in Brown Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
March 25, 1854, is a son of Alvernas and 
Sarah Ellen (Gearhart) Robbins, a grand- 
son of Benjamin and Pamilla (Covault) 
Robbins, and a great-grandson of Richard 
Robbins, who was the pioneer of the fam- 
ily in Miami County, Ohio. The Robbins 
family is of "Welsh origin, and was trans- 
planted to American soil in the Colonial 
Days, being located in New Jersey. The 
Gearharts came to this country from Ger- 
many and were first residents of Virginia. 

Richard Rol)bins, great-grandfather of 
"William F., came to Miami County, from 
Centerville, Montgomery County, Ohio, 
at a time when Indians were numerous and 
still hostile, and the pioneer families in 
constant jeopardy of massacre. The 
country was wild and uncleared, and was 
sparsely settled. 

Benjamin and Pamilla (Covault) Rob- 
bins were the parents of eleven children, 
of whom five grew to advanced years, 
namely: Sarah, Alvernas, ]\Iadison, Eras- 
tus, and Benjamin ^f. The father of this 
family was a farmer by occupation, and 
was located in Lost Creek Township, Mi- 
ami County. 

Alvernas Robbins was born in Lost 
Creek Township, December 14, 1832, and 
was reared on the home ]ilace. He followed 
the occu])ation of a farmer and hired out 
in his younger days, in that way earning 



842 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



and saving enough to enable him in time 
to purchase a place of his own. A man 
of keen perception and foresight, he 
bought and sold different properties to 
good advantage, thereby adding more rap- 
idly to his means. He continued his 
farming operations until about the year 
1888, when he moved to Piqua, where he 
now lives in practical retirement. He 
was united in marriage with Sarah Ellen 
Gearhart, who was born in Elizabeth 
Townsliip, Miami County, Ohio, Septem- 
ber 12, 1829, and is a daughter of Daniel 
and Mary (Beaty) Gearhart. Her father 
was six years of age when he came from 
Virginia to Ohio with his father, John 
Gearhart, who was a native of Germany. 
The Beaty family is of Irish extraction. 
Mr. and Mrs. Bobbins were married May 
12, 1853, and became parents of seven 
children, as follows: William P., Mary, 
Lena, Erastus, Bert, James, and Charles. 

William F. Bobbins was reared on the 
old homestead and received his educa- 
tional training in the common schools. He 
worked on the home place and lived with 
his parents until he was twenty-six years 
of age, then in 1880 moved to Piqua. He 
was for two years connected with the 
Strawboard Company, after which he em- 
barked in the livery business, in which he 
has continued with uninterrupted success 
since. About the year of 1890 he formed 
a partnersliip with Mr. Moore, and the 
firm of Bobbins & Moore became one of 
prominence in that field of business, enjoy- 
ing the public patronage to a remarkable 
extent. 

In April, 1890, Mr. Bobbins was elected 
to the City Council of Piqua, represent- 
ing the Second Ward, being the first Be- 
publican ever elected from that ward, 



which had a natural Democratic majority 
of 300; his majority was thirty-seven. In 
1894, he was elected to the Board of Trus- 
tees of the Piqua waterworks, and upou 
being sworn into office was chosen as presi- 
dent of the board. He served with marked 
efficiency, and in 1897 was honored with 
re-election as a member and president of 
the board, and was made superintendent 
of waterworks. The satisfactory discharge 
of his duties and his activity in behalf of 
a new plant resulted in his retention in 
office for a third term. With a capacity 
for work and possessed of keen business 
acumen, progressive and public spirited, 
his aim to place the waterworks on a pay- 
ing basis was realized and the saving to 
the city duly appreciated by the people. 

Mr. Bobbins was united in marriage, 
February 16, 1875, with Miss Mary H. Bid- 
die, a daughter of Manning and Lydia Ann 
(Stillwell) Biddle, and a granddaughter 
of Jacob Biddle. The Biddies are of Irish 
and Welsh descent, but have long been es- 
tablished on American soil, and in Ohio. 
Jacob Biddle, the grandfather, was a na- 
tive of Hamilton County, Ohio, and in the 
year 1836 moved to Miami County, taking 
up his residence in Staunton Township. 
Manning Biddle was also born in Hamil- 
ton Coimty, Ohio, and accompanied his 
parents to Miami County. He served cred- 
itably in the Union Army during the 
Civil War. He was married to Lydia Ann 
Stillwell, a daughter of Joseph Stillwell, 
whose ancestry lived in New Jersey. Will- 
iam F. and Mary H. Bobbins have been 
the ]3arents of two children, namely: Lee 
Cai-lton, a young man of considerable 
musical ability and training, who married 
Miss Bertha Singles and resides in Piqua ; 
Earl Clyde, who also has a taste for music 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



843 



and is endowed with superior talent as an 
artist; and Ella Jane, who died when she 
, was one year old. Fraternally Mr. Rob- 
bins is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias. 

E. W. HIMES, secretary and treasurer 
of the Louguaker-Himes Gravel Com- 
pany of Covington, Ohio, a man of schol- 
arly attainments, was for many years one 
of the leading educators of this section of 
the state, and was for a period of eighteen 
years principal of the Covington High 
Schools. He was born on a farm in Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, April 15, 1850, and 
is a son of Martin and Anna (VanCleve) 
Himes. 

Mr. Himes spent his early boyhood days 
on a farm near Dayton, Montgomery Coun- 
ty, Ohio, and at Alpha, Greene County, 
coming to Miami County iu 1865 with his 
•parents, who located on a farm in New.- 
berry Township, where they resided the 
remainder of their lives'. After a primary 
education in the district schools, he gradu- 
ated from the Covington High School in 
1870 under Professor R. F. Bennett, then 
completed a course of study at Heidelberg 
College, of Tiffin, Ohio, after which he re- 
turned to Covington, where he accepted a 
position as principal of the High School. 
In 1891, he became associated with the 
Southern Illinois College, in White Coun- 
ty, first as professor of languages for one 
year, after which he served as president 
of that institution for two years, when he 
resigned to return to his old position as 
principal of the Covington High School. 
He was subsequently elected and served 
eight years as superintendent of the Cov- 
ington Schools and very efficiently met the 
demands of his responsible position. Since 



that time Mr. Himes has been associated 
with the Longnaker-IIimes Gravel Com- 
pany, of which he is secretary and treas- 
urer, the pit being located in Possum Hol- 
low, south of Pleasant Hill. 

In 1873 Mr. Himes was joined in wed- 
lock with Jennie UUery, a daughter of 
Aaron UUery, and to them have been born 
the following children: Clara, who mar- 
ried D. C. Odell ; Arthur B., a well known 
jeweler of Covington; Ruth; and Alice. 
Mr. Himes is a member and president of 
the City Council; he is a member of the 
Presbyterian Church, of which he is also 
an elder. 

GIDEON KEYT, deceased, who for 
many years was one of Miami County's 
substantial and respected citizens as well 
as prominent farmers, belonged to one of 
the pioneer families of this section. He 
was born March 8, 1828, at Piqua, Miami 
County, Ohio, and was a son of James D. 
and Elizabeth (Widney) Keyt. 

The first of the family 'to come to Amer- 
ica was John Keyt, who married Elizabeth 
Chilcot. They settled in the colony of New 
Jersey, near Elizabeth. They had one son 
by the name of James and three daughters. 
James (1732-1800) married Elizabeth Jes- 
sup (1732-1824) by whom he had two sons 
and two daughters. One of the sons, Dan- 
iel, died in 1776 at the age of thirteen 
years. The other son, named James (1762- 
1800) married Elizabeth Ross (1762- 
1852) and they were the grandparents of 
the subject of this sketch. 

James D. Kej't, son of James and Eliza- 
beth (Ross) Keyt, and father of Gideon, 
was born in New Jersey in 1794 and came 
to Miami County in 1819 as a pioneer set- 
tler. He married Elizabeth Widney (1801- 



844 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



1848), who was born in Pennsylvania and 
who was a daughter of John Widney, who 
had settled in Miami County in 1810. 

James D. Keyt was born in New Jersey 
in 1797 and came to Miami County in 1819 
as a pioneer settler. He married Eliza- 
beth Widney, who was born in Pennsyl- 
vania and who was a daughter of Stephen 
Widney, who had settled in Miami County 
when she was a child. After his marriage 
James D. Keyt resided at Piqua until 1830, 
when he purchased the farm of 160 acre? 
near this city which became the Keyt homC' 
stead. Of this large tract he cleared and 
cultivated seventy-five acres, making also 
many improvements previous to 1842. In 
this year he retired to Piqua, where he 
subsequently resided until his death in 
1849. He and his wife were the parents 
of nine children. James D. Keyt belonged 
to the better class of pioneer settlers who 
came here to found a home and who on 
that account were active in introducing the 
various conveniences of civilization, wel- 
coming and upholding everything that 
made for the advancement of the com- 
munity. He was one of those who worked 
hard to establish the early schools, to 
build the first churches, and to improve 
the highways, and, imbued with these ideas 
his son Gideon cherished the same ideals 
and worked for the same ends. 

Gideon Keyt took charge of the farm 
soon after the death of his father and re- 
sided on it thereafter until the close of his 
long and busy life. Both he and his father 
were stone masons by trade and they did 
at one time a large amount of work in that 
line, but later finding that the fann re- 
quired his whole attention, Gideon gave 
lip his trade and developed the farm into 
a valuable piece of agricultural property. 



December 27, 1864, Gideon Keyt was 
married to Miss Elizabeth Ward, who is a 
daughter of Elijah and Hannah Ward. 
They had five children born to them, name- 
ly : James Ward, Gideon E., Hannah Eliz- 
abeth, Laura Eachel, and Margaret Ellen. 
Their record in brief is as follows : 

James Ward Keyt was graduated from 
the Piqua High School in 1885 and from 
Ohio Wesleyan University in 1888. He 
subsequently attended the Cincinnati Law 
School, was admitted to the bar October 8, 
1891, and is now a prominent attorney of 
Piqua. He was married November 5, 
1896, to Edith Slauson, a native of Piqua, 
who is a graduate of the Piqua High 
School, and subsequently attended St. 
Margaret's School at Buffalo, New York. 
They have three children — Frances Eliza- 
beth, Bernard S., and Isabel W. After 
graduating from the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- 
versity and previous to his matriculation 
at the Cincinnati Law School he served as 
principal of Science Grove Seminary, at 
Robard, Kentucky, for one year. A Ee- 
l^ublican in politics, he served as mayor 
of Piqua for two terms — from 1893 to 1897. 

Gideon E. Keyt, the second child of the 
subject of this memoir, is now a leading 
lawyer of Toledo, Ohio. Hannah Eliza- 
beth is now Mrs. Thomas Ferrick. Laura 
Eachel died in 1875. Margaret E. resides 
in Toledo. 

The late Gideon Keyt was an excellent 
type of citizen — a law-abiding, public-spii'- 
ited man, and of tried and true patriotism. 
During the Civil War he served as a mem- 
ber of Company C, 147th Eegiment, Ohio 
Volunteer Infantry. His death took place 
January 12, 1901. In glancing back over 
his genealogy, it is interesting to note that 
the female representative in each genera- 




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O 

K 
D-, 

M 



■rffcwWfc^!, 



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o 



o 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



847 



tion in the direct line of descent from the 
immigrant ancestor, John Keyt, has been 
named Elizabeth. He himself, by his mar- 
riage to Elizabeth Ward, added one more 
link to the genealogical chain thus formed. 

G. W. POLING, a substantial citizen of 
Union Township, Miami County, Ohio, re- 
sides in a splendid home located about one 
and one-half miles west of West Milton. 
He is a native of Union County, Ohio, and 
is a son of John and Sarah (Parks) Pol- 
ing, both natives of Maryland and early 
settlers in Union County. His father died 
in 1856, at the age of fifty-six years; his 
mother died in 1895, at the advanced age of 
ninety-five years. 

G. W. Poling was educated in the schools 
of Union County and assisted his father 
on the farm until he reached liis majority. 
He then began farming for himself and 
continued that occupation throughout his 
active business career, except for three 
years, during which he engaged in carpen- 
tering. He is a man of exceptional busi- 
ness acumen and foresight. In 1883 he 
moved to Union Township, Miami County. 
The 500 acre farm on which he resides be- 
longs to Mrs. Poling, being left to her by 
her father. Three years after coming here 
Mr. Poling erected one of the finest homes 
in this section, in kee,ping with which are 
the other improvements he has made on 
the place. There is also a farm of 105 acres 
near Hamilton, Ohio, and another of 
eighty-five acres near Kokomo, Indiana, 
both in Mrs. Poling 's name, having been 
received from her father. During the past 
fifteen years Mr. Poling has been practi- 
cally retired from business, renting most 
of the land. He devotes his time to look- 



ing after his interests and buying and sell- 
ing horses, of which he is a good judge. 

In 1884 Mr. Poling was united in mar- 
riage to Miss Phoebe Haskett, who was 
born and reared in Miami County, and is 
a daughter of John and Mary (Maddock) 
Haskett. She comes of one of the pioneer 
families of Miami County, where her fath- 
er was born. He followed farming and 
lived here all his life, dying in 1880 at the 
age of sixty-six years. Mr. Haskett mar- 
ried Miss Mary Maddock, a native of Pre- 
ble County, who died in 1900 ; they had two 
children — Phoebe (Poling) ; and Rebecca, 
who is deceased. Religiously, Mrs. Poling 
is a member of the Society of Friends. He 
is a Republican in politics. 

A. A. HUBER, who is one of Piqua's 
most respected retired citizens, enjoying 
the comforts of his pleasant home at No. 
316 North Downing Street, for many years 
was actively engaged in business at differ- 
ent points in Ohio. He was born in 1841 
in the Dominion of Canada and came to 
Ohio prior to 1861, having received his 
educational training in his native land. 

Mr. Huber lived at Cincinnati for some 
six months and then entered into the grain 
business at Kirkwood, Ohio, which he con- 
tinued for eight years, moving from there 
to Bowling Green, where he embarked in 
a general mercantile business. From there 
he went to Toledo and lived in that city 
until 1900, when he came to Piqua and for 
eight years carried on business in this 
city, being a large dealer in coal and build- 
ers' supplies. For a short time he has 
considered himself retired, although this 
must be taken figuratively, as he has only 
closed out his retail interests, retaining 
the wholesale features. He has large real 



848 



HISTORY OP MIAMI COUNTY 



estate investments here and much of his 
time is taken up in supervising the im- 
provement and sale of his property. 

Mr. Huber was married in 1874, to Miss 
Celina Wise, of Loekington, Ohio, and 
they have one daughter, D. Myrtle, who 
resides at home. Mr. and Mrs. Huber are 
members of the Green Street Methodist 
Episcopal Church. He is one of Piqua's 
capitalists. 

A. G. EIDEMILLER,* a well known 
resident of West Milton, Miami County, 
Ohio, is engaged in the real estate and in- 
surance business and is also clerk of Union 
Township. He was born in Montgomery 
County, Ohio, in 1862, and is a son of Mar- 
tin and Elizabeth Eidemiller, his father a 
native of Germany and his mother of 
Pennsylvania. Martin Eidemiller was two 
years of age when the family came to the 
United States and located in Montgomery 
County, Ohio. There he was reared to 
maturity and followed farming until his 
death at the age of seventy-three years. 
His wife died at the age of fifty-six years. 

A. G. Eidemiller attended the district 
schools of his home community, and there- 
after taught school and farmed for a 
period of twenty years. In 1901 he located 
at West Milton and engaged in the buggy 
and farm implement business, also dealing 
extensively in livestock. He continued 
with good returns until January, 1908, 
when he sold his interests to Mr. E. L. 
Miller. He then moved into his present 
office and began dealing in local real estate 
and handling fire and accident insurance, 
representing some of the strongest com- 
panies operating in this country. He was 
elected to the office of township clerk in 



1907, and has discharged the duties of his 
office in a most satisfactory manner. 

Mr. Eidemiller was united in the bonds 
of matrimony with Miss Ella Fonts, a 
daughter of Aaron Fonts, who died in 
1891. They have four children: Lester 
W., a railway postal clerk who married 
Miss Dorothy Becker of Dayton; Neva, 
who attended Ohio Wesleyan University 
at Delaware, Ohio, completing a musical 
and literary course; Aaron Fouts; and 
Cuba Manila, who is attending school. Po- 
litically, the subject of this sketch is a 
Republican. In fraternal affiliation, he is 
a ]\Iason and a Pythian Knight. Reli- 
giously, he is a member of the Christian 
Church. 

JAMES B. HOUSER,* who resides on 
his 106-acre farm in Spring Creek Town- 
ship, is one of the thriving agriculturists 
of this township and a citizen who has 
taken a useful part in public affairs. He 
was born on this farm, in an old log house 
built by his grandfather ninety years ago, 
and which is still standing and in a state 
of good preservation. It was one of the 
first houses in the township built from 
hewed logs — the logs being all poplar — 
and at a later date was provided with 
weather-boarding. Here the siabject of this 
sketch first saw the light October 16, 1854, 
his parents being Aaron M. and Eliza N. 
(Inskeep) Houser. 

Aaron M. Houser, the father, was bom 
in this same log house and spent his entire 
life on this farm. He died January 26, 
1899. James B. was his second child in 
order of birth. The entire family in cor- 
rect order was as follows: William S. ; 
James B., our subject; Henry Lawrence; 
Samuel Franklin; Joseph Merrill; Carrie 



.AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



649 



Rose Emma, who married Bland Scudder, 
a justice of the peace in Piqua ; and Albert 
Wesley. 

James B. Houser received his education 
in the district schools of Spring Creek 
Township, -and after leaving school took up 
agricultural pursuits, which he has made 
his life work. After spending some years 
with his father on the home farm, he rented 
a farm in Brown Township, and while 
operating it led the life of a bachelor. 

On October 9, 1880, he was married to 
Amelia W. Fritsch, a daughter of August 
and Barbara (Wrote) Fritsch, farming 
people of Mercer County, Ohio. Mr. and 
Mrs. Houser are the parents of two chil- 
dren — Lilly Pearl and August M. Lilly 
Pearl, bora April 10, 1882, married Paul 
F. Berdier, and they have two children, 
Elden and Julia Lucille. August M. Hou- 
ser, born September 19, 1886, is a veteri- 
nary surgeon at Versailles, Darke County, 
Ohio. 

Mr. James B. Houser served eighteen 
years as constable of Spring Creek Town- 
ship, but finally declined to act in that 
office any longer. He has also served sev- 
eral terms as school director and as road 
supervisor, and was one of the committee 
that built the Fairview schoolhouse in 
Spring Creek Township. In politics he is 
a Democrat, and he is one of the charter 
members of Fletcher Lodge, Knights of 
Pythias. The family attend the Methodist 
Church. The parental homestead, on which 
Mr. Houser now resides, includes eight 
acres of timber, all the rest being farm 
land. In Mr. Houser 's hands the land is 
made to yield the maximum crops and the 
buildings kept in good repair. Mr. Houser 
is a worthy representative of that impor- 



tant class of citizens upon whose labors 
depends in large measure our national 
prosperity. 

WILLIAM EVERETT HOGAN,M.D.,* 
a physician and surgeon occupying a prom- 
inent place among the medical men of Mi- 
ami County, has a practice that covers con- 
siderable territory but maintains his home 
at Fredericksburg, Ohio. He was born at 
Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio, October 
20, 1869, and is a son of John W. and 
Maria Jane (Noel) Hogan. 

The Hogan family originated in Ireland. 
The paternal grandfather, Cornelius Ho- 
gan, was born in Montreal, Canada. He 
was a carpenter and farmer, and also a 
soldier, serving in the War of 1812 and in 
the Mexican War. On the maternal side, 
Dr. Hogan 's ancestry goes back to France 
and his great-grandfather came to Ohio at 
a very early time, bringing with him his 
thirteen sons, having previously lived at 
Jamestown, Virginia. In that historic 
place, Grandfather Peter Noel was born. 
He married Mary Goldsburg, who was of 
English extraction but was born in Mary- 
land, and they settled in Scioto County, 
Ohio, in 1800. 

John W. Hogan, father of Dr. Hogan, 
was born in the city of New Orleans, Lou- 
isiana, on Jackson Square, in 1845. He 
was left an orphan when young and in 1858 
was sent to Darlington, Ohio, to complete 
his education. He enlisted for service in 
the Civil War soon after hostilities began 
and was a veteran of Company E, Thirty- 
third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
in which he sei'ved for three years, eleven 
months and ten days. He married Maria 
Jane Noel and they reside in comfort in 
Scioto County, on their farm in the vicin- 



850 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



ity of Portsmouth. They had seven chil- 
dren born to them, the three survivors 
being Edwin W., Martha J. and William 
Everett. Edwin J. Hogan resides on Sil- 
ver Fox Island, in Puget Sound, where he 
is interested in growing apples. He mar- 
ried Bessie Lowery. Martha J. is the wife 
of Frank Ford, of Portsmouth, Ohio. 

Dr. Hogan completed the public school 
course at Portsmouth, and after graduat- 
ing from the High School, entered upon the 
study of medicine. After four years of 
preparation he was graduated at the Mi- 
ami Medical College of Cincinnati, in 
1896. After a few months of practice at 
Portsmouth, Dr. Hogan came to Fred- 
ericksburg, where he has continued to re- 
side, building up a large and lucrative 
practice and becoming one of the leading 
citizens of this section. 

Dr. Hogan married Miss Abbie B. Grain- 
minger, a daughter of John J. and Rachel 
(Thomas) Grainminger. Her paternal 
grandfather, Leonard Grainminger, came 
to Scioto County, Ohio, from Reading, 
Penna., at a very early day. Her father, 
the late John J. Grainminger, was born 
eight miles north of Portsmouth, Ohio. He 
was a farmer all his active life. His death 
occurred in 1907, when aged seventy-five 
years. His widow still survives. She is a 
daughter of Benjamin and Charity Thomas 
and a granddaughter of James and Cath- 
erine (McVeigh) Thomas. James Thomas 
was drowned in the Mississippi River. His 
widow survived until her ninety-seventh 
year. The grandparents of Mrs. Hogan 
settled near Piqua, in Miami County. Dr. 
and Mrs. Hogan have one son, who was 
born June 2, 1898, and attends the public 
school. 

Politically, Dr. Hogan is affiliated with 



the Republican party. He belongs to Au- 
rora Lodge, No. 48, F. & A. M. and to the 
Junior Order of American Mechanics. He 
is identified with numerous medical organi- 
zations, including the Miami County Med- 
ical Society and the Ohio State Medical 
Society. 

FELIX GANGLOFF,* residing on the 
old homestead farm of 240 acres, which is 
situated in Section 26, Washington Town- 
ship, was born on this farm in 1861, and is 
a son of Nicholas and Mary (Clouse) 
Gangloff. The parents of Mr. Ganglofif 
were both born in Gennany and came to 
America when aged about eighteen years. 
Nicholas Gangloff located first at Somer- 
set, Perry County, Ohio, and there he later 
married Mary Clouse. Immediately after- 
ward they came to Miami County and went 
to housekeeping on the present farm where 
the remainder of their lives were spent. 
Nicholas Gangloff died in 1898, at the age 
of eighty-seven years, and his widow died 
in May, 1905, aged eighty-five years. Nich- 
olas Gangloff was considered a very suc- 
cessful farmer during his active years and 
an excellent business man, having acquired 
a large amount of property both in Miami 
County and also in Piqua. Both he and 
wife were devoted members of the German 
Catholic Church. They had seven children 
born to them, namely: Celia, who resides 
with her brother Felix on the old home- 
stead and with him owns the property ; Ap- 
lonia, who is a sister in a convent in Cin- 
cinnati; Lucy, also a sister, who died in a 
convent at Lafayette, Indiana; Anthony, 
who resides in Missouri and has been a 
railroad man for many years ; Felix ; John ; 
and George, who died in infancy. 

Felix Gangloff has always resided on the 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



851 



Lome farm, as has his eldest sister. They 
manage it together, having a tenant who 
does a large part of the work and lives in 
one of the farm houses. Mr. and Miss 
Gangloff reside in a fine brick residence. 
This farm is one of the most valuable in 
Washington Township and one of the best 
improved. The family is well known and 
is held in the highest esteem. 

EICHAED H. SOTHERLAND, Jr.,* 
superintendent of the Troy Wagon Works, 
at Troy, Ohio, was bom in this city on Feb- 
ruary 13, 1872, and is a son of Richard 
Sotherland. The latter is court bailiff of 
Miami Coimty and for years has been iden- 
tified with the public affairs of both city 
and county. 

Richard H. Sotherland was reared at 
Troy and obtained his education in the 
schools of his native city. His first busi- 
ness position was a clerkship in a local 
grocery store and for about four years he 
was freight clerk for the C, H. & D. Rail- 
road, after which he became an employe of 
the Troy Wagon Works Company, with 
which he has been connected for fifteen 
years, during eight of which he has been 
superintendent. He owns stock in the en- 
terprise, which is one of the most prosper- 
ous at Troy. He takes an interest in public 
matters and is serving his second term as 
a member of the Board of Public Service. 

In 1891 Mr. Sotherland was married to 
Miss Edith Harshbarger, of Van AVert, 
Ohio, and they have six children, namely: 
Cyril, Fay, Helen, Paul, Kenneth and 
Inez. Mr. Sotherland is an enthusiastic 
Elk, at the present time serving in the of- 
fice of exalted ruler and belonging also to 
the Elks Club. 



GEORGE W. SHEPARD,* one of Lost 
Creek Township's representative citizens 
and leading business men, resides on his 
valuable farm of 156 acres, which is situ- 
ated on the county line of Miami County. 
He was born in October, 185G, in Mont- 
gomery County, Ohio, and is a son of Ezra 
and Jane R. (Hufford) (Davidson) Shep- 
ard. 

Ezra Shepard spent his whole life in 
Montgomery County, Ohio. The business 
he followed was the digging of wells. He 
married Mrs. Jane R. Davidson, widow of 
Francis Davidson and a daughter of John 
Hufford. The Huffords came to Ohio from 
Maryland. Mrs. Shepard lived into ex- 
treme old age, her death occurring in Feb- 
ruary, 1909, when within ten days of her 
ninety-fourth birthday. At that time she 
was the oldest woman in Lost Creek Town- 
ship. Of the children born to her first mar- 
riage, two survive, Jacob and Daniel. One 
son died in the army and one at Camp 
Chase, during the Civil War, and another 
was drowned. 

George Washington Shepard was the 
only child of his parents and he lived at 
home until his marriage. During the sum- 
mer of 1874 he worked for Michael Leffel, 
south of Springfield, having come with his 
mother to Miami County, in 1871. In 1882 
he bought forty acres of his present farm 
from John Wilson, seventy-five and one- 
half acres from Elijah Priest and the re- 
mainder from George Ralston. He owns 
an additional farm of twenty-eight acres 
situated in Champaign County. He carries 
on general farming and raises tobacco on 
twelve acres, and for some years he has 
been interested in the horse and hog busi- 
ness. He belongs to a horse company that 
owns Defiance, which is a French draft 



852 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



horse, three j-ears old, weighing 1,850 
poimds; and a registered Percheron, Ro- 
sier, a three-year-old, weighing 1,500 
pounds. The stables are on Mr. Shepard's 
farm. He also has a stable horse, Rube, a 
French and Belgian, weighing 1,500 poimds. 
In addition to cultivating his own land he 
operates a part of the old Leffel farm. 
Formerly he was in partnership in a 
butcher shop at Addison, under the firm 
name of Breganier & Shepard and in the 
well drilling firm of Stephens & Shepard. 
He is a man of excellent business judgment 
and his advice is frequently asked by his 
less successful neighbors. 

On December 6, 1886, Mr. Shepard was 
married to Miss Emma Leffel, a daughter 
of Martin S. and Catherine (Huffman) 
Leffel, and they have had five children, 
namely: Delores, who attended college at 
Columbus and is employed in that city as 
a bookkeeper ; Sylvia, who graduated from 
the Christianburg High School, attended 
the Miami University at Oxford, and is a 
popular teacher in the public schools ; Otis, 
who is a graduate of the Addison High 
School, and a successful teacher in Cham- 
paigne County; and Ruth and Paul. Mr. 
Shepard's family is an unusually intellect- 
ual one and he has afforded his children 
every advantage he has been able. Polit- 
ically he is a Democrat, but has always 
been too busy to accept public office. He is 
a member of the Odd Fellows at Addison 
and belongs also to the Encampment. ■ 

ZENAS PIERCE,* who for twelve 
years has served as justice of the peace at 
Pleasant Hill, is one of the substantial as 
well as representative men of this section, 
owning two improved town properties and 
an excellent farm of forty-six acres situ- 



ated in Newton Township. He was born 
in Union Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
April 17, 1834, and is a son of Samuel and 
Millie (Iddings) Pierce. 

Samuel P*ierce was born in Pennsyl- 
vania, October 15, 1785, and lived to be 
seventy-eight years of age. His parents 
took him to Virginia when eight years old 
and when nineteen he came to Ohio and lo- 
cated in Miami County, building the third 
log cabin that was erected in West Milton. 
He was a carpenter and wagonmaker by 
trade. Although he acquired many farms 
he did little actual farm work after clear- 
ing up his first property, finding profitable 
employment for his time in work at his 
trade and also in dealing in farm lands 
and in stock. He had fourteen farms at 
one time and to each of his twelve chil- 
dren he gave a good property. He was a 
Republican in politics and served for two 
terms as county commissioner. On May 3, 
1810, he married Millie Iddings and they 
had the following children: Ruth, Mar- 
garet, Malinda, Gainer A., Almira, Sam- 
uel, William, Hannah, Mary, John, Clark- 
son, Zenas and Benjamin, the last men- 
tioned of whom died an infant. 

Zenas Pierce attended the district school 
in Union Township nearest his home and 
then worked on the farm for his father 
until he reached his majority and then 
went to farming for himself in the same 
neighborhood and remained on the farm 
until he was about forty-five years old and 
then conducted a hardware store at Brad- 
ford for seven years, after which he moved 
his store to Pleasant Hill. He soon took 
so active an interest in the public affairs 
of the place that he was elected a member 
of the town council and subsequently jus- 
tice of the peace, in which office he has 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



853 



served his fellow citizens to their entire 
satisfaction, dispensing justice impartial- 
ly and according to legal procedure. He 
has been a zealous Eepubliean ever since 
he cast his vote for John C. Fremont for 
President of the United States. 

Mr. Pierce was married (first) Septem- 
ber 6, 1854, to Elizabeth McCormick, who 
died May 2, 1880. Her parents were Ja- 
cob and Hannah (Hiatt) McCormick, the 
latter being a daughter of William and 
Elizabeth Hiatt. The children of Jacob 
McCormick and wife were: Amy, Syl- 
vanus, Lacy, Nancy, Eliza, Robert, Eliza- 
beth, Eohanna, Aaron, Lewis, Hannah, 
Jennie, Margaret and William. Jacob 
McCormick resided on his farm of 160 
acres in Franklin County, Indiana, and 
also owned eighty acres in Stark County. 
He died in February, 1871, and his burial 
was at Marion, Indiana. In politics he 
was a Eepubliean. He was a member of 
the United Brethren Church. Mr. Pierce 
was married (second) September 27, 1880, 
to Hannah Jennie McCormick, a sister to 
his first wife. He has seven children, all 
born to the first union: Clarkson, John, 
Hannah, Samuel, Abraham S., Zenas and 
Eoland N. 

For a period of thirty-five years, Mr. 
Pierce has been a member of the lodge of 
Odd Fellows at Pleasant Hill, in which he 
has passed all the chairs. He is also a 
charter member of the local Grange. His 
religious connection is with the Society 
of Friends, in Union Township. 

SAMUEL CAREIE BECHTOL,* mer- 
chant and assistant postmaster at Brandt, 
where he does a business of $5,000 annu- 
ally, was born at Brandt, Bethel Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, August 21, 1873, 



and is a son of Joseph and Helen (Bless- 
inger) Bechtol. 

Joseph Bechtol was born in the town of 
German, Ohio, and obtained his education 
in the schools of Darke County, after 
which he learned the blacksmith's trade 
and in that capacity established himself at 
Brandt. Later he engaged in a mercantile 
business in Adams County, Indiana, eight 
months later moved to Greenville, where 
he followed merchandizing for twenty-one 
months, and then conducted a store at 
Brandt for three years. Mr. Bechtol then 
closed out his stock and resumed work as 
a blacksmith. For a time he resided on 
his farm of forty acres, which he had in- 
herited from his father, in Darke County, 
and which is now operated as a truck and 
nursery farm by his oldest son, Charles 
Bechtol. Mr. Bechtol has not been active 
in business for some time, his health not 
being of the best. He has been postmaster 
at Brandt since 1905 and is a stanch sup- 
porter of the Eepubliean party. He mar- 
ried a daughter of G. W. Blessinger and 
they have four children: Charles, who 
married Maude Brown, daughter of Hiram 
Brown, of Brandt; George Harrison, who 
married Emma, daughter of John Har- 
ness; Samuel Carrie; and Joseph Earl, 
who married Grace Allen, daughter of 
Jackson Allen, and has one son, Howard J. 

Samuel Carrie Bechtol obtained his ed- 
ucation at Brandt and Greenville, Ohio, 
and began to earn his first money by act- 
ing as a clerk in a grocery store, about 
1899, and he has continued to be interested 
in the mercantile line ever since and now 
owns a first-class store stocked with gen- 
eral merchandise. In addition to this he 
conducts a wholesale and retail ice cream 
business and he owns four town lots at 



854 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Brandt. Ever since his marriage he has 
lived continuously at Brandt and is one 
of the town's most representative citizens. 
On February 22, 1903, Mr. Bechtol was 
married to Miss Velma lola Brown, a 
daughter of Hiram and Hattie (Gantz) 
Brown, and they have two children, Feta 
lola, residing at home, and an infant. Mr. 
Bechtol was reared in the German Ee- 
formed Church, of which his parents are 
worthy members. 

JOHN C. EUDY,* who comes of an old 
and well known family of Newton Town- 
ship, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of 
eighty acres of land in Section 15, Eange 5. 
He follows general farming and tobacco 
raising, and in addition has for many 
years been engaged in the threshing busi- 
ness. He was born in Newton Township, 
May 28, 1868, and is a son of Levi and 
Susan (Deeter) Eudy. 

Levi Eudy was born in Newton Town- 
ship, Miami County, where his father was 
among the pioneer settlers. He attended 
the primitive schools of his boyhood days 
and at an early age began farming. He 
first owned a farm in Section 9, Newton 
Township, which he later sold to a brother, 
and then bought sixty acres in Section 4, 
which is now owned by his heirs. He died 
March 2, 1907, and was buried in the Cov- 
ington Cemetery. He married Susan Dee- 
ter, a daughter of Abraham and Mary 
Deeter, and she now resides in Covington. 
The following were born of this union: 
Charles, John, Hannah, Samuel, Theodore, 
who died at the age of two years, and 
Jesse. Eeligiously, Mr. Eudy was a mem- 
ber of the German Baptist Church. He 
was a Democrat in politics. 

John C. Eudy first attended school in 



district No. 10, Newton Township, and 
grew to maturity on the home farm. When 
a young mat he embarked in the thresh- 
ing business for himself, and for a period 
of twenty-nine years has followed this 
business with good results. After his mar- 
riage he settled on a farm in Section 4, 
Newton Township, but later purchased of 
the M. L. Mowery heirs his present farm 
of eighty acres, all of which is cleared and 
well improved but six acres. He has made 
many of the improvements on the place, 
including the erection of a tobacco shed 
and a corn crib, but the main buildings 
were standing at the time of its purchase 
by him. He has from eight to twelve acres 
in tobacco each year, but otherwise follows 
mixed farming. He also farms the old 
home place. 

July 10, 1898, Mr. Eudy was united in 
marriage with Miss Delia Furlong, a 
daughter of Samuel and Christiana Fur- 
long, and they have one son living, Har- 
old, who is attending the public schools. 
Two daughters. Ivy and Elma, died in 
infancy. Politically, Mr. Eudy is a Demo- 
crat, but aside from the oflSce of township 
supervisor has filled no oflScial positions. 

BEET A. EEED,* who is serving in his 
second term as city auditor of Piqua, Ohio, 
is a member of the Piqua bar and a pub- 
lic spirited and progressive citizen. He 
was born at Piqua, in 1878, and is a son 
of E. C. Eeed, who is engaged in the car- 
riage manufacturing business. 

Mr. Eeed was reared in his native place 
and attended the Piqua schools and after 
graduating from the High School, entered 
Phillips Academy, at Exeter, New Hamp- 
shire, going from there to the Ohio State 
University, where he was graduated in 



AND REPEESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



855 



law in 1900. After practicing his profes- 
sion for about eight months at Tippecanoe 
City, he returned to Piqua," where he has 
been more or less prominent in public 
life ever since. In 1901 he was elected a 
justice of the peace and city clerk, and sub- 
sequently, under the new code, city auditor, 
an office he has acceptably filled ever since. 
In 1904 Mr. Eeed was married to Miss 
Bessie E. Cathcart, of Piqua, and they have 
one son, Edward. Mr. and Mrs. Eeed at- 
tend the Presbyterian Church. He is a 
member of the Junior Order of American 
Mechanics, belongs to the Odd Fellows and 
is a Master Mason. 

IRA JACKSON,* president of the Board 
of County Commissioners of Miami Coun- 
ty, a body of intelligent and public-spirited 
men, is a prominent citizen and a repre- 
sentative agriculturist, having resided all 
his life on a farm. He was bom in 1867, 
in Butler Township, Montgomery County, 
Ohio, near the line of Miami County. J. L. 
Jackson, the father of Ira Jackson, was 
born in Pennsylvania, where he grew to 
manhood. In 1864 he came to Ohio and 
located in Montgomery County and still 
resides on his farm in Butler Township. 

Ira Jackson was reared and educated in 
Montgomery County and continued to re- 
side there until after his marriage in 1892. 
He then moved to a farm in Union Town- 
ship, Miami County, which he continued to 
cultivate and improve until 1906, when he 
purchased his present valuable farm of 
175 acres, which is situated in Monroe 
Township. Mr. Jackson has thus been 
identified with agricultural pursuits all his 
life and is one of the leading farmers and 
stock raisers of this section of Ohio. For 
a number of years he has made a specialty 



of Duroc Jersey swine and his annual sale, 
in February, is always eagerly anticipated 
by other breeders of fine stock. On Decem- 
ber 16, 1892, Mr. Jackson was married to 
Miss Minnie Eidemiller, who was born and 
reared in Miami County, a daughter of the 
late George W. Eidemiller, a well known 
citizen. 

Mr. Jackson is a prominent factor in 
politics in Miami County and has fre- 
quently served in offices of responsibility. 
He was first elected coimty commissioner 
in November, 1902, and was re-elected in 
1905 and made president of the board, his 
present term expiring on the third Monday 
in September, 1909. He is affiliated with 
the Masons and the Odd Fellows and be- 
longs also to the International Stock Ex- 
jDosition of Chicago and to the American 
and National Duroc Jersey Association. 

SAMUEL M. FETTEE,* a well known 
resident of Newberry Township, Miami 
County, Ohio, is the owner of 130 acres of 
farm land located three miles north of 
Bradford. He was born on this farm, De- 
cember 7, 1861, and is a son of Jacob and 
Catherine (Brumbaugh) Fetter. 

Jacob Fetter was born about one mile 
east of the farm above mentioned, and was 
a son of Samuel Fetter, who was one of the 
pioneers of Newberry Township. Jacob 
was an early day school teacher and for 
more than forty years was a school di- 
rector. He held numerous other local of- 
fices and was a prominent man of the 
township. He lived to reach the advanced 
age of ninety j^ears. He was first married 
to Anna Hogan, by whom he had four chil- 
dren. His second union was with Cather- 
ine Brumbaugh, who also was born in New- 
berry Township and was a daughter of 



856 



HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY 



Jacob Brumbaugh, who came from Penn- 
sylvania. They also had four children. 

Samuel M. Fetter was reared on the 
home farm and attended the schools of this 
locality. He has been in the threshing busi- 
ness ever since he was fourteen years of 
age, and has also dealt in horses for the 
same length of time. He raises a high 
grade of Percheron-Norman horses and 
has been more than ordinarily successful in 
that branch of his business. In addition 
he follows general farming. He erected a 
fine barn on the home place in 1901, and 
two years later built the comfortable frame 
house in which he lives. Mr. Fetter was 
united in marriage with Miss Henrietta 
Miller, who is a daughter of Abraham Mil- 
ler, and they have three children — Myrtle 
May, who is the wife of Ashley Routson 
and has two children, Mildred and Mar- 
cella ; Otto ; and Raymond Le Roy. Mr. 
Fetter is a man of wide acquaintance and 
is held in high esteem. 

MORRIS J. STILWELL,* for many 
years a prominent farmer of Washington 
Township, Miami County, Ohio, is now re- 
tired from active operations. His farm, 
located about three miles southwest of 
Piqua, was recently sold, and he and his 
estimable wife will in the spring of 1909 
locate on West Boone Street, Piqua. 

Mr. Stilwell was born on a fai-m in 
Staunton Township, Miami County, Ohio, 
October 27, 1840, and is a son of Joseph 
and Elizabeth (Sayers) Stilwell. Joseph 
Stilwell was born in New Jersey and was 
first married there to a Miss Claypole, by 
whom he had three children. As a young 
man he came west to Miami County, Ohio, 
and here he formed a second union with 
Elizabeth Sayers. She was bom in Penn- 



sylvania in 1804, and was four years of 
age when her father, Thomas Sayers, 
moved with his family to Miami County, 
Ohio, settling southeast of Casstown. 

Morris J. Stilwell was reared on a farm 
in Staunton Township and attended the 
local schools. He was scarcely twenty-two 
years of age when, on August 12, 1862, he 
enlisted for service in the Union Army as 
a member of Company A, 110th Regiment, 
Ohio Vol. Inf. He participated in many 
important engagements, eighteen in num- 
ber, and September 19, 1864, was wounded 
at 'Puken Creek, Virginia. He was hon- 
orably discharged at Providence, Rhode 
Island, July 7, 1865. At the close of the 
war he returned home and resumed farm- 
ing, which has been his occupation through- 
out his entire career. In 1882 he and his 
wife located upon the farm on which they 
have since lived. 

Mr. Stilwell was married March 20, 
1866, to Miss Angeline Damold, who was 
born and reared in Piqua, and is a daugh- 
ter of William and Mary (Jones) Darnold. 
William Darnold was born in Fauquier 
County, Virginia, and was about ten years 
of age when his father, William Darnold, 
Sr., moved to Kentucky, settling on a farm 
near Carrollton. There the father died, 
and when about twenty-one years old, Will- 
iam, Jr., came to Piqua, Ohio, where he 
worked as a mason. He was the contractor 
in the construction of the First Baptist 
Church in this city. At the age of twenty- 
eight he was married for the third time. 
His first wife was a Miss McFarland and 
lived but four months after marriage. He 
was married a second time to Miss Mary 
Mitchell, whose death occurred four j^ears 
after their union. His third marriage was 
with Miss Mary Jones, a daughter of Caleb 



AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 



857 



and Susan (Anderson) Jones, who were 
early residents of Miami County. Mr. 
Jones located on a farm three miles east of 
Piqua on the Urbana Pike and lived there 
until his seventy-fifth year, when he sold 
out and moved to Piqua. His wife, Susan 
Anderson in maiden life, was born in Ken- 
tucky but was a mere baby when her jDar- 
ents came to Miami County. Her father 
was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. 

Morris J. Stilwell and his wife became 
parents of the following children: Mary 
Elizabeth, who died at the age of seven 
years of typhoid fever; William Morris, 
who died of typhoid fever within eight 
days of the death of his sister, being five 
years old at the time; Harold Clifford; 
Joseph Creighton; and Charles Carroll. 
Harold Clifford Stilwell, who is in the lum- 



ber business at Helena, Arkansas, married 
Miss Amma Angle, a daughter of Henry 
Angle of Piqua. Joseph Creighton Stil- 
well, who is in the real estate business in 
Denver, Colorado, married Miss Anna 
Thompson of Rochester, New York, and 
they have two children, Mary Elizabeth 
and Dorothy Margaret. Charles C. Stil- 
well married Miss Jean Thompson of Roch- 
ester, New York, and lives in Denver, 
where he has charge of the repair depart- 
ment of the National Cash Register Com- 
pany. Clifford and Charles Stilwell were 
members of the Third Regiment of Ohio 
Infantry during the Spanish-American 
War, and were stationed at Tampa, Flor- 
ida. Morris J. Stilwell and his wife are 
members of the First Baptist Church of 
Piqua, of which he is a deacon. 




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